Former WWE & TNA Star Gail Kim On Difficulty Of Retirement, Fulfillment Of Producing

Gail Kim is one of the true trailblazers in women's wrestling as her work in WWE, and especially her work in TNA Wrestling, has made her one of the most influential female performers of her generation. Kim would call time on her career in 2019 to focus on becoming a full-time producer for TNA, which has led to her becoming a member of the creative team. However, like many wrestlers, she had difficulty adjusting to life outside the ring.

"When I retired, it was hard," Kim said in a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez. "I'm not going to to lie, I'm not going to sugar-coat it for everyone, and this is why I actually like to talk to people who are maybe considering retirement near the end of their career. I always tell them like just be sure and have a path, because I knew when I started not being able to walk after matches essentially, I said 'okay I don't want the fans to see me slow down, I've got to start thinking about retirement." Kim even said that it took her about two years to fully come to terms with the fact that she was no longer going to be wrestling.

Fortunately, Kim has not only managed to maintain her love of wrestling through producing matches for the TNA Knockouts division, but has even become more fulfilled watching other people wrestle than when she wrestled herself. "I always joke around with my husband because I always say nothing makes me–I don't cry, I'm just not an emotional person, but wrestling is one thing that makes me cry. I never cried at our wedding, but when I see those girls create moments or have those moments, I feel it, I get so emotional."

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