Maria Kanellis Opens Up About Leaving AEW and Her Next Chapter

Maria Kanellis recently opened up about her departure from AEW and her plans for the future during an episode of her Adult Conversations podcast.

Kanellis had been with AEW since 2022 before transitioning to ROH. In 2024, she faced significant health challenges, undergoing surgery in October to remove a mass from her adrenal gland. She later shared that she was cancer-free. Her AEW contract expired on January 31, marking the start of her free agency.

Reflecting on her exit, Kanellis revealed the internal struggle she faced while considering her next steps.

“As my contract was coming up, I was very much like, I went back and forth,” Kanellis said. “I’m like, ‘Okay, what do I want to be next? Where do I want to go? Do I want to do this? Do I want to try and fight for this company or go this way?’ At the end of the day, I kind of took a step back and was like, ‘You know what, I don’t think I want that right now.’ I want to be a mom. I want that to be enough, but I also want to find fulfillment in other things that I’m super passionate about."

Kanellis acknowledged that while she remains open to short-term wrestling opportunities, such as training camps or special appearances, a full-time return is not currently in her plans.

“If the right opportunity comes around and there is an opportunity, whether it be a couple of months of doing something in wrestling or to help out somewhere or do a camp or that kind of stuff, I’m not going to say no, but at the same time, it’s just not where I want to be. The Rumble happened. Would it be cool to go and do the Rumble? Yes, but at the same time, I was kind of like, ‘Don’t call me. Don’t call me. Don’t call me.’ I was doing this back and forth of, ‘Okay, do I want to jump back in there?’ I don’t know.”

She also expressed a desire to explore other interests before committing to another long-term contract.

“I kind of want to figure that out before I jump back into something,” Kanellis said. “I want to figure out these other things that I’m super passionate about. Do I want to continue being a florist and creating these amazing vases for people? What else would I want to do? I still love doing photoshoots and styling photoshoots."

Kanellis admitted that the uncertainty of free agency initially frustrated her, but she has been working on finding peace with the situation.

“Do I want to move more in a stylist direction? It’s this thing of, I’m trying to give myself time and space to think about what I want. So many times I think about, ‘Okay, contract is up, I have to sign another contract.’ It’s this panic. I’ve done it so many times and I just don’t know if that’s what I want right now. Anything could change. I feel like I’m making peace with it now. There was a while when I wasn’t making peace with it. There was a while when I was angry. Very very angry.”

She also attributed some of her frustration to the health issues she endured in 2023, which significantly impacted her outlook on both wrestling and life outside the ring.