Leyla Hirsch Returns to Indie Wrestling After AEW Exit: ‘Beyond Excited’
Leyla Hirsch has officially announced her return to the independent wrestling scene. The former AEW and ROH star took to Twitter on March 18, sharing,
“After taking some time to reflect and recharge, I’m beyond excited to announce that I’m BACK on the independent wrestling scene!”
In addition to her career move, Hirsch recently celebrated a personal milestone, tying the knot earlier this year.
During the Fightful Select Podcast on March 18, Sean Ross Sapp was asked whether WWE NXT had interest in Hirsch. His response: “Nothing so far.” While that doesn’t rule out future interest, there’s currently no indication that WWE is pursuing her.
Hirsch signed with AEW in 2020, quickly gaining attention with her amateur wrestling background. She competed against top names like Serena Deeb, Thunder Rosa, and Kris Statlander before shifting to ROH in 2022.
A knee injury sidelined her for over a year, but she returned in 2023, aligning with The Kingdom. Her AEW/ROH tenure ended after losing the ROH Women’s World Television Title to Red Velvet at Final Battle 2024.
Now a free agent, Hirsch has plenty of options. WWE NXT, NJPW, TNA, and other promotions could be in the mix, but for now, she’s focused on taking bookings on the independent scene.
Hirsch’s departure from AEW comes amid a wave of recent exits. Malakai Black and Rey Fenix are reportedly heading to WWE, while Miro is another name that could be WWE-bound.
