WWE's Shawn Spears Reportedly Hinting At In-Ring Retirement

Is the clock ticking down on "WWE NXT" star Shawn Spears' career? A recent development at a WWE live event seems to suggest it could be. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Spears got on the microphone following an eight man tag team match in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, an hour and a half drive away from Spears' hometown of St. Catharine's, Ontario. Spears would then reveal that the match would be his last ever in Canada, though this would turn out to be inaccurate, as he would compete in Sudbury, Ontario the next night.

Regardless, Spears' statement has many wondering if the long-time veteran is looking to retire in the near distant future. The 45 year old Spears had been inactive towards the end of the summer, with his recent live event matches serving as her first bouts since July. Spears had previously been featured on TV as the leader of the stable The Culling before being kicked out of the group at the end of June; his last televised "NXT" match would see him defeat Culling member Niko Vance by DQ after the latter attacked Spears with a steel chair.

With the exception of that short hiatus, Spears has stayed busy since returning to WWE back in early 2024, briefly winning the NXT North American Championship in March 2025, while also working with WWE behind the scenes as a producer for "NXT." Prior to his return, Spears had spent four years working for AEW, debuting at their inaugural Double or Nothing event in 2019. Primarily working as a heel during his tenure, Spears was best known for his feud with Cody Rhodes and being a member of The Pinnacle stable alongside MJF, Wardlow, FTR, and Tully Blanchard.