TNA Wrestling Releases Former WWE Star

WWE/TNA Wrestling

A former WWE star has been released, effective immediately, by TNA Wrestling, having debuted there in April of last year.

Known to WWE fans as Alicia Fox, the star would be reborn as Victoria Crawford following her departure in 2023, bringing an end to a seven-year run with the company.

TNA Wrestling would confirm the release of Crawford in a press release, shared by F4WOnline that reads:

“TNA Wrestling has come to terms on the release of Victoria Crawford, effective immediately

“We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

At the time of writing, it isn’t clear whether Crawford requested her release or whether it was initiated by TNA Wrestling management.

Crawford was last seen in iMPACT on the May 14 episode, teaming with Mila Moore as The Diamond Collective in a loss to Allie & Rosemary.

There’s A Future For Released Stars

In June of this year, it was reported that a “workforce reduction” was underway at TNA Wrestling, with Tommy Dreamer and Tessa Blanchard parting ways with the company.

Despite rumors at the time, TNA Wrestling was reportedly not up for sale, with the workforce reduction strategy being “designed to streamline operations and sharpen strategic focus and profitability”.

At the time of writing, it isn’t clear whether Crawford’s departure is part of the strategy, although it should be a consideration for any business to “streamline operations” with an eye on “strategic focus and profitability”.

The former WWE star departing TNA Wrestling isn’t the end of her journey, despite how it may feel in that moment. Taking time to adjust and recalibrate for the future will likely be the next steps.

In an ideal world, every wrestling promotion would be able to keep its stars and bring in new ones, but a bloated roster and limited television time impact how much talent can be exposed to fans on a regular basis.  Add to this the desire for some stars to move on, and not just because they feel undervalued, and whether it’s due to a release or a departure, options exist elsewhere, including beyond the wrestling world.

For some stars, their future exists in other fields, and a return to wrestling is very much ruled out, as is the case with Batista. Others may seek opportunities on the independent wrestling scene or sign a contract elsewhere, but it may take time before fans can see them again.

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