Former NXT UK wrestler Jinny explains why she decided to retire

Former NXT UK wrestler Jinny has explained her decision to retire from in-ring competition.

The 35-year-old Jinny announced her retirement last month, stating that she had made the decision to hang up her boots after a long time away due to injury. The announcement came more than a year after her last match.

During an interview with Ring The Belle, Jinny confirmed that a concussion was the injury that caused her to retire. Jinny said she had taken quite a few blows to the head, but this was the worst head injury that she ever had. Her body was taking a long time to heal and she wondered if it would take even longer if she suffered another injury.

So when I was injured, this was actually the longest time that I had been out with any injury. During the time of being injured and having the symptoms, I was just like, ‘Wow, this is just taking so long for my body to heal.’ The injury that I actually had, it was a concussion. Unfortunately, I took quite a few blows to the head, and it was the worst one I ever had. Halfway through, I was like, ‘If my body is taking this long to heal, if I get hit again, is it going to take even longer?’ I just had to be smart about it. I love wrestling. I’m a wrestling fan, I always will be. It was a really hard decision because if it wasn’t for that, would I be wrestling still? Yes. But your health is wealth. And as difficult as it is, and as much as I love this business and as much as I was like, ‘maybe I’ll be okay,’ I had to be smart about it and make sure that I look after myself, not just for now, but in the long run as well.

Though she’s currently healed and cleared to compete, Jinny closed the door on ever returning to the ring for another stint. When asked if she would be interested in coming back for one retirement match, Jinny said her focus is on her health right now but you never know what’s going to happen in the future.

Right now, I don’t know [if she’d consider having a retirement match]. I don’t want to take a chance and then get hurt, but never say never. You never know what’s around the corner. But right now, I just need to focus on my health, even though I’m healed and I’m fine and I’m cleared and everything. Right now I just need to focus on health-wise, but never say never. But would I fully come out of retirement and have like another stint? No. I don’t want to take that chance. And it’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.

When we get into this business, whether you sign with a big company or you work on the Indies, we all know the risks that we take. But we take those risks because we have a dream and we have a passion for wrestling. It happens, but looking back on everything, I had so much fun, I really did. And I’m very, very grateful for everything I’ve come out of wrestling. I met my husband in wrestling. I met some great friends in wrestling. I got to work with some amazing people. And all of those companies like PROGRESS, Eve, RevPro, OTT, and all of that — they gave me opportunities when I was so new and they still believed in me. When I was experimenting with my ring gear, trying to work on the basics in the ring and still training and stuff, they still gave me an opportunity. Yes, it would always be nice to come out of retirement and achieve more, but looking back, I achieved so much and I’m very, very grateful.

Jinny wrestled on the United Kingdom indies before being signed by WWE in 2018. Her character was “The Fashionista” both on the indies and in NXT UK.

Jinny is married to WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther.

Ring The Belle’s full interview with Jinny can be seen below: