Dani Palmer (real name Alexis Amrhein), an athletic performer signed to WWE’s NXT brand, confirmed her release from the company on May 3, 2025, and simultaneously announced the end of her athletic career. Palmer, a decorated former collegiate acrobatics and tumbling competitor, was part of the significant roster cuts made by WWE impacting NXT talent on May 2nd. Her departure and subsequent statement align with analysis provided on Wrestling Observer Radio discussing the recent releases.
In a public statement posted on her Instagram account, Palmer addressed her departure with gratitude but confirmed her decision to step away from athletic competition. “Thank you WWE for bringing me to the love of my life [Tank Ledger],” she wrote. “The past 3 years have been amazing! It’s a bittersweet feeling to be officially closing out my athletic career, but I can truly say I went til the wheels fell off..literally lol. Our bodies are a gift and mine has been so kind to me. I look forward to this next chapter!!” In a related comment, she added, “Honestly so at peace…. My body was telling me it was time… 2 hip surgeries and blew my knee out in the past 2 years.”
On the May 4th episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed Palmer’s release and interpreted her social media post before full confirmation of the retirement quote was widely available. He noted her athletic background and initial promise: “So when I first saw Dani Palmer, you know, she’s good gymnast, she’s very athletic, good look, I thought like, oh, there’s something there.” However, he mentioned that injuries hampered her progress. Referring to her post-release message, Meltzer observed, “…her tweet after led me to believe she just goes like, well, this is the end of my athletic career, you know? So I got the impression… she felt that this is the end of her athletic career.” He contrasted her positive, forward-looking tone focused on meeting her partner Tank Ledger and future business plans with other wrestlers who often vow to “prove WWE wrong” after being released.
Palmer signed with WWE in 2022 after a successful collegiate career at Baylor University where she was a three-time NCAA National Champion in acrobatics and tumbling. She primarily competed on NXT Level Up and occasionally on NXT television, but her time in the developmental system was significantly impacted by injuries, including reported hip and knee issues that required surgery. Her statement confirms she is now moving on to pursuits outside of professional wrestling.
