Gail Kim explains why she retired from in-ring competition in 2019

Former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling star Gail Kim recently revealed why she stepped away from in-ring competition in 2019.

Kim made her WWE debut in 2002 and was with the company for two years before moving to TNA (now IMPACT). She returned to WWE in 2008 after spending three years with IMPACT. She ended her in-ring career with the promotion as she wrestled her last match against Tessa Blanchard at Rebellion on April 28, 2019, in which Tessa emerged victorious.

In a recent interview with Dominic DeAngelo for AdFreeShows, the seven-time Knockouts Champion revealed that years of wrestling had taken its toll on her, and she was having difficulty walking after matches.

“I couldn’t walk after my matches like, legitimately couldn’t walk. I was using my luggage as almost like a walking stick to get myself from spot to spot. Once I felt like I slowing down in the ring, and maybe the fans couldn’t tell but I knew. That was the first part and then the second part was, ‘Well, what’s the next thing that I want to accomplish?’ And honestly, I had accomplished everything I wanted to … The icing on the cake was just the Hall of Fame." [H/T eWrestlingNews]

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Gail Kim is a part of the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame

The former WWE Women's Champion signed with the promotion in October 2002. She spent eight months in the developmental brand OVW before making her main roster debut on the June 30, 2003, episode of RAW.

Kim won a Battle Royal that night to capture the WWE Women's Championship, only to lose it a month later to Molly Holly. She would then be released from the company in 2004.

Gail Kim will be remembered the most for her time and contributions to IMPACT Wrestling. Gail was inducted into the TNA (IMPACT) Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016 and was the only inductee that year. She had a remarkable run with the promotion, winning their inaugural Knockouts Championship and capturing the title six more times in her career.

Gail Kim has been asked numerous times since retiring about a possible return to the ring. She recently explained on Busted Open that she misses it, but how her body feels is a constant reminder that she shouldn't do it anymore.

However, it remains to be seen whether one final match is on the cards for the former WWE star in the near future.