Giovanni Vinci Opens Up on WWE Exit and Plans for Wrestling Return

Giovanni Vinci is preparing for his in-ring return after stepping away from wrestling following his WWE release in February 2025, ending an eight-year run with the company.

The Italian wrestler, whose real name is Fabian Aichner, has not competed since December 2024 and has spent more than a year away from the sport to reset and focus on personal growth.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Vinci described the surreal nature of his release, saying, “I just knew that after the call — because it was such a surreal feeling, man. It was like, on the one hand, it sucked that that chapter was over because that’s what I wanted to do since I was 13 years old. But because it was such a roller coaster leading up to that, it felt freeing in a way.”

Vinci admitted he had mixed emotions about the departure, acknowledging that while he hoped SmackDown’s expansion to three hours would create more opportunities, his singles run after splitting from Imperium did not develop as expected.

He explained that after being repackaged and quickly losing to Apollo Crews, he noticed his television presence diminishing, which led to growing concerns about his future in the company.

“I tried to focus on the positive, and I always had high hopes,” Vinci said. “Like, for example, when the new year started, I know SmackDown went from two hours to three hours, and I was told, you know, there’s a quote from one of the producers, we have all the real estate in the world, there’s just not enough land. Basically, you have all the great wrestlers, there’s just not enough time on the show.”

Despite the setback, Vinci emphasized that he does not view the release as the end of his wrestling journey, stating, “I feel like there’s way more things to do for me. I feel like I haven’t reached my full potential yet. I feel like some people know what I can do, but I know I can do a lot more.”

He confirmed there is no set timeline for his return but noted that discussions are ongoing and that he is preparing both physically and mentally for when the right opportunity arises.

Vinci described his time away as necessary for self-reflection, comparing it to the feeling of finishing school and going on summer vacation: “Just all the weight was off because at least I knew. At least I knew. There was no more thinking about it. And really, after that, all I did was, I just knew I was taking some time. Didn’t know how much it was. And, yeah, I didn’t think about how long exactly I was going to be out for. Just like, okay, I’m going to need some space, take some time for myself, figure myself out, and, yeah, enjoy life a little bit.”

Having moved halfway across the world to pursue his dream of wrestling in WWE since he was 13, Vinci acknowledged the sacrifices made but stressed the importance of not letting pride or ego interfere with personal growth during this transition period.

As of April 2026, Vinci remains a free agent, actively preparing for a potential return to in-ring competition while continuing to process the emotional and professional implications of his WWE departure.