Adam Pearce has zero interest in stepping away from his role as WWE RAW General Manager to return to regular in-ring competition. That said, the veteran still won’t completely shut the door on the idea.
The topic picked up steam after Nick Aldis returned to the ring at SummerSlam on January 8, wrestling his first official WWE match and losing to Gunther.
Speaking with Love Wrestling, Pearce was asked if Aldis getting back in the ring had sparked any similar desire on his end.
“Less than zero interest in putting on my size 13 stagecoach boots.
“I am 48 years old and have no desire to put spandex on. You at home don’t need to see 48 year old, bald, caucasian, Adam Pearce, wearing tights in 2026 or beyond.
“This is something that will detach retinas, so we are going to say “no”, but we will not ever say “never”.”
Pearce’s position is nothing new. Back in 2021, when he was physically involved in WWE storylines, he said he had “zero interest” in returning to full-time in-ring competition.
His most recent match came on the January 3, 2021 episode of RAW, where he teamed with Braun Strowman to challenge Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin for the RAW Tag Team Championship.
Before moving into a backstage role and eventually becoming an on-screen authority figure on WWE television, Pearce had a lengthy in-ring career. He’s a five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion and has been in the NWA Hall of Fame since 2015.