Rick Boogs Ends Pro Wrestling Career Following WWE Release

Following his WWE release in September 2023, Rick Boogs' career in professional wrestling is over.

After being asked if he wants to keep wrestling on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Boogs said: "No. When I first decided I was going to do wrestling, pursue it, I had to be all in on something. So like, I was doing strength and conditioning stuff, personal training. I was like, if I'm gonna commit to this other endeavour, I just quit my job. I have a wife and a daughter. I just got unemployed for the sake of you know, getting hungry that I really wanted to make it happen, which my wife was not happy about. She was like, 'Why did you have to quit?'"

Boogs was a part of WWE from 2017 until his release last year. He went through several name changes before finally debuting on the main roster in 2021 as Rick Boogs. The former Rik Bugez found success on the main roster as part of his alliance with Shinsuke Nakamura, playing the King of Strong Style's entrance music on guitar as Nakamura headed to the ring. Their partnership ended at WrestleMania 38 after Boogs suffered a torn quadriceps/patella tendon, however, and Boogs was seldom used on WWE TV upon his return in January 2023. 

Boogs stated after his release that Vince McMahon's removal from creative 'killed' his career. The 36-year-old doubled down on his point of view while speaking wth Chris Van Vliet.

"I mean, I guess, if you just look at it objectively, like look at my NXT run, and then look at, you know, when I was seen by Vince, and look at that run, and then when management or the whole regime changed again, look at that run. So a lot of people say, 'Oh, but he was injured.' I think I can say this, I was supposed to be brought back earlier (on camera), like, when I wasn't even cleared yet, a month or two after rehab and I was really planning on it. I was pumped. Like, 'Oh, man, like, I can't really bend my knee yet. Let's get back up there', and that was just kibosh," Boogs added.

He then addressed if he felt anybody had a grudge against him.

"I mean, grudge wasn't the right word. Well, I mean, at the end of the day, like in development I was told, 'You got an awesome personality and people like you. The crowd is really with you, but you gotta just keep getting better in the ring.' That's basically what that regime, that's all I've ever heard. It's like, Dude, this is scripted television. We can make this whatever. It's frustrating, but at the same time, I get where both sides are coming from," Boogs stated. 

H/T WrestlingNews.co