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One-time IMPACT Wrestling X-Division champion Rohit Raju, also known as Hakim Zane, was spotted at the AEW Dark tapings at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. He reportedly wrestled Captain Shawn Dean in the second half of the tapings, losing on his debut. It's unclear as to when the tapings will air on YouTube.
Rohit Raju's contract with IMPACT Wrestling expired in January 2022, and he announced he won't be resigning from the company. His last match for the Nashville-based company was against former world champion Josh Alexander, which he lost.
Raju recently lost the AAW Heritage title at AAW Unstoppable 2021 when Ace Austin defeated him and Myron Reed in just under 15 minutes to become the new champion.
Hakim Zane is a talented performer. He has a great look, can work a good match, and can portray several characters. He's a natural heel and can mix humor in his work. A great example of this can be seen in the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary 2021 when Zane produced several creative yet funny spots.
What was Rohit Raju doing before AEW?
Rohit Raju, who is 41 years old, wrestled on the independent circuit for over 10 years before he joined IMPACT Wrestling. He signed a contract with IMPACT on 2017 and subsequently debuted as part of the faction Desi Hit Squad.
Raju's big moment came in August 2020, when he defeated Chris Bey and TJP to win the X Division Championship in a three-way match. Raju defended his title successfully at pay-per-views like Bound For Glory 2020 and Turning Point 2020. He finally lost the title to Manik after a reign of 120 days. In the latter days of his IMPACT run, Raju feuded with Matt Cardona and, at Victory Road 2021, lost to him in a No Disqualification Match.
In January 2022, Raju left IMPACT. On Twitter, Raju wrote, "as of today, I'm a free agent. Where would you like to see me next?"
It'll be interesting to see if Rohit Raju aka Hakim Zane sings with AEW, and if he does, what role the promotion books for the former IMPACT Wrestling star.
