AEW President Tony Khan may have his eye on a former WWE ID talent. 22-year-old independent performer Zayda Steel opted out of her WWE ID contract last month in order to pursue other career opportunities.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select is reporting that those within AEW are showing interest in Steel, but as of this writing, no contract has apparently been offered. “We’re told that contact was made sometime in October between AEW and Steel, but that she wasn’t signed as of then, and hadn’t been as of this past week,” Ross Sapp wrote in his report.
Zayda Steel’s Contract Status
The report also clarified her free-agent status, noting that WWE’s matching rights clause no longer applies. “Under the terms of WWE ID’s deals, WWE has matching rights if any company wants to sign the ID contracted talent. However, Steel is no longer under that deal, so that wouldn’t apply.”
Steel was announced as one of the first signings to the WWE ID program in the fall of 2024, and ended up working nine EVOLVE matches as part of that contract. She also competed in WWE ID-tied matches in GCW and APAC. She has yet to make an appearance of any kind for AEW in her young career.
Her last match noted in the report came back on October 10 when she wrestled Indi Hartwell for the House of Glory Women’s Title at HOG With Glory Comes Pride 2025. Hartwell was successful in defending her title that night.
While the AEW interest develops, Steel remains active on the independent scene. Her next major announced match is scheduled for November 22, 2025. She is set to face Maki Itoh at GCW “Dream On 2025” event.
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