Summary

Kyle O'Reilly says he would like to keep wrestling into his 50s, and he believes the way wrestlers now approach training, rehab and recovery gives that goal a better chance than it would have in earlier eras.

Speaking before his return to AEW action, O'Reilly explained that he now works with a strength and conditioning coach who handles his programming and rehab. He said that support has helped him focus on recovery after dealing with an arm fracture and a bulging disc in his neck.

O'Reilly has since made it back to the ring, returning at AEW Dynasty and helping Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong win the AEW World Trios Championship. That comeback already felt significant on its own, as covered in his Dynasty return.

Quote from Kyle O'Reilly

"It's hard to say. I think the most important things is that wrestlers, we look at ourselves as professional athletes now. It wasn't always like that in a bygone era, and so, we put a lot more into our recovery, into our rehab. I work with a strength and conditioning coach now who does all my programming and all my rehab… I don't have to think about that now so, I can just think about my rehab and things like that. So I think that does add years to your career. It is a grind, the travel's hard. Being away from your family is hard. I'm a Type 1 diabetic as well so that puts a lot of stress on my body as well. Lifelong diabetic on top of being a wrestler. That said, I would love to wrestle into my 50s. I'll be 40 next year. I've been in the business since 2005, so 21 years this year which blows my mind to even say. But yeah, it's an inspiration seeing guys like Edge, or Adam Copeland and Christian Cage and Chris Jericho still going and still putting out amazing matches. That's awesome to see and so yeah, and the thing about wrestling, you're involved. Doesn't mean that I would always have to remain a wrestler. There's producing jobs, there's coaching jobs, I could open a school. I think in some way, I'll always be involved in the business, whether it's as a wrestler or in another capacity."

What O'Reilly's goal means for his AEW future

O'Reilly framing longevity around rehab and recovery matters because AEW has only just gotten him back after another difficult injury stretch. If he can stay healthy after Dynasty, the promotion has more room to use him as both an in-ring piece and a veteran presence around the trios scene.

His comments also show that O'Reilly is thinking beyond only matches. By pointing to producing, coaching and running a school, he made it clear that wrestling is still his long-term world even if his role eventually changes.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.