Cedric Alexander says he had the opportunity to go to AEW, but wanted to ‘do my own thing’
In an interview with Busted Open Radio on Thursday, Cedric Alexander claimed he had the opportunity to sign with AEW but declined due to wanting to do his own thing.
Alexander was talking about Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley and MVP signing with AEW and forming The Hurt Syndicate in late-2024. He had feelings about that union, saying that while he was happy for the three to “finish their story the way they want to” he couldn’t help but think about his own situation.
“I helped make that group what it was (in WWE) but at the same time, too, 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. I still got another 10…15 years to go,” he said.
He didn’t say when he was offered a contract.
“I kind of want to do my own thing and just be my own man for a while and not be linked to ‘All he did was Hurt Business stuff. Cedric Alexander because of the Hurt Business.’ Like, nah, no, I was a self-made man before I came to WWE in the (Cruiserweight Classic), so I would like to be able to say, ‘This was my choice and something I did for me.'”
In March 2025, Alexander did an interview where he said he “100%” wanted to reunite with the group. He didn’t say what changed.
The 36-year-old has been in TNA since June 2025, re-signing in January 2026. He is currently part of the new-look System faction.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.