Vinci had yet to prove himself as a main roster singles star, and despite his work with Imperium alongside GUNTHER and Ludwig Kaiser, Vinci did anticipate his possible release. “I was and I wasn’t [surprised], because, I mean during the summer of the year previous, I wasn’t on TV, but I knew there was a plan to come back eventually, and we did those vignettes and everything, but that didn’t last long.”

Despite that, Vinci tried to remain positive, especially when “SmackDown” changed the format to three hours. However, after being told he wasn’t needed for TV for a couple of weeks, he wasn’t surprised when he got the release call. “It was a weird mix of feelings,” he added.

Vince’s final televised WWE match took place during the September 20 2024 episode of “SmackDown,” where he faced off against Apollo Crews in a losing effort. Unlike many of the names who were released with him in 2025, he’s not had a match at all since December 13, 2024. “It’s funny because this is what I wanted to do since I was 13 years old,” he explained. “I feel like some people know what I can do, but I know I can do a lot more. And I just really … wanted to take enough time to not come back and go in halfway.”

Even with his hiatus, Vinci claims he’s open to a return, but there aren’t yet any details in place.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet,” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.