A wrestling legend has admitted that their career is now over after leaving AEW.
Tully Blanchard signed with AEW in 2019 and served as manager of The Pinnacle and more specifically. However, by early 2022, Blanchard’s appearances had become less frequent and he was fired in storyline by FTR in March.
From there he headed to Ring of Honor where he briefly headed up a group including Gates of Agony and Brian Cage. The venture proved to be short-lived with Tully Blanchard Enterprises being ‘sold’ to Prince Nana ahead of Death Before Dishonor.
Tully Blanchard Confirms “Complex” AEW Exit
Speaking in a new interview with the Two Man Power Trip podcast, Blanchard confirmed that he is no longer under contract with AEW and considers his career over.
“I’m no longer with AEW or Ring of Honor or any subsidiaries thereof. That sounded pretty legal, didn’t it? I would imagine that my wrestling career is probably over other than doing autograph shows and things like we did in Nashville. I don’t know how many retirement matches, last matches, (Ric) Flair can have,”
When asked if his departure was simply a case of his contract expiring, the WWE Hall of Famer suggested things weren’t that straightforward.
“No, it was a little more complex than that, but my contract is up and I’m gone.”
The former member of the Four Horsemen also admitted that he regretted wrestling in AEW when he teamed with FTR in March 2021.
“I personally, would prefer my last match, unfortunately AEW talked me into one, but before that, most of my matches, I think I only wrestled six or seven times after my full-time career, and people’s memories are of me, me and Arn, me and the Horsemen and back in those days when I could actually do it. I can’t do it anymore. I was asked to do a last match with Ricky Steamboat and said, ‘I’m not going to embarrass myself and go out there and not be able to do what I used to do.’ Just watch the videos,”
Tully Blanchard began his wrestling career back in 1975 and later found fame alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Ole Anderson as the Four Horsemen in Jim Crockett Promotions. Blanchard also teamed with Arn Anderson as The Brainbusters in the WWF in 1988 and 89.
Blanchard was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 as part of the Horsemen.
H/t to Fightful