In speaking with Rick Ucchino of Sport Illustrated, AEW’s Saraya said that her professional wrestling career is coming to an end ‘very soon.’ She added that during the time that she has left, her focus is uplifting other competitors in AEW and doesn’t have any issues losing matches.
“I’m letting people beat me, left, right and center. I was on a losing streak, but I just wanted people to get their rub. I want to uplift everybody. I’m not gonna be in wrestling forever. I’m coming to the end of it and it’s very soon. And I don’t wanna go out being like, I need to be on top.”
Saraya signed with AEW in the fall of 2022, five years following a career threatening injury, she had just one goal in mind upon her arrival, which was to help make the AEW Women’s Division better in any way she possibly could.
During in time in AEW, Sarya told Sports Illustrated that she took Toni Storm and Harley Cameron under her wing, helping them with promos and ways to get over.
“I just remember when we we’re in a group, me and Ruby [Soho] were helping [Toni] with promos. She would just have one line and be terrified to do this line. She’d be going over it and over it and over it, while me and Ruby had all these lines.”
SI notes that Saraya is not taking credit for how Storm’s character and career has taken off, but was happy to play a small role in giving Storm the confidence boost she needed to be the character she is today. Saraya gives all the credit to Storm and her producer RJ City for pulling off the ‘Timeless’ persona.
“She’s one of the best promos and characters, I think, of all time. And she’s one of my favorites all together right now. She is making wrestling fun and exciting and I love that. And it’s just funny seeing her from two years ago…when she was scared to pick up a microphone.”
Furthermore, Saraya told SI that Storm has been able to take what is already great material and make it even better.
“Once you have a character and something that you’re enjoying in wrestling, you wanna put a hundred percent of your mind, body, and soul into it. And she’s doing it. And she’s so humble about it and I love that for her. She’s just like, ‘I hope I’m doing a good job.’ I’m like, ‘Babe, you are smashing it! You are the best thing in wrestling right now.’”
When it came to Harley Cameron, who has been over with the fans and is one of the most entertaining babyface characters in AEW, Saraya thought the best way to help out Cameron was to be away from her, take a break.
“People love her. I’m like, ‘I need to take a break. And then maybe, eventually, I can come back and we can go into a story where I’m just trying to hold you back again, and then you get your big pin on me.’ That’s the idea that I wanted. I don’t think we’re doing that now, but I said the best thing I can do is take a step back.”
Saraya won the AEW Women’s World Championship at the 2023 All In: London pay-per-view from Hikura Shida. Saraya held the title for 44 days before losing it back to Shida.
Saraya has not wrestled or appeared on AEW programming since last October. She noted to SI that she is ready to make a return whenever that time comes. The hiatus has given her the time to do a tour promoting her new book and other outside projects. Her contract with AEW is set to expire this September.