Zoey Serrano has reflected on the emotional impact of her WWE release, revealing that the phone call left her shaken, heartbroken and struggling to catch her breath.
Serrano was among the WWE talents released in April. The decision came shortly after she had been cleared following a serious knee injury, an absence that had kept her away from the ring for a lengthy period. In a new installment of her Zoey 1001 YouTube series, Serrano discussed the day in detail and explained why the news was especially difficult to process.
The former WWE talent said she had been at an EOS gym while word spread that releases were taking place. Although she was speaking with fellow wrestlers Chelsea Green and Mia “Michin” Yim and had a lingering sense that something might be wrong, Serrano did not expect to be included in the cuts because she had recently received clearance for her knee.
“When I got released from WWE, it hit like a ton of bricks,” Serrano said. “Mainly because I wasn’t expecting it.”
For more background on this topic, read Wade Barrett Praises Michael Cole and Joe Tessitore as Key WWE Commentary Partners.
For performers, a return from a significant injury is often supposed to represent a reset. Medical clearance is the final step of a long recovery process that can include rehabilitation, strength work and the effort to regain confidence in movements that once came naturally. Serrano’s expectation was understandably shaped by that milestone. She had done the work to get healthy, and she believed she was approaching a chance to resume her career rather than an abrupt ending to her WWE tenure.
That context made the call all the more jarring. Serrano said that several thoughts arrived at once after she received the news. Her immediate reaction was heartbreak, followed by a strong physical response. She began shaking and crying before heading to her car, where the intensity of the moment made her fear she was experiencing a panic attack.
“I truly, truly thought I was having a panic attack because I couldn’t breathe,” Serrano said. “Every worst-case scenario was going through my head.”
Her account illustrates the human side of a process that is frequently discussed in wrestling through roster lists, contract status and potential next destinations. A release can rapidly change a wrestler’s professional plans, but it can also hit at the identity and routine they have built around the job. For Serrano, the news arrived when she was attempting to move forward from an injury layoff, creating an especially sharp contrast between renewed optimism and uncertainty.
Serrano also offered compassion for the WWE representative who delivered the decision. Even as she described how much the call hurt, she noted that the person on the other end was faced with an unenviable responsibility and that she could hear the difficulty in his voice.
“I felt really bad for the gentleman who had to call me,” she said. “That’s not an easy day at the office for him.”
That perspective does not reduce the pain Serrano felt, but it reflects the complicated reality surrounding releases. The wrestler receiving the call is dealing with immediate disappointment, anxiety and an uncertain future. Meanwhile, the person making the call is tasked with communicating a life-changing decision. Serrano made clear that the emotional weight of that exchange was evident to her even while she was navigating her own reaction.
WWE releases routinely produce a wave of public speculation about who may appear elsewhere and when. That speculation can move quickly, particularly when fans begin discussing possible opportunities across the wider wrestling landscape. Serrano’s comments, however, center first on the private reality behind that conversation: the shock of losing a role she had worked toward, the isolation of walking to her car after the call and the immediate rush of worst-case thoughts.
She did not present the experience as something she had simply brushed aside. Serrano said it hurt deeply, and she became emotional while revisiting it. The honesty of that response is significant in an industry where wrestlers are often expected to maintain confidence publicly, promote the next chapter and keep attention focused on future possibilities. There can be value in that forward-looking outlook, but Serrano did not skip over the initial grief.
A difficult moment after a long recovery
The timing of Serrano’s release is central to her story. A serious knee injury can interrupt virtually every part of a wrestler’s professional life. Beyond the obvious inability to compete, an extended absence can mean time away from weekly television, live events, training and the ongoing creative momentum that comes from being available. Returning from that kind of setback is not merely about receiving medical approval; it is about preparing to re-enter an environment that continued to evolve while the injured performer was sidelined.
Serrano said she was “just” cleared for the injury, which helps explain why she had put aside the uneasy feeling she had earlier that day. In her mind, there was a logical reason to believe she would not be receiving bad news. She had reached a major checkpoint in her recovery. Instead, the clearance was followed by the call informing her that her WWE contract was ending.
That sequence can make the uncertainty after a release feel even broader. A performer who has just returned from injury may be weighing physical readiness, future training and where an opportunity to wrestle might emerge. Serrano did not lay out any specific next move in these remarks, and there is no confirmed information in her comments regarding where or when she may compete next. Her focus was on explaining the emotional impact of the day rather than making an announcement about her in-ring future.
Still, she made clear that her outlook has changed with time. Serrano said that, despite how painful the release was in the moment, she now sees an opportunity in front of her.
“Where I am at today, I get the opportunity of finding myself again,” Serrano said.
That line points to a broader period of reassessment for Serrano. Releases often force wrestlers to confront questions that can be difficult to consider while working within a major company’s demanding schedule: what presentation feels most authentic, what goals remain unfulfilled and what kind of career they want to build next. Serrano’s use of the phrase “finding myself again” suggests that this stage is not only about seeking another job, but also about reconnecting with parts of herself that she feels were not fully visible before.
Serrano addresses authenticity and her next chapter
Elsewhere in the same video, Serrano discussed feeling that she did not have the chance to fully show her genuine personality during her time in WWE. That observation adds another layer to her response to the release. For any wrestler, the work is not limited to executing matches. It involves developing a recognizable voice, creating a connection with an audience and finding the balance between the version of a performer presented on television and the person behind it.
When a talent believes that aspect of their identity has not been fully showcased, a career transition can bring both disappointment and possibility. Serrano has not framed the release as painless, nor should she have to. Her recollection of the call remains raw and vivid. But her comments also show that she is approaching the present with an interest in discovery rather than only loss.
The path forward remains open. Serrano has not announced a new promotion, a return date or a specific in-ring plan in the comments she shared. What is clear is that she has begun to speak publicly about the experience on her own terms. By discussing the physical fear she felt in the aftermath, the unexpected timing following knee clearance and the personal rebuilding she now sees ahead, she has provided a candid account of a moment that altered her career.
For Serrano, April’s release call was a painful turning point rather than a simple transaction. She described being blindsided, heartbroken and overwhelmed as she sat with the news. Months later, she is still acknowledging that hurt while identifying a new purpose in the opportunity to rediscover herself. Whatever comes next, her remarks make clear that the transition began with a deeply human response to an extraordinarily difficult day.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.