Alex Coughlin Announces His Retirement from Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling talent Alex Coughlin announced on Twitter that the recent rumors of him retiring from wrestling are true.

Yeah I’m retired and it sucks now leave me the fuck alone

Actually I have some merch and gear to sell still so don’t fuck off just yet

— The Dead-Eye Dreadnought Alex Coughlin (@AlexCoughlin93) March 24, 2024

These rumors originated from Super J-Cast’s review of NJPW’s The New Beginning in Osaka 2024 event this past February. During their review, it was alluded that Coughlin was retiring from wrestling following the event and that the reason was likely due to lingering neck-related issues Coughlin had been dealing with during his career.

Prior to Coughlin’s announcement, David Finaly had released a video statement this past Thursday providing a health update on his current illness. During the video, Finlay revealed that his Bullet Club War Dogs group is now down one member but this missing person is not him. Finlay stated that his group lost a member following the War Games style Dog Pound Steel Cage match at NJPW’s event and while he did not specifically mention anyone by name, this was eventually revealed to have been Coughlin.

“I see all the talk that’s out there and I hear all the whispers and the rumors about ‘The Rebel’ and his War Dogs, but before I talk about now, I want to talk about my IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match that I had with Nic Nemeth. See, it was only about a week after I spent 64 minutes inside of the steel cage and won the most brutal match in New Japan history that I was forced to defend my championship against Nic. Right before I limped out the curtain, someone from New Japan comes up to me and whispered something in my ear that changes the War Dogs forever. My body was already broken and now, they made sure that my brain was, too. So, congrats, Nic. They didn’t stack the deck in your favor at all, did they?

Well, let’s cut to today. See, I’ve been dragging those Cage Match injuries around ever since and I’ve had no time to rest, which means I’ve had no time to heal. I went from the Cage Match straight to a championship match, then straight into a grueling New Japan Cup. For all the idiots out there, that means damage on top of damage on top of damage. So they wouldn’t clear me for my quarter-final match, which, quite honestly, is bullshit. How am I healthy enough to defend my Championship a week after the brutality that I endured but as soon as I want to earn it back, now you’re worried about my health? Interesting. I would have been more than happy to show up in a stretcher and leave in a hearse if it meant getting my hands and gold again but New Japan had other plans.

I will have to find another way. A damn Cage Match has already claimed one of my War Dogs but I promise you this, it will not take out its leader.”

Time to address the rumors and whispers about my health and my War Dogs.#njpw #bulletclub #wardogs #njcup pic.twitter.com/Ap4m9pv05Q

— David Finlay (@THEdavidfinlay) March 22, 2024

Prior to his announcement, Coughlin had been with NJPW since 2018. Coughlin’s career in wrestling spanned from April of 2018 to this past February and first worked for New York Wrestling Connection before joining NJPW later that year.

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com