Former AEW star Maria Kanellis shares unfortunate update

Former AEW star Maria Kanellis was set to make a major appearance at an event today. However, the star took to social media to give an unfortunate update regarding her status.

Maria Kanellis entered the pro wrestling world back in 2004 and became a household name in the years that followed. The 43-year-old plied her trade as both a wrestler and a manager in WWE, TNA, AEW, and Ring of Honor. She made her debut in the Jacksonville-based promotion in 2022 on an episode of Rampage and went on to have a three-year stint with the company before departing in January this year. Meanwhile, her real-life partner, Mike Bennett, continues to perform for AEW and its sister company, ROH.

Kanellis was set to appear at WrestleCon today in Newark, and earlier today, a fan took to X to share their excitement for Maria's appearance, stating that they'll see her soon. This prompted a response from the First Lady of Pro Wrestling, who shared an unfortunate update regarding her flight being rescheduled.

"American Airlines changed my flight because of weather. I will not be there today!! But I will see you all tomorrow!!! @wrestlecon," she wrote.

Maria Kanellis and AEW star Mike Bennett recently shared some exciting news with fans

Maria and Mike Bennett have been married since 2014 and have two children. In June 2025, the couple announced that a third child is on the way.

Maria took to X to make the announcement, stating that she and her husband had been keeping a secret.

"We’ve been keeping a secret…," she wrote.

Maria, who was managing her husband in All Elite Wrestling, had become a mainstay in the promotion's sister company, ROH. She left the Tony Khan-led promotion after her contract expired in January 2025.

The First Lady of Pro Wrestling is a free agent now, and while she has not ruled out a return to WWE, it remains to be seen if she'll ever rejoin the Jacksonville-based promotion.

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.

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Edited by Yash Mittal