Giovanni Vinci reacts to WWE release, gives update on wrestling future
He’s been away from the industry for more than a year, but Giovanni Vinci is looking forward to getting back into the ring.
Vinci (real name Fabian Aichner) was released from his WWE contract in February 2025 and hasn’t wrestled since December 2024. He took a step back after his release but reemerged last month with his first social media post since being let go by WWE.
Now appearing on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Vinci opened up about his departure from WWE and his wrestling future. He took some time to recharge his batteries but is excited to start wrestling again.
“I just knew that after the call — because it was such a surreal feeling, man,” Vinci said about his release. “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 on the other hand, because it was such a roller coaster leading up to that, it felt freeing in a way.
“Like, I told a friend of mine, he asked me if I was okay. I said, ‘Yeah, man, I’m good.’ It’s almost like when you’re in school and school ends and you go 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.”
Vinci said he was both surprised and not surprised by his release. When SmackDown went to three hours, he hoped there would be more time on the show for him, but WWE didn’t end up doing much with his repackaged singles character after splitting from Imperium.
There is no definitive timeline for when he’ll return to wrestling, but Vinci said he’s had some “really good talks” about it. He is staying ready and believes he has not reached his full potential as a wrestler yet.
“I feel like there’s way more things to do for me,” he said. “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. And I just really, like, yeah, I wanted to take enough time to not come back and go in halfway. So I definitely work out, like I want to wrestle again. I feel like there’s many things still to do. Nothing set in stone yet, but when that opportunity comes, I know I’ll be ready for it.”
When he does return, the 35-year-old Vinci wants to focus on having fun and being authentic. He used to put too much pressure on himself and second guessed himself too often because he was so focused on accomplishing his dream of getting to WWE and succeeding there.
“Whereas nowadays, I just want to have fun, man,” Vinci said. “I want to go out there — because that’s what it’s supposed to be. It’s just fun.
“I want to have great matches. I want to be authentic. I want to tear it up with whoever I’m in the ring with. Just have a good time and enjoy the process. Live in the moment. And I know that’s when great things are going to happen.”
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.