Following Mariah May’s debut on the June 3 episode of WWE NXT, Bully Ray discussed her departure from AEW, suggesting the move was timely and that she may have reached her potential within that company. Speaking on Busted Open After Dark, Bully Ray analyzed May’s AEW trajectory.
He questioned if May had fully explored her capabilities in AEW, particularly after her program with Toni Storm.
Did Mariah May make the right decision to leave AEW when she did? Did Mariah May max out her potential in AEW? I mean, after the Hollywood Ending match against Toni, I’m not quite sure how Mariah could have topped it.
Addressing potential future AEW matchups for May, such as one with Mercedes Moné, Bully Ray opined:
She could’ve done something with Sasha [Banks], but with Sasha it’s more of a pro wrestling match. With Toni, it was all about sports entertainment and a great blow-off. A good hardcore blow-off.
He commended the conclusion of May’s AEW storyline with Storm, remarking:
And once again, credit to Mariah May and Toni Storm for that Hollywood Ending match, especially the final, final shot from above where those women are basically hugging each other in the end.
Bully Ray acknowledged May’s progress in AEW, noting:
Every time I saw Mariah perform in AEW, she took a step forward. Every time I saw her cut a promo, she took a step forward… But I don’t know what else she could’ve done there. She maxed out with Toni.
Regarding her NXT arrival and May’s comment calling it “the greatest women’s division in wrestling,” Bully Ray concurred:
We got to see Mariah tonight. She has arrived in what she called the best—the greatest women’s division in pro wrestling. I agree across the board. The women’s division in NXT is excellent.
He recognized the talent on the main WWE roster, including Roxanne Perez, Stephanie Vaquer, and Giulia, but maintained NXT is a strong environment for May.
Don’t get me wrong, the main roster just got real strong with Roxanne Perez, Stephanie Vavavoom Vaquer, and Giulia. But Mariah is going to definitely bring something to the table for NXT.
Bully Ray also suggested May is capable of performing on the main roster presently but understood WWE’s approach.
I think Mariah could step onto the main roster tomorrow—not saying she should, but I could make a case for it based on her AEW work. But they want to groom her their way, and I get that.
He concluded by highlighting the developmental opportunities in WWE, mentioning figures like Shawn Michaels and Fit Finlay:
There are so many people for her to learn from in WWE. More advanced minds. Just look at Shawn Michaels, Fit Finlay… they’ll help her level up.
READ MORE: AEW’s Recent Show Format Changes Explained