Saraya Reveals She Nearly Quit AEW After Fan Backlash Over Botching Her Debut Promo

Saraya’s AEW debut was supposed to be her big return to the spotlight after years away from the ring. Instead, she walked into one of the toughest moments of her career — a promo that fell apart in real time.

During her appearance on the Unwrapped podcast, she admitted the pressure overwhelmed her the moment she stepped onto the AEW stage with a live microphone and no script to lean on. She remembered freezing mid-promo in front of the crowd as the reality of the moment hit her.

“I literally stopped halfway through and said, ‘I’m so sorry, you guys. I’m really nervous.’ I didn’t know what I was saying.”

The reaction afterward hit even harder. Saraya said she read the criticism online until it reached a breaking point. She deleted social media entirely, convinced she had embarrassed herself on her first night in the company. The mental toll made her question whether returning to wrestling was the right choice at all. The pressure became so heavy that she truly considered walking away from AEW just weeks into her run.

“People online were destroying me. I deleted social media. I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ I genuinely thought about quitting. I was like, ‘Maybe this isn’t for me anymore.’”

But she wasn’t alone. Jon Moxley stepped in behind the scenes and helped her find her footing again. According to Saraya, he played a major role in rebuilding her confidence.

“Moxley sat with me, helped me write it, watched tape, helped me produce. He saved me, truly.”

Saraya said that moment of support kept her from giving up on AEW entirely, and that she’s now in a much healthier place mentally than she was during that difficult debut. This whole situation is a reminder that even the biggest names in wrestling can hit a wall — and sometimes it takes the right person stepping in at the right time to keep them going.

How do you feel about Saraya almost walking away from AEW so early into her run? Do you think she made the right choice sticking it out? Drop your thoughts below and let us know what you think.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.