In a Monday afternoon bombshell that no one saw coming, Samantha Irvin stunned the wrestling world by announcing that she would be leaving WWE immediately. The news has left many wrestling fans in disbelief, wondering what’s next for the longtime WWE ring announcer, and what exactly led to her decision, something Irvin herself was vague about in her lengthy statement.

Advertisement

One thing is clear: even within WWE, this was news that few saw coming. Both Fightful Select and Wrestlevotes report that many within WWE were surprised by Irvin’s departure. Fightful further reported that some of the WWE staff noted that her announcement was so sudden that she “may not have been able to inform everyone before she left.” That said, some within WWE expected Irvin to eventually leave after her fiancé, Ricochet, left the promotion to join AEW earlier this summer.

The news was also met with sadness by those in WWE, as Irvin was reportedly loved by those backstage. Even after making her announcement official, those in WWE had nothing but positives for Irvin, with some even going so far as to say that Irvin’s presence at “Raw” tapings “made the work day better.” The feeling appears to be mutual, as Irvin specifically thanked everyone she could in WWE in her statement, from higher-ups to wrestlers and other backstage personnel.

Advertisement

Due to Ricochet’s AEW status, speculation has since spread that Irvin’s WWE departure could lead to her joining the promotion. While AEW’s exact interest in the ring announcer remains unknown, those in both AEW and WWE agreed that it would be surprising if AEW owner Tony Khan didn’t at least approach Irvin with an offer.