Zayda Steel says she left WWE to protect her love of wrestling. She planned to take a break and go to Japan, but a message from AEW owner Tony Khan changed her plans.
Why she left WWE
Steel was a top prospect in WWE’s ID program last year. She often competed for the WWE ID Women’s Championship. But by the fall she decided not to renew her contract and walked away on her own terms.
She told AEW Unrestricted she was worried WWE was taking away her joy for wrestling. “I love wrestling, like I said, and this is my escape from reality,” she said. “And once I started to feel like my only escape was work, and I started to not like it and not have fun… I want to always love this, so I chose to walk away. As well as my mental [state], personally, I was losing myself. I was losing the love for wrestling, the only thing I’ve only loved. So it was… I was like ‘Yeah, I need to do my own thing.'” (Quotes from AEW Unrestricted; h/t Wrestling Inc. for transcription.)
The surprise AEW call
Steel planned to spend two to three months away from the U.S. and wrestle in Japan. She wanted a mental and financial break and to return to the ring on her own terms.
Five days after she posted about her plans, Tony Khan texted her. “So plans changed,” she said on AEW Unrestricted. She did not expect AEW or Ring of Honor to sign her when she first became a free agent.
Joining Sky Flight
After signing, Steel became part of the Sky Flight group in AEW and Ring of Honor. She teams with Scorpio Sky, Christopher Daniels, and brothers Dante and Darius Martin. The group has given her a new role and clear direction in her career.
Steel said she chose to walk away because she wanted to keep loving wrestling. Joining Sky Flight and getting a message from AEW leadership helped her find that love again.
Watch the full interview
Steel discussed her decision and career path in detail on AEW Unrestricted. You can watch the interview below.
Zayda Steel left WWE to protect her mental health and her love for wrestling. AEW gave her a new opportunity that arrived sooner than she expected, and she is now part of a prominent group in the company.
