Madison Rayne Says She’s Ready To Put Her College Degree To Good Use, Owes Her Career To The Fans

Madison Rayne thanks all of the beautiful people who supported her throughout her wrestling career.

During the countdown to IMPACT Hard To Kill 2021, Madison Rayne announced her retirement from in-ring competition.

.@MadisonRayne has announced her retirement from IMPACT Wrestling.

5-time Knockouts Champion. 2-time Knockouts Tag Team Champion. A Knockouts legend. #ThankYouMadison pic.twitter.com/rF9LhqKmQE

— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) January 17, 2021

Madison Rayne first debuted in IMPACT in early 2009 and quickly rose to prominence as a member of The Beautiful People alongside Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. Throughout her years in IMPACT, Madison would become a multiple-time Knockouts Champion and a multiple-time Knockouts Tag Team Champion.

Speaking with Sportskeeda, Madison says it’s time for her to put her new college degree to use.

“This business… I have given it so many years of my life, but it has given infinitely more back to me,” Madison Rayne said. “In the sense that, for the first seven years of my daughter’s life, I haven’t been sitting behind a desk, and committed to a structured schedule. I spent so much time with her that a lot of parents don’t get in those early years. But, I think it’s time now to pivot and to… you know, I just graduated from college in December. So, it’s time to put those student loan dollars and that degree to use.

Madison went on to thank her loyal fans and said, as most wrestlers do, her career would’ve been nothing without them.

“It’s so simple and (the fans) deserve so much more, but literally all I can say is, thank you,” she emotionally stated. “Because I have out-lived the ‘expiration date’ that most people place on a female performer. I have gotten to see places in the world that I could never have imagined… and done things and met people that, in my wildest dreams, I could never imagine doing. It’s all because the fans kept saying ‘yes’ to Madison Rayne. They kept booing me when they were supposed to boo me, and lifting me up, and cheering for me when they were supposed to cheer for me. Without that? I wouldn’t have had the career that I’ve had. I am just forever, forever grateful for all the fans.”

Many of Madison’s contemporaries from across all corners of the wrestling globe took to social media to wish her well in the next chapter of her life. Read their reactions here.