Former WWE star Shotzi Blackheart has opened up about her recent departure from the company, expressing her disappointment and the feeling that WWE “gave up on me.” In an interview on the Rulebreakers podcast with Saraya, Shotzi discussed her surprise at being let go just as she was returning from an injury, and her belief that she was ready to show the world the “real me.”
Her contract with WWE expired in May 2025, and she made her return to the independent wrestling scene just a few weeks later in June, leaving many fans surprised by the company’s decision not to re-sign her. When asked if she was expecting to be released, the 34-year-old explained that she was conflicted.
“Yes and no. I had just came back from an ACL tear. So, coming back from a huge injury and not being on TV for like almost a year, I was kind of not surprised. They’re just like we lasted a year without you, so we’ll just let you go now that your contract is up. In that aspect, I wasn’t really surprised,” she said. However, she admitted that the decision was still a letdown, particularly because she felt she had the support of WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. “I don’t know, I always thought that Hunter [Triple H] really believed in me, so it was a little disappointing. Yeah, I just felt like, dang, they gave up on me.”
Shotzi’s frustration stems from her belief that she was returning from her injury stronger than ever, both physically and mentally, and was poised to make an impact. She felt that WWE never gave her the chance to show her full potential. “I was in such a bad space for a few years with everything that I was going through, and I was coming back from injury so much stronger, not just physically but mentally too,” she explained. “I was just ready to kill it coming back, and I didn’t even get the opportunity to. So, I felt like they left a lot of meat on the bone, I was coming back on fire and ready to give them me, like the real me. I didn’t get the chance to show it.”
Shotzi first signed with WWE in 2019 and quickly became a fan-favorite in NXT with her punk rock-inspired, tank-driving persona. She is a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, having held the titles with Ember Moon. After being called up to the main roster, she had a run on SmackDown before returning to NXT, where she unfortunately suffered a torn ACL. Now back on the independent circuit, Shotzi has been making a name for herself in promotions like GCW, House Of Glory, PROGRESS Wrestling, and Maple Leaf Pro.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Rulebreakers with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
