Maria Kanellis announced her AEW departure on January 31, 2025, currently attending WrestleCon in Indianapolis during Royal Rumble weekend. Her tenure in AEW included managing The Kingdom and the pairing of Cole Karter and Griff Garrison in ROH during 2023.
Kanellis previously competed in WWE from 2004 to 2010, followed by a return alongside Mike Bennett in 2017. Their WWE stint ended in 2020, during which she captured the 24/7 Championship. Her last WWE appearance came in the 2019 Royal Rumble match.
The timing of her departure coincides with WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 1. She expressed enthusiasm about the next phase of her career following the birth of her second child in February 2020.