De Lander advises WWE releases to seize indie control
Australian wrestler Steph De Lander encouraged recently released WWE performers to view their departures as career opportunities. The ACW women's champion posted on X that her own 2022 WWE release proved the best development for her career and insisted it need not end their stories. She expanded on that message in an interview.
De Lander rose to prominence in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling after leaving WWE, capturing the TNA Digital Media Championship and engaging in prominent feuds with Matt Cardona and Sami Callihan. She spent the last two years sidelined by a serious neck injury before returning to the ring last month at Awesome Championship Wrestling, where she defeated Indi Hartwell and J-Rod to claim the women's title.
De Lander stressed the personal nature of such transitions in wrestling. "It’s such a different journey for everyone," she said. "Deal with the emotions... then hit the ground running and go balls to the wall. Now you have an opportunity to re-write your legacy... When you’re on the indies, you have all of the control."
She acknowledged the challenges ahead, including lower pay, but highlighted greater autonomy outside WWE. De Lander's next ACW appearance comes May 16 at the MJN Convention Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
