Report Details Internal Reaction To Samantha Irvin's WWE Departure Announcement

In a Monday afternoon bombshell that no one saw coming, Samantha Irvin stunned the wrestling world by announcing she would immediately be departing WWE. The news has left many wrestling fans in disbelief, wondering what's next for the long-time WWE ring announcer, and what exactly led to her decision, something Irvin herself was vague about in her lengthy statement.

One thing that is clear is that, even within WWE, this was news few saw coming. Both Fightful Select and Wrestlevotes report that many within WWE were surprised by Irvin's departure. Fightful further reported that some on the WWE staff noted her announcement was so sudden that she "couldn't have possibly informed everyone before leaving." That said, some within WWE had been expecting Irvin to leave eventually, after her fiance, Ricochet, departed the promotion earlier this summer to join AEW.

The news was also met with sadness by those in WWE, as Irvin was said to be beloved by those backstage. Even after making her announcement official, those in WWE had nothing but positives for Irvin, with some going as far to say that Irvin's presence at "Raw" tapings "made the work day better." The feeling appears to be mutual as, in her statement, Irvin notably thanked everyone she could in WWE, from higher ups to wrestlers other backstage staff.

Due to Ricochet's AEW status, speculation has since spread that Irvin's WWE departure could lead to her joining the promotion. While AEW's exact interest in the ring announcer remains unknown, those in both AEW and WWE agreed that it would be surprising if AEW owner Tony Khan didn't at least approach Irvin with an offer.