Former AEW star comes out of retirement after 3 years; first match announced

After nearly three years away from the ring, a former WWE and AEW star is officially stepping back into the squared circle. The star in question is Angela Quentina Arnold, better known as A.Q.A. (FKA Zayda Ramier in WWE NXT), and her in-ring return is set for June 1st at New Texas Pro Wrestling’s Bat City event in Austin, Texas.

This marks her first match since facing Athena in June 2022 at Warrior Wrestling 23. Since then, A.Q.A. had quietly stepped away from wrestling, citing personal and health reasons that had earlier affected her stint in WWE. Many even believed she was retired for good.

Now, returning to the ring in her home state, A.Q.A.’s comeback has fans buzzing. In a post on X, she said, “It’s been a while, a little too long,” and thanked New Texas Pro for welcoming her back. Moreover, the hometown star had trained at Booker T’s Reality of Wrestling in Texas before her breakout opportunities with WWE and later Tony Khan's promotion, where she debuted in February 2022.

"Hey, y'all! But in all seriousness, it's been a while, a little too long. Thank you for all your support then, and thank you for your support now. Thank you, @NewTexasPW, for having me!" she wrote.

Expand Tweet

While the match is officially confirmed, fans will be curious to see whether A.Q.A. still has the wrestling bug in her.

From Texas to Jacksonville: A.Q.A.’s journey to becoming an AEW talent

Angela Quentina Arnold began her wrestling career under the guidance of Booker T at Reality of Wrestling in Texas. Her early squared circle successes included two reigns as the ROW Diamonds Division Champion. After a brief stint in WWE NXT as Zayda Ramier, where she notably defeated Toni Storm, A.Q.A. faced medical setbacks that led to her release in November 2021.

A.Q.A. made her AEW debut in February 2022, challenging Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship, and despite losing that bout, her performance, especially her execution of the Shooting Star Press move, attracted many eyeballs. AEW President Tony Khan announced her signing shortly after, referring to her as a "shooting star!"

However, six months later, the star decided to pause her professional wrestling career due to an injury. Although her time in AEW was brief, A.Q.A.'s journey from Texas to the global stage left a lasting impression on fans and colleagues, and the recent announcement of her return to the ring is bound to have the wrestling world anticipating with excitement.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

Know More

Edited by Yash Mittal