Former WWE star Shotzi has spoken candidly about her exit from the company, sharing her mixed emotions and future aspirations during a recent appearance on Saraya’s podcast. The conversation shed light on Shotzi’s mindset following her release and why she isn’t looking to return to WWE anytime soon.
Saraya expressed her surprise over Shotzi’s departure, prompting the former NXT standout to reflect on the circumstances. “Yes and no,” Shotzi said when asked if she saw the release coming. “I had just come back from an ACL tear. So coming back from a huge injury and not being on TV for like almost a year, I was kind of not surprised. I’m like, ‘Well, we lasted a year without you, so we’ll just let you go now that your contract’s up.’ So, in that aspect, I wasn’t really surprised. But I don’t know. I always thought like Hunter [Triple H] really believed in me, so it was just a little disappointing. I just felt like, ‘Dang, they gave up on me.’”
Shotzi revealed that she had undergone a significant transformation during her time away, both physically and mentally, and was eager to return stronger than ever. “I was in such a bad space for a few years, just with everything I was going through. I was coming back from injury so much stronger, and not just physically but mentally too. I was just ready to kill it coming back, and I didn’t even get the opportunity to. So I just felt like they left a lot of meat on the bone. I was coming back on fire and ready to give them me — the real me. And I didn’t even get the chance to show it.”
When asked if she would consider returning to WWE if the company reached out, Shotzi made it clear she isn’t ready yet. “Not right now,” she admitted. “Just because I am having so much fun on the indies, and I think I just need more time to do me and have fun before I go in there. Because I want to make so much noise here doing me to where I would go back there and be undeniable. Like, they couldn’t throw me into catering. They’d have to use me, you know? I want them to be forced to utilize me.”
Shotzi was a fan-favorite in NXT known for her high-energy style and fearless in-ring approach, and she continued to build her popularity on the main roster before injuries sidelined her. Now embracing a new chapter on the independent circuit, she’s focused on rediscovering her passion and proving her worth on her own terms.
