Saraya leaving AEW

[Chris]

Saraya Just Wants To Help The AEW Women's Division, Even If That Means Going Away [Exclusive]

When Saraya signed on with AEW in the fall of 2022, five years removed from a career threatening injury, she had just one goal in mind. That was to help make th

www.si.com

When Saraya signed on with AEW in the fall of 2022, five years removed from a career threatening injury, she had just one goal in mind. That was to help make the AEW Women's Division better in any way she possibly could.

The Takedown on SI had a chance to catch up with the former AEW Women's World Champion ahead of the release of her new book, Hell in Boots: Clawing My Way Through Nine Lives, coming Tuesday, March 26.

While Saraya did get to have one more shining moment on top by capturing the AEW Women's Title inside of Wembley Stadium at All In: London 2023, she would lose it back to Hikura Shida in just her second defense 44 days later.

Losing matches in AEW, especially big ones, has never been an issue for her.

“I'm letting people beat me, left, right and center. I was on a losing streak, but I just wanted people to get their rub," Saraya said. "I want to uplift everybody. I'm not gonna be in wrestling forever. I'm coming to the end of it and it's very soon. And I don't wanna go out being like, I need to be on top.”

Much of Saraya's tenure in AEW has been spent leading a stable called The Outcasts, originally a collection of former WWE Superstars who were never really given an opportunity to live up to their full potential. In All Elite Wrestling, they would be given that opportunity and Saraya was right there to lead the way. Both on screen and behind the scenes.

One of the two women under her wing in those earlier days was the now four-time and reigning AEW Women's World Champion, long before she transformed into arguably the best character in professional wrestling, 'Timeless' Toni Storm.

“I just remember when we we're in a group, me and Ruby [Soho] were helping [Toni] with promos. She would just have one line and be terrified to do this line. She'd be going over it and over it and over it, while me and Ruby had all these lines.”

Saraya isn't taking any credit for Storm's exploding career, but is happy that she did get to play a small fraction of a role in her development by providing a confidence boost whenever needed.

“She's one of the best promos and characters, I think, of all time. And she's one of my favorites all together right now. She is making wrestling fun and exciting and I love that. And it's just funny seeing her from two years ago… when she was scared to pick up a microphone.”

While giving all the credit in the world to the character that AEW host and producer RJ City helped bring to life, Saraya said there was no one in the business who could have pulled off the 'Timeless' persona better than Toni Storm.

She boasted her former stablemate's impeccable ability of being able to take the great material that's given to her and make it even better.

“Once you have a character and something that you're enjoying in wrestling, you wanna put a hundred percent of your mind, body, and soul into it. And she's doing it. And she's so humble about it and I love that for her. She's just like, ‘I hope I'm doing a good job.’ I'm like, ‘Babe, you are smashing it! You are the best thing in wrestling right now.’”

With 'Timeless' Toni Storm well into her takeover of the AEW Women's Division, Saraya took on a new pupil in Harley Cameron. A fire cracker full of talent just waiting to explode onto the scene.

As a 20-year veteran of the business, Saraya knows the best way that she can be of help to an up-and-coming talent. Whether that's putting them over, giving them encouragement or just getting the heck away from them. Which is exactly the approach she took with Cameron.

“Working with Harley was amazing. I had so much fun with her, [but] I said to her, ‘The best thing I can do for you right now is take a break and be away from you.’”

As one of the top heels in the AEW Women's Division, Saraya knew that partnering up with Cameron was going to be detrimental to her development. What Harley needed was more reps in the ring and a chance to let her numerous talents and unbridled energy win over the crowd.

“People love her. I'm like, 'I need to take a break. And then maybe, eventually, I can come back and we can go into a story where I'm just trying to hold you back again, and then you get your big pin on me.' That's the idea that I wanted. I don't think we're doing that now, but I said the best thing I can do is take a step back.”

That step back has transformed into more a leap. Saraya has not wrestled for AEW since this past October. While she doesn't know when she'll return to the ring, this lengthy hiatus has given her ample time to properly promote the release of her book and work on other outside projects.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

She's never been able to replicate the same kind of buzz she had in WWE before her horrific neck injury, which is a damn shame. Didn't like the way she went on after All In London, last year bringing her whole family into a presser , don't care if she was in heel mode. Was very sad to see her like this. Saraya could be a coach or producer in any company, she has a lot to offer in this regard.

 

[Chris]

“Oh my gosh, yeah, so this year’s been really frigging busy, which is great. Like, I’ve been doing a lot of self-tapes, which is like auditions that you do. I do self-tapes. I do, obviously, media for the book and all that kind of fun stuff. And then, yeah, just a lot of things outside of wrestling. I haven’t been doing a lot of wrestling things.”

“I mean, 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."

 

[Chris]

Sounds like she's gone

“I need to write a second book because the way the book ends—I can’t change it now because it’s already out—but things have changed in the past four or five months, things have changed drastically."

“I need to write a new one because I’m about to start a whole new life and I’m really excited for people to learn about what’s happening.”

“I do have my my new podcast that’s coming out. And I’m going to be making a big announcement on the first one so I’m excited for people to find that out.”

On not working with Mercedes in AEW:

“We both wanted to, so we were just waiting for that trigger to be pulled, but I think she has other people that she has to wrestle for right now. I don’t know when that time would be. Unfortunately, I may not be there to be able to do that with her.”

“It should have happened a while ago but it is what it is. We wanted it but it hasn’t been the right time, I guess.”

 

[Y2Jayne]

I wonder where she'd be today if Banks had not stiffed her back.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

She tweeted the Opening lines to her WWE entrance yesterday lol. As I stated she's got a lot to offer as an Agent/ Coach . Hopefully she goes down this route as she's still really young.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

I wonder where she'd be today if Banks had not stiffed her back.

No doubt one of the top women's wrestlers in the business

 

[Dubb]

Appreciate she's leaving with class.

 

[Comrade Khan]

Wasn't the best run but had some fun moments. She never caused issues n put ppl over.

 

[Sky]

Appreciate she's leaving with class.

"WTF" signing with MLW and joining Mr. Saint Laurent confirmed

 

[Tommy Shelby]

"WTF" signing with MLW and joining Mr. Saint Laurent confirmed

LIke the humour, Sky. Always good.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Busted Open is just getting better and better. Wish Bully had been on this one though. Nice interview however