AEW Releases: Every Wrestler Released In 2025

As a company, AEW has historically veered away from outright releasing contract talents. For the majority of talents to have departed the promotion in previous years, it's been a case of their contracts simply expiring and AEW opting not to renew them.

That said, 2025 has already seen several notable names released by AEW. But while receiving your release is usually not a good thing for a talent, there have been certain now-former AEW stars who had actually been requesting that release for a while, with the Tony Khan-helmed organisation eventually deciding to grant this request and allow some grapplers out of their deals early.

At the time of this writing, we've had a batch of three big names released at the same time, there's been a straight-up firing, some contracts have been allowed to naturally expire, one high-flying star was finally granted their release after months of uncertainty over their future, and one of AEW's brightest stars - a former World Champion, no less - shocked the wrestling world.

Now, while we hope we won't have to update this list too much throughout the year due to a spate of firings or mass releases, this article is very much a fluid one that will be refreshed if and when further names find themselves heading for the AEW exit door as 2025 rolls on.

So, with that in mind, let's get to the first name to depart AEW this year.

Maria Kanellis

Maria Kanellis was the first AEW talent to leave the company in 2025, announcing on 31 January that that day was her final one with the promotion.

Maria joined AEW in 2022 alongside her husband Mike Bennett and his tag partner Matt Taven, although Maria's final months under contract saw her operating more in ROH as the manager of Cole Karter and Griff Garrison.

Speaking of contracts, Kanellis' AEW deal was originally due to expire in late 2024, but a short-term extension was agreed upon that kept her tied down until the start of this year. Reports at the time of her exit noted how Maria wanted to play a larger role for the company, particularly when it comes to the creative side of the business.

Ricky Starks

After nearly a year sat on the sidelines - despite being fit, healthy, and eager to work - Ricky Starks was one of three names granted their AEW release in February.

For many fans, they were constantly baffled by Tony Khan's decision to keep such a talented performer benched, and Ricky's frustrations could clearly be felt when he spoke to us at WhatCulture last May. Regardless of not using the Stroke Daddy, AEW opted to trigger a one-year contract extension last year that would've kept him with the company until the second half of 2025.

Thankfully, those in power opted to finally grant Ricky his release in February, and Absolute wasted no time whatsoever - seriously, it was the very next day - in signing with WWE and making an immediate impact in NXT.

Under the name Ricky Saints, Absolute has held the NXT North American Championship, has reportedly already been discussed for a main roster move, and is next up to face NXT Champion Oba Femi.

Malakai Black

Alongside Ricky Starks, February saw Malakai Black granted his AEW release.

For Black, it had been somewhat of a strange few stop-start years under the AEW banner. Case in point, Malakai only had five singles matches in AEW across 2024, and he had zero singles matches for the company in 2023.

On top of those, it felt like every few months, stories would surface of Black requesting his release or just generally being unhappy in Tony Khan's promotion. Likewise, there were also regular rumblings of the Dutchman not willing to do the J.O.B., although only the talent and AEW management will know if there was any truth to such reports.

To the surprise of nobody, Malakai reverted to Aleister Black and made his WWE return shortly after WrestleMania 41. The one-time NXT Champion is currently embroiled in a rivalry with Damian Priest, with the Archery of Infamy an ideal fit as a notable opponent for Black to be tangling with.

Miro

Rounding out the trio of simultaneous February releases, Miro was another who was granted his AEW exit.

Once he found his footing as the Redeemer, the Bulgarian Brute was an absolute badass and a regular highlight of AEW programming, cracking skulls and snapping backs. In fact, you could legitimately make an argument that Miro's run as the TNT Champion was the greatest run in that title's history.

And then, well then, just as Miro seemed on the cusp of cementing a genuine main event spot and potentially becoming AEW World Champion, he vanished. To emphasise that point, Miro wrestled just 13 AEW matches since dropping the TNT Title to Sammy Guevara in September 2021 - four of which were in 2022, seven coming in 2023, and a stark zero matches in 2024.

Away from the ring, Miro and CJ Perry separated last year, although the two have since renewed their wedding vows. And while Aleister Black headed to SmackDown post-WrestleMania 41, Rusev made his own WWE return, turning up on the Raw brand, and CJ is reportedly now tied to a WWE Legends deal.

Bear Boulder

AEW fired Bear Boulder - real name Thomas Wansaw - in February as soon as the company learned of the wrestler's arrest the previous month.

Wansaw was arrested for battery by strangulation on 13 January after police were called to his Florida home after reports from his fiancée that she'd been "physically battered" by him.

For his part, Wansaw's statement to the police was consistent with what the victim reported. However, the case was dropped in March when the victim decided to drop all charges.

Leyla Hirsch

Making her AEW debut in late 2020, Leyla Hirsch often impressed when given the chance of some TV time. Unfortunately for Legit Leyla, though, the bulk of that TV in recent times came on Ring of Honor rather than on AEW programming.

With a smash-mash style of heavy strikes, snug submissions, and a dash of high-flying thrown in for good measure, Hirsch has plenty of upside, and she was quick to return to action with an impressive outing at Bloodsport XIII over WrestleMania Weekend.

As for Leyla's AEW exit, this was a simple case of Tony Khan opting to not renew the 28-year-old's contract when it was up in February.

Hirsch has remained active on the independent scene after leaving AEW, and reports over the summer noted how she reached out to WWE to try out for a referee position.

Rey Fenix

Another case of finally with this one...

Throughout so much of 2024, we saw the future of the Lucha Bros regularly in news cycles. Both Penta and Rey Fenix were reportedly eyeing their AEW exits, with the siblings keen on jumping ship to WWE. And while Penta landed in WWE in January after the expiration of his AEW deal last year, things were a little different for Fenix.

Due to certain spells on the sidelines through injury, Rey found time tacked on to his AEW contract, with it believed he'd be tied to AEW through until the second half of this year. However, February brought word that AEW had instead decided to grant Fenix his release.

Unsurprisingly, Rey Fenix immediately joined WWE and even wound up with a spot at WrestleMania 41 just a couple of weeks after making his company debut.

Zak Knight

Much like Lelya Hirsch, Zak Knight is another wrestler whose contract AEW chose not to renew.

The brother of Saraya, Knight last competed for AEW back in June 2024 - a dark match win over Auron West - and his most notable work in the promotion was a rivalry against Angelo Parker and Ruby Soho. In addition to AEW, the 33-year-old second-generation talent also worked a handful of ROH dates during his time contracted to Tony Khan's organisation.

Somewhat surprisingly, Zak only had one televised AEW match, with that coming against Parker on an April '24 episode of the now-cancelled Rampage. Knight has worked several matches on the European scene throughout the second half of last year and into 2025, including for his family's WAW promotion out of Norfolk, England, although he's not been in action since January.

Saraya

Speaking of Saraya, she herself departed AEW this past March.

While there were reports that the former AEW Women's Champion was in a contract year in 2025, and that her existing deal would be up at some point towards the summer, she and Tony Khan came to an agreement for her to leave the company a little earlier.

Upon announcing her exit, Saraya had nothing but praise for Khan and for AEW as a whole, and the door is said to be very much open for a return at some point in the future. Likewise, the English star has discussed how she'd be open to a WWE return under the right circumstances.

As for why she wanted out of AEW, the one-time Paige simply felt that she no longer fit in the company, that she didn't have anything left to achieve, and was concerned that she might be taking a spot that could be better used going to somebody else.

The Righteous

For Vincent and Dutch, they landed in the wider world of AEW and the relaunched ROH in March 2023, initially working exclusively for the latter of those two brands. Skip ahead a few months down the line, though, and the Righteous found themselves in the mix on main AEW programming, becoming a semi-regular presence on Collision and joining forces with the legendary Jake Roberts.

However, the Righteous had not competed for AEW since September 2024 by the time they requested - and were granted - their release this May.

Prior to signing with AEW, there was said to be notable interest in Vincent and Dutch from WWE, and this September saw fresh reports that the tandem had stopped taking independent bookings as that WWE interest is believed to have returned.

Abadon

Taking to social media, Abadon confirmed that their AEW contract had expired at the end of May and would not be renewed.

That brings an end to a five-year run with All Elite Wrestling for the Living Dead Girl, with Abadon debuting for the company in March 2020 before officially becoming #AllElite a couple of months later. During that time, highlights were two shots at the AEW World Title when Hikaru Shida held that prize, and also a crack at Julia Hart for the TBS Title.

Abadon has made it clear that they intend to keep wrestling. Being in action at GCW Effy's Big Gay Brunch 10 over WrestleMania Weekend may well be an indicator that we'll see them popping up in GCW again at some point in the future.

Bear Bronson

In the case of Bear Bronson, he can consider himself somewhat unfortunate.

Much like Abadon, Bronson is a talent whose contract AEW opted not to extend once it came up at the turn of June. In a Fightful Select report on this release, it was said that Bronson was well-liked backstage, but his release was a "byproduct" of Bear Boulder's arrest and subsequent firing.

Bronson and Boulder had been a tag team since 2017, initially as Bear Country, then the Iron Savages, and Tony Khan seemingly didn't have a spot for Bear Bronson as a singles act.

Still only 29 years of age despite being a ten-year pro by this point, Bronson has already been keeping busy on the independent scene this year, and the New Yorker has plenty of time to find himself in one of the major promotions down the line - be that an AEW return or elsewhere.

Mariah May

One of the biggest names - if not the biggest name - to leave AEW this year so far is hands-down Mariah May.

The Glamour lost the AEW Women's Championship back to Toni Storm at Grand Slam Australia in February, then was unsuccessful in a rematch at Revolution the following month. And with that, that marked Mariah's final AEW appearance.

Shortly after Revolution, it was reported that May's AEW deal was up at some point in the coming months, with Tony Khan keen for her to pen a deal. However, those same reports noted that there was strong WWE interest in the Brit, and as time went on, it became more and more apparent that there was a genuine chance of one of AEW's top stars jumping ship to WWE.

That chance became a reality on the 3 June episode of NXT, where Mariah May made a shock appearance to stake her claim for Jacy Jayne's NXT Women's Championship. That appearance was followed by the news that the 26-year-old's AEW contract expired once the calendar struck June, leading to her immediately signing with the market leader.

Now going by the name Blake Monroe, the English star wasted no time in switching heel in NXT, turning on Jordynne Grace only a matter of weeks after debuting.