Tag: Zayda Steel

Zayda Steel: Tony Khan texted me five days after announcing WWE departure

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Former WWE ID wrestler Zayda Steel has opened up on her journey to AEW following her WWE exit.

In a recent appearance on AEW Unrestricted, Steel opened up and revealed she “chose” to walk away from WWE.

“I don’t know how much I can say, but I will say this. I chose to walk away from my previous employment by choice. I’m on my own journey. I love wrestling,” Steel said. “I just want to be around people that love it just as much as I do. So I chose to walk away.”

She further shared how AEW President Tony Khan texted her “five days” after she announced her WWE departure.

“My plans at first were to go to Japan. I was gonna take the last two, three months of the year as a little mental break, financial break, and I was gonna go overseas and do it the right way this time. And five days after I tweeted that tweet [about leaving WWE ID], Tony Khan texted me, so plans changed.”

“I love wrestling, like I said, and this is my escape from reality. Once I started to feel like my only escape was work, 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, personally, I was losing myself,” Steel continued. “I was losing the love for wrestling, the only thing I’ve loved, so it was pretty quickly on that I was like, ‘Yeah, I need to do my own thing.’”

Steel, 22, had her recent match on the March 1 episode of ROH, where she lost against Mina Shirakawa.

Former WWE ID wrestler announced as AEW’s latest signing

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

After losing her AEW debut match against Marina Shafir, Tony Khan has announced Zayda Steel as a brand new addition to the company.

During Saturday’s AEW Collision Maximum Carnage, Steel made her AEW in-ring debut and went against Shafir in a losing cause. She had previously appeared on ROH TV in December 2025 and wrestled at ROH Final Battle, losing to Leila Grey.

Last week on Collision, Steel joined the SkyFlight faction alongside Scorpio Sky, Christopher Daniels, Dante Martin & Darius Martin, replacing Grey for the time being.

Before her time in AEW/ROH, Steel was in the WWE ID program starting in November 2024, but decided not to renew her WWE ID deal in October 2025. She made her WWE debut on the April 2, 2025, edition of Evolve, losing to Brinley Reece. After spending a few months at WWE/Evolve, she wrestled her last televised WWE match on the October 22 episode of Evolve against Thea Hail.

New member of ROH faction revealed

Posted on by Ian Carey

There is a new member of Team SkyFlight.

Zayda Steel has joined the faction managed by Christopher Daniels. This comes after SkyFlight’s Leila Grey suffered a torn ACL against Mercedes Mone on the December 6 episode of AEW Collision.

Daniels revealed the news in a clip ROH posted to social media on Thursday, just hours before this week’s episode of ROH on HonorClub.

“Ever since SkyFlight started, Leila Grey has proved time and again that she is a warrior through and through,” Daniels said.

“Before that match happened, Leila and I met another warrior, someone very like-minded to the members of SkyFlight. I thought to myself that while Leila is out recovering, this was an opportunity for this warrior to come and show exactly what she’s all about. So with that in mind, I’d like to welcome to the SkyFly team, Zayda Steel.”

Grey defeated Steel in Steel’s ROH debut on the Final Battle pre-show on December 5.

Steel said in the video, “Christopher Daniels is a legend. When a legend calls and asks for a favor, it’d be real dumb not to show up and show out. And that’s exactly what the real deal Zayda Steel is going to do.”

Shortly after Steel was announced for SkyFlight, ROH revealed that she will team with stablemate Darius Martin against Trish Adora and Pure Champion Lee Moriarty of Shane Taylor Promotions on tonight’s episode on HonorClub.

Tony Khan ROH media call notes: TV deal holdup, potential signing, injury updates

Posted on by Josh Nason

There is no news on a Ring of Honor TV deal other than ROH head Tony Khan says he has turned down several offers from “great” media partners.

Khan was asked about that and more during his Final Battle pre-call Thursday, the audio of which can be found below.

He said he’s had opportunities at times to put ROH on TV from “great” media partners, but that AEW is the focus with a “half billion dollar” contract. He thinks ROH media rights don’t have to be equal or greater than that, but any deal has to be something that makes sense and the perfect situation with a media partner. He says there has been interest, but didn’t say who from.

Khan also revealed that Queen Aminata wasn’t cleared for her ROH Women’s Pure title semifinal Wednesday so she had to forfeit, meaning Deonna Purrazzo has advance to the finals at Final Battle.

He also provided an update on Nick Wayne and said he’s expected back soon while admitting the recovery from his broken foot has taken longer than he originally thought to no fault of Wayne’s.

On whether he’s signed Zayda Steel to a contract, Khan said to “stay tuned” and hinted she might be wrestling against Leila Grey at Final Battle.

Other notes:

  • Asked if Mercedes Mone could be more of a fixture on ROH going forward, Khan says he hopes so and referred to her as a “free agent” ROH brought in.
  • Khan was asked about getting the Jack Harlow song “Lovin’ on Me” for Blake Christian’s entrance, but Khan has made no progress other than getting “1% approval.” If he can get the other 99% of stakeholders to approve, he’ll do it.
  • Khan said he thinks this year has been the “most complete” and best year of TV/streaming specials for ROH since he bought it.

Click here to listen to the whole call.

Tony Khan says ‘stay tuned’ on whether Zayda Steel has signed AEW/ROH contract

Posted on by Josh Nason

Former WWE ID prospect Zayda Steel made her on-screen debut for Ring of Honor earlier this week, leading to speculation as to whether she’s signed with the brand or with AEW.

Asked about her status during Thursday’s ROH Final Battle media call, Tony Khan simply said to “stay tuned” and that he feels Steel vs. Leila Grey makes for “an interesting match,” strongly hinting it will be announced for Friday’s Final Battle and perhaps the Zero Hour pre-show.

The reason he mentioned that match specifically was the clip below from Tuesday’s ROH on YouTube. Steel’s debut came about during a backstage promo with Grey where she offered up a challenge to the SkyFlight member that was accepted.

In October, Steel announced she was departing the WWE ID program and in November, it was reported that AEW had interest in her.

The 22-year-old Virginia native has been a pro since 2022 with over 150 matches under her belt. In addition to working for a slew of U.S. indies, Steel has also appeared for MLW, GCW and Japan’s Marigold in addition to WWE Evolve. She has wrestled just twice in the last two months.

Daily Update: WWE notes, Mike Santana, Zayda Steel

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

A larger than usual issue this week with a wide variety of stories and tons of history:

  • The fixed fight accusations from Saturday’s UFC show, what happened, how Dana White and UFC handled it, fixed fights in the early days of MMA and the different motivations then vs. now, and a look back at history with a former world heavyweight boxing champion who later became one of the biggest stars of his era in pro wrestling.
  • A look at the third quarter TKO business, covering mostly UFC and WWE. How each category is doing and explanations as to why.
  • Nick Khan talks WWE ticket prices and booking decisions on live events
  • Full coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event and business notes on the show
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Farewell in Gifu and 30 minutes that capsulized the best aspects of the past, present and future of pro wrestling
  • Notes on the Tokyo Dome advance
  • Finals of the Best of the Super Juniors tag team tournament
  • Notes on the upcoming heavyweight tag team tournament
  • Lots of notes regarding AEW Full Gear
  • The real history of the original NWA national heavyweight championship
  • Matches likely to happen at Full Gear
  • The final installment of our Hall of Fame series, covering international and non-wrestlers, where we talk about the cases of people including Spyros Arion, Dominic DeNucci, George Gordienko, Ted Boy Marino, Billy Joyce, The Royal Brothers, Dave Brown, Zane Bresloff, Bobby Bruns, Bob Caudle, Joe Higuchi, Jim Johnston, James Melby, Bill Mercer, Gorilla Monsoon, Rossy Ogawa, Reggie Parks, Morris Siel, Tony Schiavone, George Scott, Kevin Sullivan, Mike Tenay, Ted Turner, Jesse Ventura, Roy Welch, Stanley Weston, The Grand Wizard and Koichi Yoshizawa.
  • Notes on the death of Victor Conte Jr.
  • Tank Davis kills his last payday and Netflix’s big fight for the fall is out the window and thank God for that
  • DDT has one of its biggest shows of the year
  • Betting odds for pro wrestling matches last week and this week
  • The most complete look at the television ratings of wrestling shows over the past week. How these numbers compare in placings to past years, where other than pro wrestling is hurting with the new ratings, competition for each show and placings for the time slot
  • CMLL has four straight sellouts and coverage of the main matches including a major return this week
  • What wrestler is having the best year for someone their age in wrestling history
  • Notes on a very confusing tournament coming up
  • What young wrestler sold out in a singles with Mistico this past week
  • Notes from the last AAA tapings
  • AAA booking huge arena for a taping
  • Stardom big show plus notes on the tag team tournament
  • Will Vince McMahon write a book?
  • Former pro wrestling star elected Mayor
  • How network, cable and streaming numbers have affected NASCAR in 2025
  • Update on Blue Demon Jr.
  • More on Smashing Machine including Dwayne Johnson comments
  • Jerry Lawler returns to WMC
  • Athletic commission in trouble over a sponsored women’s championship
  • El Hijo del Santo retirement tour hits Europe
  • More WBD sale talks
  • Blood & Guts news
  • A poll on AEW viewership and how people watch the TV and PPV shows
  • Advance ticket sales for WWE, AEW, TNA, MLW and RAF
  • BJ Penn arrested again
  • WWE sets gate records
  • Paul Levesque’s booking
  • How much Dwayne Johnson’s TKO stock is worth
  • Notes on the WWE arena business going forward
  • The Ridge Holland story

This Week’s Back Issue

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Wednesday Update

WWE

Other Wrestling

  • Powerhouse Hobbs cut a promo on Hangman Page ahead of their falls count anywhere match on Dynamite tonight.
  • AEW put out a video with the women’s Blood and Guts teams getting a look at the cage for tonight’s match.
  • Willow Nightingale spoke to Uncrowned about being her authentic self in AEW:
    • My life’s work, everything I have done in wrestling up to this point, to me, it needs to happen as myself, my authentic self, without ever having to compromise or change who I am for anybody else.
    • To win the big one in the company that I love as myself, being the person I am, care-free, Black joy, big girl, never changing for anyone and just being myself and accomplishing something that grand, I think is the biggest story I can tell.
  • TNA World Champion Mike Santana reflected on reaching 1000 days sober:
    • 1000 DAYS CLEAN AND SOBER. 
    • Very proud of this milestone. Blessed with what I’ve been able to accomplish during this time. Both personally and professionally. Living proof of what happens when you put in the work. I’d be lying if I told you that everyday was easy. Life is going to do what life does, but I’m thankful to have a set of tools to help me maneuver thru the bad as well as the good. 
    • Thanks to everyone who’s rode with me thru it all. The ride continues…
  • TNA has announced that we’ll hear from Santana on this Thursday’s live Impact episode at Full Sail University in Orlando. The show will feature:
    • TNA World Champion Mike Santana speaks
    • Elijah returns with a live concert
    • Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan in action
    • Jason Hotch vs. Cedric Alexander
    • Indi Hartwell vs. Dani Luna
    • We’ll hear from The System
  • Due to a scheduling conflict, Zayda Steel – who AEW is rumored to be interested in – has been pulled from her scheduled appearance at the Big Event Entertainment and Sports Expo in Brentwood, New York this Saturday. She will still be competing for Pro Wrestling Junkie in New Jersey on Sunday despite missing the convention:
    • Sorry for the bad news due to scheduling conflict Zayda Steel will no longer be attending the Big Event with us. We hope to bring her back in the future….. 
    • She will be appearing the next day on Sunday 11/16 at our Wrestling event in NJ if anybody would like to travel to meet her and see some awesome matchups we will give you a discount ticket at the door. Just send me a message.
  • GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale remembered the late Trent Acid on what would have been his 45th birthday:
    • Happy Bday trent acid! weve now cycled thru several generations of indie wrestlers/fans since he passed 15 yrs ago so many of today’s wrestlers dont even know who he is but rest assured, many of your favorites or favorites favorites were inspired by or wanted to be trent acid

AEW reportedly interested in former WWE ID wrestler

Posted on by Josh Nason

AEW may be looking to build their women’s roster in the immediate future with a former WWE ID prospect in mind.

Fightful Select reported Saturday that AEW reached out to Zayda Steel at some point in October, the same month in which her WWE ID deal expired. Steel opted to not renew her contract and is no longer under any contractual obligations to give WWE right of refusal if another group is interested in her.

The outlet added that Steel hasn’t signed with AEW, at least as of this week.

The 22-year-old Virginia native has been a pro since 2022 with over 150 matches under her belt. In addition to working for a slew of U.S. indies, Steel has also appeared for MLW, GCW and Japan’s Marigold.

She worked in 12 WWE contracted matches including nine on the weekly WWE Evolve show. She hasn’t wrestled anywhere since losing to House of Glory Women’s Champion Indi Hartwell on October 10.

The WWE ID program has seen some changes in recent months, especially with their women’s group as the contracts of Kylie Rae and Zara Zakher were not renewed. As of this point, AEW has not been tied to any other former WWE ID talent.

WWE ID prospect announces departure from program

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Zayda Steel is no longer a WWE ID-contracted talent.

On social media today, Steel informed fans that she has departed the WWE ID program. The decision was Steel’s choice as she opted not to renew her ID contract.

“I’ve decided not to renew my WWE ID contract. I’m incredibly grateful for all the knowledge, experience, and opportunities I’ve gained along the way, but at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for me,” she tweeted. “I’m only 21, and have already done so much, but I’m just getting started! Thank you.”

When WWE ID launched last year, Steel — who made her in-ring debut on the indies in 2022 — was one of the first wrestlers signed to the program. It provides indie talent with financial support and other development opportunities while creating a potential pathway to NXT if WWE decides to sign them to a full developmental contract.

Steel was part of the match where WWE crowned its first-ever Women’s ID Champion this summer. Kylie Rae won the title by defeating Steel and Zara Zakher in a triple threat. Currently, the belt is vacant due to Rae’s pregnancy.

This Friday night, Steel will challenge Indi Hartwell for the House of Glory Women’s Championship. The show — named With Glory Comes Pride — is being held at NYC Arena in Queens, New York.

WWE ID prospect Zayda Steel shares update after collapsing following indie match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE ID prospect Zayda Steel is urging fellow wrestlers to take care of themselves after she collapsed following an indie match this past weekend.

Steel was in action for CZW in New Jersey on Saturday night, facing off against Zara Zakher in an official WWE ID Showcase match. She was then supposed to face Charity King for New Texas Pro Wrestling on Sunday, but Steel did not compete at the show. She sent out a tweet yesterday saying that, due to not sleeping or eating enough, she collapsed after her match for CZW.

The 21-year-old Steel wrote: “I collapsed after my match last night due to lack of sleep & eating so let this be your reminder to take care & listen to your body!”

Vert Vixen replaced Steel against Charity King at the New Texas Pro Wrestling event.

Steel currently holds the New Texas Pro Women’s Championship.

This Thursday, Steel is scheduled to be back in action when she faces Kylie Rae in a WWE ID Showcase match for Wrestling Open in Worcester, Massachusetts. By winning Showcase matches, ID prospects can earn the opportunity to compete on WWE’s new Evolve series that premieres this March.

Steel was one of the first wrestlers to join the WWE ID program. Launched in October 2024, it provides indie wrestlers with financial support and other development opportunities ahead of them potentially joining NXT on a full-time basis one day.

WWE recently announced the creation of men’s and women’s WWE ID Championships, which will be defended on the indies.

First three WWE ID contracted wrestlers announced, more to come Friday

Posted on by Josh Nason

The first three members of the WWE ID program were announced Thursday with more to come in the next few days.

Announced last week, the program is designed to identify potential future WWE wrestlers and talents through both affiliations with specific schools and traditional scouting methods. It’s still unknown what the parameters of their deals with WWE ID are with Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston reporting that as of now, there are no restrictions on bookings or match finishes.

Zayda Steel

The 21-year-old was the first talent announced Thursday. A professional for just over two years, the Arlington, Virginia, native was scouted out of Combat Zone Wrestling despite not having wrestled there since September 2023. She recently spent nearly five months working in Japan for Marigold with whom WWE has a working partnership.

She has also worked for MLW, H2O, Beyond, Wrestling Open and other New England/New York/New Jersey indies, but has not worked for either AEW, ROH or TNA to date.

Bryce Donovan

Trained by the famed Create-A-Pro Academy, Donovan is a regular on the Northeast indie scene both as a singles wrestler and partnering with Bobby Orlando as part of the Shook Crew. He is in his eighth year and was scouted out of Wrestling Open, a promotion he works for regularly.

Donovan, who has height, has worked for AEW five times as an enhancement talent, most recently in November 2022. He also worked for ROH twice between March and April 2024.

Cappuccino Jones

Jones is listed out of Coffeyville, Kansas, (birthplace Tulsa, Oklahoma) and heavily leans into his name with names for his finishing moves. A pro since just 2022, he wrestles regularly for Oklahoma indies with some stops in Texas as well. He has wrestled once each for AEW and ROH in early-2024 and was scouted out of This Is Wrestling.

The WWE ID X account stated that more prospects will be announced Friday and this Sunday, another will be announced during a Reality of Wrestling event. The promotion and school, initially named as one of the schools in the WWE ID program, is owned by current NXT announcer and former WWE/WCW champion Booker T.