Cedric Alexander Reveals Disillusionment in WWE NXT, Finds Purpose in TNA Wrestling

His decision to re-sign with TNA Wrestling in January of this year effectively put an end to any immediate prospects of reuniting with his former Hurt Business teammates in WWE. During a recent appearance on the Soundsphere podcast, Alexander further elaborated on his experiences in the latter part of his WWE run, specifically after his move to NXT, noting that he felt neither important nor useful.

When the podcast host observed that several TNA Wrestling stars he had spoken to found their passion for wrestling reignited within the company, Cedric Alexander concurred with this sentiment. He was asked if it was a “nice feeling” to have that passion rekindled, to which he responded:

It really is. It really, really is. Especially in a time when, like, I was down in NXT a while, I didn’t feel important, I didn’t feel useful. Ever since coming to TNA, I found my spot. I feel useful. There’s things for me to do. There’s ways that I can help, and grow. Not only grow myself, but grow the business. I feel like I’m doing something instead of sitting idly by and watching the world pass me by. Like I say, man, it’s something I couldn’t and wouldn’t change for the world.

Cedric Alexander's WWE Career and NXT Transition

Cedric Alexander's journey in WWE began with his initial appearance as part of the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic. Following his participation in the tournament, he became a regular on the WWE Raw brand. He also achieved success as a former WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Alexander later joined The Hurt Business, a prominent faction that included Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and MVP. The Hurt Business, which operated in WWE for approximately two years, was a well regarded collective. During its impactful run, Bobby Lashley achieved two reigns as WWE Champion and also held the United States Championship. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander secured the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship, in addition to having runs as WWE 24/7 Champion.

Alexander transitioned to WWE NXT in July 2024, spending the remainder of his WWE tenure on that brand until his release from the company in February 2025. Since his departure from WWE, Alexander has made a return to NXT as part of the ongoing partnership between TNA Wrestling and WWE. This return notably occurred during an invasion event in September 2025. Earlier this year, Alexander commented on the talents of WWE’s Je’Von Evans, alongside TNA Wrestling’s Leon Slater and Jason Hotch, stating that they make him proud to be a wrestler.

The Hurt Business in AEW and Past Reunion Teases

Currently, MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin are all signed to AEW and have reunited, forming a new faction known as The Hurt Syndicate. Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin have held the World Tag Team Championship during their ongoing tenure with the promotion.

Rumors of a potential Hurt Business reunion in WWE had been teased previously, though little ultimately materialized from those discussions. Both Bobby Lashley and MVP publicly addressed the fact that The Hurt Business did not receive a “proper ending” during their time in WWE.

Prior to Alexander's re signing with TNA Wrestling, Cedric Alexander was a topic of conversation for MVP during an interview. MVP expressed his hope that Alexander would sign with AEW and discussed the possibility of a new member joining The Hurt Syndicate faction. In AEW, MJF joined The Hurt Syndicate for a brief period in 2025, with Bobby Lashley later explaining the decision to remove him from the group.

Cedric Alexander himself had previously stated that a reunion with The Hurt Business did not happen due to issues of timing. He noted that he felt he was in a different part of his career compared to MVP, Lashley, and Benjamin. The prospect of a reunion involving Cedric Alexander in AEW could have represented a significant moment on television for the promotion, offering a greater degree of creative opportunities for matches, allowing for various combinations of tag team, singles, or trios encounters. For many fans who wished to see them operate as a unit, the prospect of choosing from Benjamin, Lashley, or Alexander in a tag team match, having any of the three in singles competition, or sending all of them into a Trios encounter would have been compelling to witness.