Former WWE and AEW wrestler Maria Kanellis took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain her recent absence, sharing exciting personal news—she’s pregnant! Maria and her husband, AEW star Mike Bennett, who already have two children named Freddie (born 2018) and Carver (born 2020), are now expecting another addition to their family. The exact stage of her pregnancy and the baby’s gender have not been disclosed yet.
In July 2024, Maria revealed she had an adrenal tumor called pheochromocytoma, a rare condition affecting roughly eight in a million people. After diagnosing the tumor during hormone level tests, she underwent successful surgery in October 2024. This came after she had surgery in 2023 to remove half of her thyroid, marking two consecutive years of serious health challenges.
During this time, Maria was also navigating uncertainties around her AEW contract. Though there had been no news from the company, they eventually agreed to extend her deal from its original October 2024 expiration to January 2025. Meanwhile, Mike Bennett remains signed with AEW but hasn’t appeared on AEW programming since November, instead focusing on Ring of Honor events with his tag partner Matt Taven.
Fan Take: This heartfelt announcement shows the resilience and strength of Maria Kanellis, balancing personal health battles with professional commitments. AEW fans should be excited about her return, as her journey adds a compelling layer to AEW’s evolving storylines and brings a deeper human element to the sport.
