Samantha Irvin is nearly free.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the two-year non-compete covering the former WWE ring announcer expires next month. She left the company in October 2024.
The length of it was unusual for the role. Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Irvin signed a new deal in early 2024 with a significant raise attached, and that the raise came with one of the longest non-competes in recent memory. She had already told WWE she did not want to keep ring announcing.
I don’t like announcing. I’m serious! Announcing was only supposed to be my way in. I wanted to manage, maybe even become general manager one day. But WWE saw no other future for me besides announcer. I love watching the action but I don’t love being an announcer.
She has never said the exit was permanent. Irvin told USA Today in February 2025 that a return is a certainty.
That’s a guarantee. My wrestling career has barely even begun. I think it would be an absolute waste of everything that I’ve done so far to not continue the story. I gotta finish my story.
She marked the halfway point herself last October, posting that it was one year down and one to go, and that she never left for music because she is music.
Irvin joined WWE in April 2021 on 205 Live at Mark Henry’s suggestion, moved to NXT, then SmackDown in January 2022 and Raw in February 2023. She announced 14 matches at WrestleMania 40, which drew public praise from Michael Buffer. Lilian Garcia replaced her on Raw.
Where she lands is a different question. Ricochet shot down AEW speculation when she left, and he is still there. The two married in March 2025.
Fightful Select’s reporting is used for the contract background here. Support their work here.
