Kyle O’Reilly is thinking long-term about his wrestling career — and he has taken concrete steps to give himself the best possible chance of extending it well into his 50s. Speaking on This is VANCOLOUR ahead of his AEW Dynasty return, O’Reilly discussed hiring a dedicated strength and conditioning coach and the framework he has built to manage the specific demands of his body.
“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. I think that does add years to your career,” O’Reilly said. He was candid about the specific challenges he faces beyond the standard wear and tear of professional wrestling. “I’m a Type 1 diabetic as well, so that puts a lot of stress on my body. Lifelong diabetic on top of being a wrestler.”
Kyle O’Reilly Cites Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, and Chris Jericho as Inspiration for Wrestling Longevity
Despite those challenges, O’Reilly expressed genuine ambition about his timeline. “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. It’s an inspiration seeing guys like Copeland and Christian and Jericho still going and still putting out amazing matches.” He also acknowledged that his involvement in professional wrestling does not have to be exclusively in-ring, pointing to producing, coaching, and school ownership as avenues through which he expects to remain involved long after his active career concludes. O’Reilly returned at AEW Dynasty in Vancouver, winning the World Trios Championships alongside Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong in an emotionally significant homecoming in his native British Columbia.
