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Multiple Stars To Depart AEW With Contracts Expiring

Names such as Mercedes Martinez, Matt Taven, and more are parting ways with AEW as their contracts expire.
Ethan Schlabaugh|
AEW logo
AEW logo | AllEliteWrestling.com - AEW

With the start of the new year, several AEW contracts are coming to a close, ending several stars' time with the promotion.

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp reports that former Ring of Honor World Champion Matt Taven is one of the names leaving AEW after joining the promotion back in late 2022 ,alongside his former Kingdom partner, Mike Bennett.

Taven had a few title opportunities and was a member of the Undisputed Kingdom during the Adam Cole/MJF storyline, but he never reached the success he did before joining AEW. He was last seen wrestling on the November 6th episode of ROH on HonorClub, where he lost to SkyFlight in a six-man tag match.

Another name parting ways with AEW is Alex Abrahantes, who has been managing Komander during his time in AEW and ROH. His tenure with AEW began in 2019, when he joined the Spanish-speaking commentary team.

Abrahantes had a stacked client roster during his managerial run in AEW, including the Lucha Brothers, Pac, and El Hijo del Vikingo. He also had a dark match against Mark Sterling back in 2023, marking one of the rare times he ever competed in the ring.

Mercedes Martinez 's final year

The biggest of the three departures recently announced is that of former ROH Women's World Champion Mercedes Martinez.

Martinez started wrestling in 2000 and officially joined the AEW roster in late 2021. She would be the champion that Athena beat to start her record-breaking title reign with the ROH Women's World Championship back at Final Battle 2022.

Athena defended the ROH Women's World Championship against Mercedes Martinez on HonorClub.
Athena defended the ROH Women's World Championship against Mercedes Martinez on HonorClub. | Ring of Honor Wrestling

At the beginning of this year, Martinez announced that she was going to retire in 2026, posting on social media, "Goodbye 2025. One last run." In that post, she confirmed that she wouldn't have a contract, an agent, or any sort of creative, just herself and everything she had learned over 25 years of professional wrestling.

Mercedes has mostly competed on the independent scene, last appearing on the May 9th, 2024, episode of ROH on HonorClub, where she helped score a win over Abadon, Lady Frost, and Leyla Hirsch in a six-woman tag match.

It will be interesting to see where these stars go after this, particularly with Mercedes Martinez wrapping up a two-decade career.

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Ethan Schlabaugh
ETHAN SCHLABAUGH

Ethan Schlabaugh is a news writer for The Takedown on SI. His journalism experience has seen him cover professional wrestling for outlets such as TheSportster, The Takedown and more. He has been a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, dating back to his first experience with the WCW Nintendo 64 games, and that passion for the sport has remained many years later. He also writes feature articles for ResuraMag, where he focuses on mainstream Japanese promotions like Stardom and Marigold.

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