Former WWE star seemingly refuses to sign a new deal with AEW

A former WWE star's tenure with rival company AEW has come to an end. When asked about her future, she has openly stated that Tony Khan's promotion would not be a part of her plans moving forward.

The star in question is Maria Kanellis. She debuted for the company back in 2022 alongside her real-life husband, Mike Bennett. Kanellis was a prime fixture for AEW's sister promotion, Ring of Honor, until last year.

However, Maria was taken off television due to health issues and underwent surgery for the same in the middle of last year. Recently, the former WWE Superstar announced her departure from the Jacksonville-based promotion.

Following that, Maria Kanellis was asked about a potential new contract from the company. The First Lady of Women's Wrestling took to her X to openly refuse a new deal from them.

"No thank you."

Maria Kanellis underwent medical treatment last year for a serious health issue amid AEW absence

Maria Kanellis has been a prominent name in the world of professional wrestling. She has worked for all top promotions like WWE, TNA, Ring of Honor, and AEW and became a renowned face with her husband, Mike Kanellis.

She had been off television since last year. In July 2024, Kanellis revealed that the doctors had discovered a mass on her adrenal gland. The former WWE Superstar underwent a successful retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy for the same.

But despite her successful procedure, Maria landed back in the hospital three days later due to complications, including pain in her head, spine, and neck. A few months later, Kanellis found that the tumor that was removed was not cancerous. During that time, her husband, Mike Bennett, was still wrestling for Tony Khan's company to support their family while she had her own battles to fight.

With Maria Kanellis refusing to sign a new deal after her AEW exit, it remains to be seen what the future holds for one of the top names of women's wrestling.