AEW has parted ways with three talents as 2026 begins, with Matt Taven, Mercedes Martinez, and Alex Abrahantes all leaving the promotion after their contracts expired.
Fightful Select reports that all three were removed from the AEW roster page on January 5. The departures stem from contract expirations rather than releases, and AEW has not issued any public statement regarding the exits.
Taven’s departure ends a three-year run that began in October 2022 when he debuted alongside Mike Bennett and Maria Kanellis as The Kingdom. The former ROH World Champion remained a regular fixture on Ring of Honor programming and captured the ROH Tag Team Championship with Bennett for a third time. Notably, his tag team partner Mike Bennett remains listed on the AEW roster page, raising questions about The Kingdom’s future.
Martinez’s exit was largely expected after she announced on January 1 that 2026 would be her final year as a full-time active wrestler. The 45-year-old veteran and former ROH Women’s World Champion revealed she would be working without contracts in 2026, focusing instead on the independent circuit.
“No contracts. No agents. No creative. Just me – and everything I’ve earned over 25 damn years in this business,” Martinez stated, adding that her goal is to mentor the next generation of talent.
Abrahantes, who joined AEW in 2019 as part of the Spanish announce team, became a popular on-screen personality as manager for the Lucha Brothers and Komander. His absence from programming had been noticeable in recent months before the departure was confirmed.