Former WWE star Shotzi Blackheart has spoken candidly about her exit from the company, sharing her disappointment and the feeling that WWE “gave up on me.” Appearing on the Rulebreakers podcast with Saraya, Shotzi admitted that being released was a surprise, especially since it came just as she was preparing for her comeback from a major injury. She revealed that she was eager to show fans the “real me” and prove she was ready for a fresh start.

Her contract with WWE expired in May 2025, and by June she was back on the independent scene, a move that caught many fans off guard given her popularity. When asked if she saw the release coming, the 34-year-old explained that her feelings were mixed.

“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. Despite understanding the reasoning, Shotzi admitted she was still crushed by the decision, especially because she thought she had the backing 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.”

For Shotzi, the frustration came from the belief that she was returning in the best shape of her career, mentally and physically. She stressed that WWE never allowed her the chance to deliver at her peak. “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 signed with WWE in 2019, where she quickly became a standout in NXT thanks to her punk rock-inspired, tank-driving persona. She captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Ember Moon before moving to the SmackDown roster. Her momentum was halted by an ACL injury during her second run in NXT. Now back on the independent circuit, Shotzi has been re-establishing herself with appearances in GCW, House of Glory, PROGRESS Wrestling, and Maple Leaf Pro.

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