Josh Alexander Is Retiring

Godspeed
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

Josh Alexander was one of the most promising up and coming wrestlers on the indie scene. He made a name for himself in Canada and leaked down into the Rust Belt/Midwest indie scene. He'd grown popular in All-American Wrestling and Absolute Intense Wrestling. The latter promotion is where he currently holds the Absolute Championship, the promotions top title. He'd finally gotten bookings in Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, the latter promotion where he and Ethan Page won the Tag Team Championships if only for a couple of minutes.

But just as soon as he came onto the scene, he has to exit. Alexander is retiring thanks to a nagging neck injury he suffered first in AAW two years ago, but that had started recurring recently. He wrote a blog detailing his entire situation, and it's a hard thing to get through. He admits that maybe he came back to the ring too soon, which is what caused his early retirement. Still, regardless of whose fault it was, if it was anyone's fault (Fate is a fickle temptress), it sucks to see a dude bow out of his career so early because of injury, especially someone as promising as Alexander.

Of course, this move will throw a lot of current pieces into chaos. Page will have to find a new tag partner or get more into singles matches. The Absolute Championship may be vacated for the second time in a row. Tim Donst had to give it up when he got his cancer diagnosis. But regardless of any in-character determinants, the most important thing is that Alexander gets healthy. He may not be able to wrestle again, and that's a damn shame. But if he can get his neck back to a level where he's not in constant pain and has feeling in his arms, then that at least is a start.