Saraya is stepping away from the AEW spotlight for now, focusing on projects outside the ring as she promotes her upcoming memoir Hell in Boots: Clawing My Way Through Nine Lives, set to be released Tuesday.

The former AEW Women’s World Champion has not appeared on AEW television since October 2024. Speaking on the Lightweights Podcast, Saraya shared that her time is currently filled with auditions and media work.

“Oh my gosh, yeah, so this year’s been really frigging busy, which is great,” she said. “Like, I’ve been doing a lot of self-tapes... media for the book... just a lot of things outside of wrestling. I haven’t been doing a lot of wrestling things.”

While she confirmed she will eventually return to the ring, Saraya believes AEW is doing just fine without her at the moment.

“I feel like at this age and time, there isn’t really a spot for me right now. I feel like everybody’s got their own thing. Eventually — I love wrestling, I will be back at work at some point. But, right now, it’s just like — it’s good. They don’t need me. They don’t need me [smiles].”

Saraya, 32, has not set a retirement date but told Sports Illustrated recently that her in-ring career is nearing its end. She hopes to spend her remaining time uplifting others in the business.

Her AEW contract expires this September. Though she has not ruled out a return to WWE, Saraya told TMZ Sports she has truly enjoyed her run with AEW.