By ALEX MARVEZ, Scripps Howard News Service
Ring of Honor's annual "Final Battle" show will have a literal meaning for Davey Richards.
One of pro wrestling's best pound-for-pound technicians says he is retiring after that December card to pursue other endeavors.
"I didn't plan to do this for my career," Richards said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "I've gotten done with paramedic school and have other things I want to concentrate on. I want to get my black belt in jiujitsu and finish the fire academy. I'm married now, too. Ring of Honor has so many talented guys that they don't need me anymore."
The 27-year-old Richards isn't blowing smoke about ROH's talent level, but his loss would still be a significant blow to a company renowned for its in-ring product. Richards and ROH champion Tyler Black will headline Saturday night's "Death Before Dishonor VIII" show in Toronto that is available on Internet pay-per-view.
For those who haven't seen him perform, Richards is best described as a combination of the late Chris Benoit and Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington. The 5-9, 205-pound Richards has made his mark as a solo performer -- he recently competed in a junior-heavyweight tournament for New Japan Pro Wrestling -- and tag-team competitor with American Wolves partner Eddie Edwards.
Richards said he would have left the business last year if not for his pairing with Edwards.
"The American Wolves is far and away the thing I'm most proud of in my career," Richards said. "I'm the first to admit I've been real picky about who we lose to. I think we're the best tag team and something that is really special. I'm not going to say Eddie was underrated before, but people now realize how good he is."
Richards himself got good very quickly after making his 2004 debut. An amateur wrestler through his teen and college years, Richards spent two years on the California independent circuit before debuting with Ring of Honor in 2006. He gained further mainstream exposure when Ring of Honor debuted a weekly show on HDNet (8 p.m. EDT Mondays).
But even as his grappling reputation grew, Richards still kept his eyes on other career interests.
"I used to be a nurse's aide in a convalescence center when I was 19," Richards said. "I was raised by my grandparents and saw a whole host of their medical issues. I also had a mentally handicapped uncle. I've always wanted to help people, so I finally took some EMT classes a couple years ago. I then went right into paramedic school and passed that. I work out at a gym with firefighters and paramedics and did a dry run as a firefighter. I liked it, so I decided to pursue it."
Richards performs with so much intensity that it was stunning to hear he plans to walk away, especially with a potential suitor like World Wrestling Entertainment now more willing to give smaller performers like Evan Bourne prominent roles. Richards, though, said the decision is easy because he doesn't want to do anything "my heart is not 100 percent into."
Richards laughed when reminded that every pro wrestler who claims he's retiring pulls a Ric Flair and ultimately returns.
"First off, I hate to say I'm retiring," Richards said. "I'm just a small-town guy who wrestles. Ric Flair retires. Lou Thesz retires. For me, I'm just not going to show up anymore.
"You hear a lot of guys who 'retire' being very bitter at the business because they're beat up or don't feel they got their just desserts. I'm nothing but thankful. Pro wrestling ... got me out of a small town (Othello, Wash.) and made me realize there's a whole world out there. I'm not broken down. I used my wrestling money to put me through school. It really goes no higher for me."
For more information on "Death Before Dishonor VIII," visit ROH Wrestling | www.rohwrestling.com.
(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com or follow him via Twitter at Alex Marvez (alexmarvez) on Twitter.)
