Active WWE Star Declares he is ‘Semi Retired’

By Andrew Ravens‎

Contributing Sports Writer

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While the wrestling world prepares for the very real retirement of John Cena later this month, another WWE star has taken to social media to joke about his own status. Tyler Bate, who has not appeared on WWE television under his own name since May, posted a photo of himself relaxing on a beach with a drink in hand.

"Enjoying semi-retirement 🍸🏝️," Bate wrote in the caption.

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A post shared by Tyler Bate (@byler_tate)

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The post is a tongue-in-cheek reference to Bate's current storyline status. While the character of "Tyler Bate" has seemingly vanished from programming, the athlete himself is widely believed to be performing weekly on "SmackDown" under a mask.

Bate has re-emerged as Bravo Americano, a luchador character who is part of the Los Americanos stable. The group also includes Rayo Americano—played by his longtime partner Pete Dunne—and El Grande Americano, played by Ludwig Kaiser.

The joke lands because Bate is technically "retired" in name only, while maintaining a full schedule under the hood of Bravo Americano. The Los Americanos faction has become a fixture of the brand's tag team division, allowing Bate to wrestle a different style while the "Tyler Bate" persona remains on hiatus.

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This playful "retirement" stands in stark contrast to the serious farewell tour of John Cena, which concludes on December 13 at "Saturday Night’s Main Event". Cena has just one match remaining in his WWE career and will face either Gunther or LA Knight in his final bout at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

While Cena prepares to hang up his jorts for good, Bate appears content to continue his "semi-retirement" as long as Bravo Americano remains an active competitor in the ring.

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