Leyla Hirsch Reflects on AEW Departure and Missed Opportunities

Leyla Hirsch recently opened up about her departure from AEW and Ring of Honor, expressing that she left with a sense of unfinished business and unfulfilled goals. After her contract with AEW was not renewed earlier this year, Hirsch sat down with the Soul Sessions podcast and reflected on her time with the company.

While she had kind words for many of the people she worked with, Hirsch described her AEW tenure as only "decent," citing a lack of opportunities to tell meaningful stories, especially following her return from a torn ACL in 2022 that kept her sidelined for more than a year.

“I am going to be really honest, because I am a very honest person, I think my time in AEW was decent. I did not accomplish half the stuff I would have liked to, especially coming back from an ACL injury,” Hirsch shared. “I kept having hopes and hopes. I would pitch stuff. I would rarely pitch things, because I am not like that. But if I did, it is because I think it was something that was worth it.”

One major frustration came from an idea Hirsch had to share her personal story of emigrating from Russia. She had hoped to incorporate this into a program with Kris Statlander, but the concept never came to life.

“So the one thing I pitched to Tony [Khan] was telling my story of coming here from Russia. And just, you know what I mean, because that was my story with Statlander that never — I never got to see it through, which was so frustrating. Because it is something I know that would have really elevated my career, and also I think it would have definitely done good for the company.”

Hirsch felt her passion and energy were poured into Ring of Honor, but she often faced creative limitations. Despite consistently delivering strong performances, she noted a disconnect between what performers were capable of and what they were given.

“I feel like I put so much effort into Ring of Honor, so much energy. And the last couple of months, I just feel like, this is where I say there is so much that we do not control. And I can just say as a performer, like, I tried my best. I try to pitch stuff. I try to work well with whatever is given to us, even at sometimes it made no sense and it was beyond frustrating. That is the one thing I will just say, I feel like I was losing the performer I knew I was capable of being. I did not feel like I was ‘Legit’ Leyla Hirsch. And that is the most frustrating part."

Hirsch believes fans could see the missed potential as well, acknowledging that no company is perfect. She praised AEW’s storytelling capabilities, referencing the ongoing Mariah May and Toni Storm storyline, and contrasted that with the challenges she and others faced in trying to build narratives within ROH.

“I learned so much being with AEW. So much — good and bad. And the one thing I have learned is, like, with fans, what they want is stories. That is one of the things with Ring of Honor, it just felt like such a struggle,” she explained. “Because we wanted to tell stories. But then I feel like, any time we pitched something, I guess depending who you are, it just did not matter."

She emphasized how demoralizing it felt when effort and ideas went unnoticed, despite her consistent commitment to showing up and doing the work.

“So for me it just felt like nothing I did, or even if I tried, it was not going to matter. Which as a performer, I think it sucks. Especially when, to me, like again, I care. I showed up every week to work, to do something, to make something happen. So, in that aspect, as a performer, it is tough when you know there could be so much potential."

As her AEW contract neared its end, Hirsch sought clarity about her future. Six weeks before her deal expired, she requested a meeting with Tony Khan to discuss what the plan might be moving forward. That meeting never occurred, though she did have what she described as a “really good” conversation with a lawyer and another representative about her situation. She was told she would hear back by the first week of February, but did not receive a response until just two weeks before her deal lapsed. Ironically, her contract expired on her wedding day.

Hirsch believes that had she been complacent, she might have stayed in AEW. But she made it clear she does not regret how things ended and takes pride in handling the situation professionally. She remains grateful for the opportunities AEW provided and would consider returning if the issues that hindered her growth were resolved.

Next, Hirsch will face Jordan Blade at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII in Las Vegas this Thursday. She will then travel to Toronto for a match against Jody Threat for the Smash Wrestling Women’s Championship on Sunday.