SEScoops

Tag: Zayda Steel

  • Zayda Steel Explains Why She Left WWE ID Program

    Zayda Steel Explains Why She Left WWE ID Program

    Zayda Steel could feel her passion diminishing.

    The female star was one of the first names to get signed under the WWE ID program in November 2024, after the new development system was officially announced a month earlier in October. She wrestled matches for Evolve among other promotions as part of the ID system, but in October last year, the 22-year-old announced that she would not be renewing her ID deal.

    During a recent appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, the Moroccan-American star explained the decision to exit the WWE contract. Zayda Steel claimed that she chose to walk away because she wanted to be around people who love wrestling just as much as her:

    “So, I don’t know how much I can say, but I will say this: I chose to walk away from my previous employment by choice. I’m on my own journey. I love wrestling. I just want to be around people that love it just as much as I do. So I chose to walk away.”

    I Chose To Walk Away: Zayda Steel

    Zayda Steel mentioned that her original plan was to take a couple of months off wrestling to give herself a mental break. She then would have loved to travel to Japan to do things the right way:

    “I love wrestling, like I said, and this is my escape from reality and once I started to feel like my only escape was work and I started to not like it and not have fun — I want to always love this, so I chose to walk away — as well as my mental.

    Personally, I was losing myself. I was losing the love for wrestling, the only thing I’ve loved. So it was pretty quickly on that. I was like, ‘Yeah, I need to do my own thing.’”

    The young star had to abandon the idea for the overseas trip as she made her ROH debut at the Final Battle 2025 event in December and got signed by AEW shortly afterward. Steel revealed that she got a message from Tony Khan only 5 days after announcing her ID departure, thus beginning her AEW journey.

  • Zayda Steel Signs Multi-Year AEW Contract After Collision Debut

    Zayda Steel is officially All Elite.

    AEW President Tony Khan announced on Saturday night that the 22-year-old has signed a multi-year contract with All Elite Wrestling following her in-ring debut on last night\’s AEW Collision: Maximum Carnage special.

    Steel faced Marina Shafir in her first AEW match, losing to \”The Problem\” in a hard-fought contest. Despite the defeat, the former WWE ID talent impressed enough to secure her spot on the roster.

    \”She put up a great fight in her AEW debut match on #AEWCollision tonight, and now it\’s official: @ZaydaSteel is All Elite!\” Khan wrote on X.

    Steel responded with a confident declaration of her own: \”Y\’all saw the fight. Now you\’re gonna see the rise. All Elite.\”

    The Virginia native made her first AEW appearance on January 10, joining the SkyFlight faction alongside Scorpio Sky, Christopher Daniels, and the Martin Brothers. She replaces Leila Grey, who is currently sidelined with an injury.

    Steel was part of WWE\’s ID program from November 2024 until October 2025, competing on the Evolve brand. She opted not to renew her contract and debuted for Ring of Honor in December before making the jump to AEW\’s main roster.

  • Former WWE ID Star Zayda Steel Makes Ring of Honor Debut

    Former WWE ID talent Zayda Steel made her Ring of Honor debut on Tuesday\’s special episode of ROH TV, immediately challenging established star Leila Grey to a match.

    Steel interrupted a backstage interview with Grey and Lexy Nair, confidently stating that while she may be new to the promotion, many already know her as \”the real deal.\” She challenged Grey directly, saying \”From one baddy to another, what do you say?\”

    Grey accepted the challenge, responding \”I respect it. You want it? You got it. But I\’m warning you. I can be a real baddie when I want to.\” While no official date has been set for the match, both competitors made it clear they\’re ready to face each other soon.

    Background on Steel\’s WWE Departure

    Steel, 21, was one of the first talents announced for WWE\’s ID program when it launched in October 2024. The developmental initiative provides independent wrestlers with financial support and training opportunities while creating a potential pathway to NXT.

    In October 2025, Steel announced she would not renew her WWE ID contract. \”I\’m incredibly grateful for all the knowledge, experience, and opportunities I\’ve gained along the way, but at the end of the day, I have to do what\’s best for me,\” she said at the time.

    During her WWE ID tenure, Steel competed on WWE EVOLVE and challenged for the inaugural WWE Women\’s ID Championship in August at GCW\’s ID Showcase, where Kylie Rae defeated Steel and Zara Zakher in a triple threat match.

    Post-WWE Activity

    Since becoming a free agent, Steel has remained active on the independent circuit. She challenged former NXT Women\’s Champion Indi Hartwell for the House of Glory Women\’s Championship in October and has competed for promotions including Dream Star Fighting Marigold in Japan and Major League Wrestling.

    Reports from Fightful Select indicated that AEW showed interest in Steel following her WWE departure, though she had not signed with the promotion as of late November.

    Her Ring of Honor debut marks her first major televised appearance since leaving WWE\’s developmental system less than two months ago, adding another chapter to what\’s been a busy schedule for the young prospect.