Saraya Reflects on Her AEW Career and Future Goals
In a recent conversation with Rick Ucchino from Sports Illustrated, AEW’s Saraya revealed that her journey in professional wrestling is approaching its conclusion “very soon.” With an inspiring mindset, she shared that her remaining time in the ring will focus on empowering her fellow competitors in AEW, emphasizing that she has no qualms about losing matches.
Empowering Others
“I’m allowing others to defeat me left and right,” Saraya explained. “I was on a losing streak, but my intention was to give others their moment to shine. I want to lift everyone up. I’m not going to be in wrestling forever, and I’d like to exit the stage without any regrets.”
Her Mission in AEW
Since signing with AEW in the fall of 2022, five years after a career-threatening injury, Saraya’s primary goal has been to enhance the AEW Women’s Division in any possible way. During her tenure, she has taken new talents like Toni Storm and Harley Cameron under her wing, offering guidance on promos and how to connect with the audience.
Supporting Toni Storm
Reflecting on her time with Toni, Saraya mentioned, “I remember being in a group where Ruby [Soho] and I helped [Toni] work on her promos. She would get nervous over a single line and practice it repeatedly, while Ruby and I were confident with multiple lines.”
Although Saraya humbly attributes Storm’s recent character development to the talent and hard work of Storm and producer RJ City, she takes pride in having played a small role in instilling the confidence Storm needed to thrive in her ‘Timeless’ persona.
Admiring Growth
“Toni is one of the best promo deliverers and characters in wrestling history, and she’s currently one of my favorites,” Saraya praised. “It’s incredible to see her evolution from someone who was once terrified of a microphone to the exciting performer she is now.”
Helping Harley Cameron
Saraya also expressed her approach to assisting Harley Cameron, who has garnered significant audience adoration with her entertaining babyface persona. Saraya proposed taking a step back to ultimately allow Cameron’s character to flourish independently.
“People are really connecting with her. I thought, ‘I need to take a break. Maybe later, I can return and we can craft a storyline where I’m holding her back, leading to her big moment where she pins me.’ That was my idea—taking a step back seemed best for her,” Saraya explained.
Recent Highlights and Future Plans
Saraya captured the AEW Women’s World Championship at the 2023 All In: London pay-per-view, triumphing over Hikaru Shida, and held the title for 44 days before it returned to Shida. Since last October, however, Saraya has not competed or appeared on AEW programming, although she is eager for a return when the time is right. This hiatus has provided her with the opportunity to promote her new book and pursue other endeavors, with her contract set to expire this September.
