Backstage Details Emerge On Ava’s Exit From WWE NXT

While WWE’s Royal Rumble dominated headlines over the weekend, a surprising off-screen development involving Ava quickly became one of the most talked-about stories in the company. The former WWE NXT General Manager announced on Friday that she was leaving WWE, a move that caught many fans — and insiders — off guard.

Things escalated further on Sunday when Ava posted politically charged comments on social media aimed at ICE and the Trump Administration before ultimately deactivating her X account altogether. While those remarks drew plenty of attention online, they weren’t the focus of the internal discussion within WWE.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed the situation, clarifying that Ava’s departure wasn’t the result of disciplinary action or a release. According to Meltzer, the prevailing belief backstage was simple: Ava no longer wanted to continue in her role.

Meltzer noted that those within WWE felt the decision was entirely hers, adding that Ava is expected to transition into other projects, potentially tied to the film and media studio run by her parents, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia. With those opportunities available, there was no pressure for her to remain in NXT if her heart wasn’t in it.

However, Meltzer also mentioned a quieter factor that may have played a role. He revealed that he was told Ava’s girlfriend, Tatyane Dumas, had been released by WWE a few weeks prior — a move that flew largely under the radar. While Meltzer stressed that no one directly claimed this was the reason Ava left, some within the company privately speculated that it may have influenced her decision.

Ultimately, Meltzer emphasized that there was no looming threat to Ava’s position and no indication WWE was planning to move on from her. The exit came without much warning, and even those close to the situation didn’t see it coming.

In the end, it appears Ava simply chose to step away on her own terms — and with her background and connections, her next move outside of WWE will be worth keeping an eye on.