Cedric Alexander Says He Rejected Chance To Join AEW

Cedric Alexander says he turned down an opportunity to join AEW alongside his former Hurt Business stablemates because he wanted to focus on building his own path.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Cedric Alexander addressed speculation that he would reunite with Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP after the trio revived the group in AEW under the name The Hurt Syndicate in late 2024.

Alexander was a key member of The Hurt Business during its run in WWE, and many fans expected him to eventually join the faction again. However, he said the situation was more complicated than it appeared.

“Bobby, Shelton, MVP, they’re all legit close friends of mine, so I was very happy for them that they got to bring the group back and finish their story, their careers, the way they wanted to,” Alexander said. “But I was also like, ‘Man, what about me? I was a part of that group, too. I helped make that group what it was.’”

Cedric Alexanders Says He Declined The Opportunity To Join AEW So He Could Do His Own Thing

Cedric Alexander revealed that he was offered the chance to join AEW around the time the group was reforming, but ultimately declined.

“When I had the opportunity to go to AEW, I was looking at it in a sense of, well, for them, they’re finishing their careers with The Hurt Business,” he said. “I still have another 10, 15 years to go. So, I kind of wanna do my own thing and just be my own man for a while.”

Alexander added that he wanted the next stage of his career to reflect his own decisions rather than being defined by his previous role in the faction.

“I was a self-made man before I came to WWE in C.W.C., so I would like to be able to say, nah, this was my choice. Something I did for me.”

Following his WWE departure, Alexander joined TNA Wrestling in June 2025. He is currently aligned with The System.