What’s the story?
Gail Kim, considered by many to be the greatest in-ring female performer in the history of TNA/Impact Wrestling/GFW, announced her retirement from in-ring competition in this week’s episode of Impact.
After a touching tribute where she thanked the fans and her fellow wrestlers, she said she would retire from all in-ring competition by the end of 2017.
In case you didn’t know...
Gail Kim is a 6-time TNA Knockouts Champion (the only other woman in history to achieve this feat is Angelina Love) as well as the first woman to be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame (in the year 2016). She was also the first woman to become WWE Women’s Champion in her very first match.
Through his incredible skills, she is acknowledged for putting women’s wrestling on the map and is remembered for her battles with the talented female roster in both wrestling promotions.
The heart of the matter
Gail Kim addressed the crowd at the recent GFW tapings, admitting that an injury had kept her out of the ring in the recent past, and saying that while she had given her mind, soul, and body to wrestling, she did not regret one moment. As the crowd thanked her vocally, she announced the following:
“I’m here to announce officially that at the end of the year 2017, I will be retiring from the ring. So thank you to all the girls that I’ve been working with through the years, the friendships, the bonds... everyone has been like my family. To Impact Wrestling, thank you so much for allowing me to be me.”
Kim ended her speech by saying that this wasn’t the end and she intended to go out on top, at her home in Impact Wrestling. The crowd serenaded her with chants of ‘Thank you Gail’, from the stands.
Kim even sent out the following tweet shortly afterwards, indicating that she was far from done as an in-ring performer:
What’s next?
Sienna holds the GFW Women's Championship at this moment and we wonder if Gail will enter the fray and challenge her for the title in the months to come. That should be an interesting program, if it happens.
Author’s take
Gail Kim is undeniably one of the best female superstars of all time and we completely respect her decision to retire from the ring, at this stage of her career. Thank you for all the memories over the years. We will cherish them wholeheartedly, as fans of yours.
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