You have so much more control over your career than you think you do now.
When the doors of wrestling's largest stage close, some find themselves standing at the threshold of something more their own. Steph De Lander, released from WWE in 2022, has spent the years since building a career on the independent circuit that she alone controls — winning championships, surviving injury, and returning stronger. Her message to those now facing similar crossroads is not one of consolation, but of possibility: that the end of one chapter is often the truest beginning of another.
- A wave of WWE departures has left wrestlers grappling with the emotional and professional weight of losing their place at the industry's highest level.
- De Lander, who knows that weight firsthand, stepped forward publicly to reframe the moment — not as a fall, but as a door swinging open.
- Her own path was far from smooth: a serious neck injury sidelined her for two years, threatening to make the independent gamble a permanent loss rather than a calculated risk.
- She returned last month to win a women's championship, proving that the grind of independent wrestling can yield real, tangible rewards for those who commit fully.
- The trade-off is honest and unvarnished — less money, thinner infrastructure, harder roads — but the prize is creative ownership and a legacy built on one's own terms.
Steph De Lander was released from WWE in 2022, and what followed was not a retreat from wrestling but a reinvention of it. The Australian competitor found her footing on the independent circuit, capturing the TNA Digital Media Championship and building feuds that mattered — all while navigating a two-year absence caused by a serious neck injury that could have ended everything. Last month, she returned to competition at Awesome Championship Wrestling, defeating two opponents to claim the women's championship. The comeback was not symbolic. It was earned.
When several wrestlers departed WWE last week, De Lander took to social media with a message drawn from lived experience: her release was the best thing that ever happened to her career. Speaking with Fox News Digital, she acknowledged that the emotional reality of being let go hits differently for everyone — some had dreamed of WWE their whole lives, others had given it a decade, and there is no single way to process that kind of loss.
But once the initial shock passes, she said, the real decision arrives. For wrestlers who still want to compete, the independent circuit offers something WWE cannot — control. On the independent scene, you shape your own presentation, tell your own story, and build a legacy that belongs entirely to you. The financial trade-offs are real and De Lander did not soften them: the pay is lower, the grind is harder, the support structures thinner. But for those willing to commit, the opportunities are genuine and multiplying.
De Lander continues to write her own chapter, with her next appearance set for May 16 in Poughkeepsie, New York. The story that began with a release is still very much in motion — and she is holding the pen.
Steph De Lander was released from WWE in 2022, and she has spent the years since proving that walking away from wrestling's biggest stage doesn't mean walking away from wrestling itself. The Australian wrestler has built something different on the independent circuit—a career where she controls her own narrative, wins her own championships, and answers to no one but herself. Last week, as several wrestlers departed WWE, De Lander posted a message on social media that cut straight to the point: getting released was the best thing that ever happened to her.
She meant it. After leaving WWE, De Lander found her footing in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where she captured the TNA Digital Media Championship and engaged in significant feuds with Matt Cardona and Sami Callihan. The path was not straightforward—she spent two years sidelined by a serious neck injury that could have ended her career entirely. But last month, she returned to active competition at Awesome Championship Wrestling, defeating both Indi Hartwell and J-Rod to claim the women's championship. The comeback was real. The momentum was real.
When Fox News Digital asked De Lander about the wrestlers now facing their own departures, she offered advice rooted in hard-won experience. She acknowledged that the emotional weight of being released hits everyone differently. For some, WWE represented the ultimate dream. For others, the release came as a relief. Some had spent a single year in the company; others had given it a decade. There is no universal script for how to feel about it.
But once the initial shock settles, De Lander said, the real work begins. The departing wrestlers need to process their emotions, yes, but then they need to commit fully to what comes next. If wrestling is still the goal, they must hit the ground running. The independent circuit offers something WWE cannot: control. When you are in WWE, the company decides how you are presented, what story you tell, how the audience perceives you. You are a piece in someone else's puzzle. On the independent circuit, you own the narrative. You shape your legacy. You decide who you are.
The trade-offs are real and De Lander did not minimize them. The money is not comparable. Independent wrestling pays less, sometimes significantly less. The schedule can be grueling. The infrastructure is thinner. But for wrestlers willing to commit—to put their heads down and grind through the lean years—the opportunities multiply. There are more promotions, more matches, more chances to build something that belongs entirely to you. De Lander has lived this equation and come out ahead.
She continues to build on that foundation. Her next appearance is scheduled for May 16 at the MJN Convention Center in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she will compete for Awesome Championship Wrestling. The story that began with a release in 2022 is still being written, and De Lander is holding the pen.
Notable Quotes
Getting released from WWE was the best thing that happened to my career. It doesn't have to be the end of the story.— Steph De Lander, on social media
When you're at WWE, you have no control over the way you're presented. When you're on the indies, you have all of the control.— Steph De Lander, in interview with Fox News Digital
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
When you say WWE had no control over your presentation, what does that actually mean in practical terms?
It means they decide your entrance music, your outfit, your character, the feuds you're in, the matches you wrestle, even how the announcers talk about you. You show up and execute their vision. On the indies, you choose all of it.
But doesn't that freedom come with a cost—not just financially, but in terms of exposure?
Absolutely. WWE reaches millions. The indies reach thousands, maybe tens of thousands depending on the promotion. You trade reach for autonomy. But the people who do find you on the indies are often more engaged because they chose to be there.
You spent two years recovering from a neck injury. Did you ever think about not coming back?
That's the question everyone asks. Honestly, yes. A neck injury is serious. But the time away gave me clarity about what I actually wanted to do, not what I thought I was supposed to do.
What would you say to someone who gets released and immediately panics about money?
The panic is legitimate. But panic is also temporary. If you can survive the first few months—and I know that's a lot to ask—you start to see the shape of a sustainable career. It just looks different than it did in WWE.
Do you think WWE releases are becoming a launching pad rather than an ending?
I think they can be. It depends entirely on the wrestler's mindset. Some people see it as rejection and never recover from that. Others see it as permission to build something on their own terms. The difference is psychological, but it's everything.