Maria Kanellis Almost Instantly Regretted Signing WWE Contract

Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett were released by WWE in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 budget cuts. Both of them eventually returned to ROH. Maria Kanellis was also grateful to WWE for providing them with an opportunity to work for the company.

Maria returned to WWE back in 2017 as she and her husband Mike Bennett signed contracts together. Unfortunately, they were never utilized well in the company and ultimately floundered until their release last year.

While speaking to Shakiel Mahjouri of Cageside Seats, Maria Kanellis talked about signing with WWE back in 2017. She revealed that she and Mike Bennett didn’t want to leave Impact Wrestling but WWE convinced them to jump ship.

“Let’s start from the beginning. When Mike and I were picked up from WWE, it was in March [of 2017]. So we were picked up in March and we were promised the world. We didn’t want to leave IMPACT. We were happy. They [IMPACT] offered us more money and the exact same money that WWE had offered us initially. So what WWE did is they offered us a little bit more and they told us we didn’t have to move. I was fine with moving but, whatever, moving is expensive.”

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Maria Kanellis revealed that there were plans for the two to appear on Monday Night RAW after WrestleMania but it did not end up happening. Kanellis revealed that she regretted signing with WWE after they were made to sit out for four months.

“So they sat us. They told us that we were possibly going to be on RAW after WrestleMania. It didn’t happen. They sat us at home. So here we are with all these promises being made and we’re sitting at home now for four months before they even decided to start talking to us. It was ridiculous. And so we’re already feeling very much like, ‘Why the hell did we make this decision to come to WWE?’”

Maria Kanellis is content working in ROH right now but she’ll always be grateful for her time in WWE. However, it is unlikely she’ll return to the company anytime soon.

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h/t to Cageside Seats for the quotes.