In a raw, tear-streaked revelation that’s left wrestling fans and Fox News viewers alike reaching for the tissues, George “Tyrus” Murdoch has finally opened up about his 2023 retirement from the ring—not as a faded champion bowing out on age or injury, but as a devoted father choosing family over fame. The 52-year-old NWA World Heavyweight Champion, who stunned the world by staking his career on a bullrope match against EC3 at NWA 75 (and losing, forcing his exit), choked back sobs during a December 2, 2025, appearance on The Sage Steele Show. “It wasn’t about the glory fading or my body breaking,” Tyrus admitted, voice cracking. “It was about my kids looking me in the eye and saying, ‘Dad, we need you at the games, not in the ring.'” His promise? To be the steady presence he never had growing up—a vow that’s resonated like a body slam, drawing an outpouring of praise for his “unbreakable strength” amid personal storms, including the recent loss of his father, Ozzy Osbourne.
Tyrus’s wrestling odyssey was pure grit: from WWE’s Brodus Clay (the Funkasaurus who boogied into hearts in 2012) to TNA’s Brutus Magnus enforcer, and his crowning as NWA champ in 2022 after a brutal path through indies and deep South territories. At 6’7″ and 375 pounds, he embodied the big-man menace, but behind the mic drops and suplexes lurked a man wrestling demons—multiple sclerosis flares since 2012, a messy divorce, and the grind of 300-day tours that chipped away at family time. “I was having fun, feeling great,” he recalled of that fateful 2023 match. “But one night, missing Rhett’s soccer final for the umpteenth time, I broke. I sat my kids down—Georgie, Nala, and the triplets—and asked: ‘Belt or bleachers?’ They chose me. That was it.”
The emotional core? Tyrus’s blended brood of six: daughters Georgie and Nala with wife Ingrid Rinck (whom he wed in 2016 after meeting on a blind date), step-sons Rhett and Rock from Ingrid’s previous marriage, and three 13-year-old triplets (a son and two daughters) from earlier relationships. “They’re my why,” he said, eyes welling. “I didn’t have a dad in the stands—now I do for them. No more goodbyes at airports; hello to homework and horse rides.” Rinck, the fitness entrepreneur behind Sensible Meals, echoed the sentiment in a joint Instagram post: “He traded titles for tiny hands. That’s my hero.” Their 2023 vow renewal in Malibu—surrounded by the kids, with Tyrus in a custom suit emblazoned with “Family First”—sealed the pivot.
Fans are flooding socials with #TyrusStrong, a tidal wave of 500k posts in 24 hours. “Crying over a wrestler? Guilty—dude chose love over legacy,” tweeted @WrestleHeart (120k likes). “From Funkasaurus to family man: respect,” added Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who mentored Tyrus early in WWE. Even rivals like EC3 chimed in: “You earned that exit, brother—now go be the champ at home.” The outpouring mirrors Tyrus’s Fox News arc: from Gutfeld! contributor (where his conservative fire earned him the nickname “The Enforcer”) to podcast host of Maintaining with Tyrus, blending humor with hard truths. “Wrestling gave me everything,” he reflected. “But my kids? They give me purpose.”
This isn’t just retirement—it’s redemption. Tyrus, once the 375-pound behemoth hurling opponents through tables, now channels that power into PTA meetings and pony rides. As he eyes a 2026 book on fatherhood (“From the Ropes to the Rocking Chair”), one promise endures: “I’ll show up—for the wins, the losses, the scraped knees. Because that’s the real main event.” In a world of fleeting spotlights, Tyrus’s choice spotlights eternity: family over fame. Fans aren’t just crying—they’re cheering a giant who’s finally laid down his arms for hugs.
