Madison Rayne Explains Decision To Retire
On the January 1st episode of ROH TV, Madison Rayne announced that she would be retiring. She teamed with Deonna Purrazzo against Billie Starkz & Diamante in her retirement match.
Rayne made her debut in 2005 as Lexi Lane and had a career that spanned two decades where she competed in WWE, TNA, AEW, and ROH.
Speaking to Purrazzo and Steve Maclin on Boots To Boots, Rayne discussed her decision to retire.
“It’s been really hard over the last few years to balance agenting, producing, and coaching with wrestling. In my opinion, you have to love them both and given 100% of yourself to both of them. Giving 100% of myself to two separate things in one day was challenging. I’ve also always had in the back of my mind this little voice telling me, ‘Get out, retire, and know when enough is enough.’ People do it all the time. They outstay their welcome in the wrestling business. I didn’t want to be somebody who did that. I think I did a good job over 20 years, moving with the ebbs and flows and the different dynamics with wrestling. It was super storytelling focus when I first broke into television wrestling. Then, a few years in, it was ‘wrestling is the most important part,’ and that forced me out of my comfort zone and forced me to get better and reinvent myself. I did that so many times that, at this point, when my full-time job is coach/producer, and I love it so much, it was like, these two things telling me that it was time to celebrate my career instead of prolonging it past necessary. I’ve done everything that, for me, I needed to do to fill my cup and feel fulfilled.
“I semi-retired a few years ago because I thought it was the right thing during COVID. I got my business degree and a job selling mortgages. ‘This is my career path and my life. Let me force myself to step away from wrestling.’ It didn’t feel right and wasn’t the right time. Now, having done that, I’m glad that I did that, as much as the internet wants to tell me I’ve retired 45 times, it’s only been twice. I’m glad I did it the first time to know the difference and the way that it feels different. Before, it felt like there was more that I hadn’t done. Now, I feel so accomplished and ready to continue to move on within the wrestling industry, just in a different space. I feel really fortunate to be able to do that.”
Madison Rayne signed with AEW as a coach and wrestler in August 2022.
She is a former five-time TNA Women’s Knockout Champion and three-time TNA Women’s Knockout Tag Team Champion.
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