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Former WWE Champion Teases AEW Debut

By Monika Thapa • Published Oct 02, 2025 12:45 EDT
wwe logo over shotzi

Shotzi’s departure from WWE made headlines in mid-2025, marking the end of her six-year run with the company.

Her exit was not an abrupt firing, but rather due to her contract expiring at the end of May 2025 and not being renewed by WWE. She had been sidelined for nearly a year owing to a serious ACL tear. Upon her brief return in early 2025, she found herself with limited TV time and no consistent storyline.

WWE never provided an official reason for her departure, but Shotzi believes that creative had moved on from her, noting that they just didn’t see her as a money maker anymore. She spoke candidly about her feelings on a recent episode of Saraya’s Rulebreakers podcast, where she admitted to being disappointed and even crushed by how things ended.

She explained that although the release was somewhat expected after being out with an injury, it still hurt because she had believed Triple H would support her comeback.

“I always thought Hunter really believed in me, so it was a little disappointing. Yeah, I just felt like, dang, they gave up on me,” she shared.

She criticized how she was underutilized toward the end, voicing frustration about short matches and abandoned creative plans. But she also expressed some relief, stating her pride in staying “unfiltered” and true to herself.

Ex-WWE Star Shotzi Hints at Joining AEW

Shotzi told Saraya she had no desire to immediately return to WWE even if asked, wanting instead to build her name and legacy outside mainstream wrestling first. Rumors in the wrestling media have also linked her to a possible debut in AEW. Speaking of which, the star herself has teased joining Tony Khan’s promotion on X while responding to a tweet from AEW star Mercedes Mone.

Mone: “Any local Floridians want to wrestle me next week?”

Shotzi: “👀👀👀👀👀”

Mone: “Oh”

Since leaving WWE, Shotzi has found renewed motivation on the independent wrestling scene. She quickly began wrestling in top promotions like Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), House of Glory, Black Label Pro, and more.