Oro Mensah, the former WWE NXT star, has made his first appearance since his WWE departure earlier this year. Now going by the single name “Oro,” he competed at tonight’s Ring of Honor television tapings in Chicago.
During the tapings on July 30, Oro made his surprise debut for the promotion. He faced off against NJPW legend Tomohiro Ishii in a hard-hitting singles match. Although Oro came up short in the contest, his quick return to a major promotion has sparked speculation about his future. It is currently unclear if he has signed a contract with ROH or if this was a one-time appearance.
Oro confirmed his exit from WWE back in May. His departure came shortly after his on-screen faction in NXT, Meta-Four, was officially split up on television. Originally signing with WWE in 2019 as Oliver Carter, he found success in NXT UK before being rebranded as Oro Mensah in the U.S. developmental system. Upon his release, he posted a heartfelt message, saying, “Thank you for all the support! love y‘all.”
Oro’s appearance in Ring of Honor continues the trend of recently released WWE talent quickly finding new homes. Karl Fredericks, formerly Eddy Thorpe, who was released in the same round of cuts in May, also recently made his return to the independent circuit. It remains to be seen if Oro’s appearance was a one-off or if he has officially signed a contract with Tony Khan’s promotion.