Samantha Irvin is finally about to be free to make her next move, and AEW has already talked about bringing her in. The former WWE ring announcer has spent the last two years dealing with a non-compete agreement after leaving the company, but that restriction is coming to an end this month. Now the question is whether she’ll end up joining her husband, Ricochet, in AEW.
According to Fightful Select, Samantha Johnson, better known to WWE fans as Samantha Irvin, is set to become a free agent in October 2026. When she chose to leave WWE two years ago, the company placed an actual non-compete restriction on her. That’s different from the termination periods often described as non-competes when WWE releases talent.
AEW has already discussed bringing Johnson into the company in an on-screen role on multiple occasions. However, anyone expecting her to show up on Dynamite the moment she’s free might want to lower their expectations. lt was said that an immediate appearance isn’t planned, and if she does eventually join AEW television, it would likely happen further down the road.
There’s certainly no shortage of connections between Johnson and AEW. Her husband, Ricochet, is part of the company’s roster, and she’s been backstage at dozens of AEW events over the past two years. She also has a strong relationship with the promotion, making a future appearance a real possibility.
One thing that could make her next move interesting is that Johnson has previously expressed little interest in returning to ring announcing. She became one of WWE’s most recognizable voices before her departure, but that doesn’t mean she’s looking to step back behind a microphone and introduce wrestlers again.
That leaves plenty of possibilities for what she might do if she eventually appears on AEW programming. While the company has discussed using her on television, there’s no confirmation of a deal or what kind of role she would take.
For now, Johnson is approaching her first real opportunity to explore wrestling-related options since leaving WWE in 2024. AEW clearly hasn’t forgotten about her, but a debut isn’t something fans should expect right away. With her non-compete finally coming to an end, the next decision is hers.
Would you like to see Samantha Irvin join Ricochet in AEW, and what kind of on-screen role should she have if she doesn’t want to return to ring announcing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
