Former WWE and AEW women’s champion Saraya has confirmed her departure from AEW. Following her announced hiatus last November to focus on projects outside of professional wrestling, Saraya yesterday revealed that she would be venturing into podcasting with “Rulebreakers With Saraya.”
Saraya’s podcast debuted with massive news, dropping a bombshell on the very first episode. “I’m here to tell you that me and AEW’s relationship has come to an end. I had an amazing time there. There’s no bad blood between us. I had such a magical time.”
This comes after a year of sporadic appearances at AEW. Saraya wrestled just eleven times in 2024, the highlight being a women’s title match against former Outcasts stablemate Toni Storm. Her final AEW match was in October – a four-way #1 contender’s match against Nyla Rose, Jamie Hayter, and eventual winner Willow Nightingale.
While recent news surrounding Saraya’s working relationship with AEW might suggest otherwise, the English wrestler only had kind words for Tony Khan’s promotion. “Thank you, AEW. Thank you to the AEW fans — I loved my f***ing time there,” she said. “Tony’s f***ing awesome. And anyone that goes to work there will just enjoy their time. It’s just great.”
Saraya had already caused a moderate stir about her future and a possible WWE return when she appeared on Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast earlier this week.
“I love WWE and I don’t have any negative feelings towards them. I mean, they raised me. They saved me a lot. I just appreciate them so much and the idea of going somewhere else was only because the potential of my brother being there was a big thing. I just wanted him to succeed in wrestling.
But I love WWE and I would absolutely, if there were something that they needed from me which was exciting I would definitely go there, yeah.
Absolutely like, I’d be silly not to. ” So, if there’s an opportunity to do something fun, I’ll jump on board,” she said positively of her former employers.
Could a WrestleMania 41 return be on the cards for Saraya?
Saraya had previously been open about the expiry date of her current AEW contract. The deal was set to conclude in September, and with the news still fresh, it’s currently unclear how Saraya will be able to legally play the field in the coming weeks.
With less than a month until WrestleMania, it would be a welcome surprise for many fans to see Saraya return to WWE on the grandest stage of them all. However, possible contract release discussions with AEW, combined with the inevitability of a rushed creative plan, make a WrestleMania return unlikely.
Saraya joined AEW from WWE in 2022 and initially enjoyed much success. She began by forming the Outcasts stable with Toni Storm and Ruby Rose, but the highlight of her time in AEW came in 2023. Saraya captured the AEW Women’s World Championship on home soil at All In, defeating Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, and Toni Storm in a four-way match. Sadly, her sole reign lasted just 44 days.
Saraya’s AEW tenure was a missed opportunity for Tony Khan
Her brother, Zak Knight, departed AEW earlier this year, and fan criticism over Saraya’s booking also contributed to rumors that she was set to leave the promotion. Many fans had hoped that a feud between Saraya and Mercedes Moné would develop during her tenure.
In WWE, Moné injured Saraya during a house show, adding to her history of neck issues. This eventually forced her to retire in 2017, but she returned to action at AEW in 2022. Although it was an accidental injury, the storyline could have provided the basis for a distinctive feud between Moné and Saraya.
In WWE, Saraya has established a notable legacy. She is the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion and the youngest female champion in WWE history, having won the Divas title on her main roster debut at the age of 21. She is also the only woman to have held the WWE and NXT women’s world titles simultaneously.
Saraya also topped the female PWI rankings in 2014. Still only 32, there’s plenty more time for Saraya to add to her WWE résumé if the promotion is willing to sign her.
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