Keith Lee’s wrestling future remains unclear, and a new report suggests there is growing belief within the industry that the former AEW star may have already competed in his final match.
Lee, 41, has not wrestled since December 2023 after being sidelined with an injury. Although he said in the summer of 2025 that his health had been good for some time, he has yet to make an in-ring return despite remaining under contract with AEW.
Following news that Lee and Mia Yim are divorced, Bryan Alvarez discussed Lee’s status on Wrestling Observer Live at F4WOnline.com, noting that while he does not have firsthand knowledge of the situation, the belief among many within wrestling is that Lee’s career may be over.
“Everyone has been asking what’s going on with Keith Lee,” Alvarez stated. “Is he ever coming back to AEW, and are we ever going to get that match with Swerve [Strickland]?”
Alvarez then elaborated on what he has been hearing from people within the industry.
“Well, all I can tell you is that, you know, this has been discussed within the business, obviously with this news coming out as well,” he said. “There’s been a lot of talk about Keith Lee over the last couple of days.”
He continued by stressing that he could not confirm the situation, but said the prevailing belief is that Lee’s in-ring career has come to an end.
“I’m not saying this 100 percent, okay? I’m not saying this 100 percent because I don’t know,” he continued. “But, from talking to people, the belief within the business is that Keith Lee is done. And we’re not talking like, you know, when he’s done with AEW, if that ever happens, he’ll go elsewhere — it is believed that he is likely just retired.”
Lee has remained silent on social media since September 2025. That same month, he told fans he would “certainly” wrestle again at some point, though he admitted at the time that he did not know when or how his return would happen.
