WWE recently went through their annual post-WrestleMania release wave, shocking many fans by the names cut. Nevertheless, last 12 months, the promotion also had an early-year release wave on the road to WrestleMania, which included the likes of Giovanni Vinci, who had just kickstarted his solo run on the principal roster.
During an appearance on the “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” podcast, Vinci looked back at his WWE run and updated fans on what he’s currently doing together with his life. “I feel good, man. I feel strong; probably the perfect I’ve felt in like five years,” Vinci claimed. “After I got that decision, a couple of 12 months ago, the very first thing I did was – like immediately after that – I believed: ‘Okay, I’m taking a month off the gym, because I have been going really hard.'” Vinci claimed that in his “NXT” run he stepped up his workout regiment intensely, and while he made good progress, his gains weren’t maintainable, especially without wrestling.
“I got the decision, I knew this was the primary time, obviously, that I wasn’t going to step in that ring for 3 months,” he explained. “So I definitely gave my body a break, ’cause I didn’t get the outcomes that I’m used to getting; my body began getting really stubborn.” Vinci noted that he lives in Las Vegas now, and there is at all times something for him to do, adding he has many other hobbies outside of wrestling like Formula 1.
While he took a much-needed break, Vinci expressed that he didn’t need to return to pro wrestling too quick because he didn’t need to return half-heartedly, but has since began understanding again and been having fun with the method.
Giovanni Vinci claims his release didn’t come as a complete surprise to him
Vinci had yet to prove himself as a principal roster singles star, and despite his work with Imperium alongside GUNTHER and Ludwig Kaiser, Vinci did anticipate his possible release. “I used to be and I wasn’t [surprised], because, I mean through the summer of the 12 months previous, I wasn’t on TV, but I knew there was a plan to return back eventually, and we did those vignettes and all the pieces, but that did not last long.”
Despite that, Vinci tried to stay positive, especially when “SmackDown” modified the format to a few hours. Nevertheless, after being told he wasn’t needed for TV for a few weeks, he wasn’t surprised when he got the discharge call. “It was a weird mixture of feelings,” he added.
Vince’s final televised WWE match took place through the September 20 2024 episode of “SmackDown,” where he faced off against Apollo Crews in a losing effort. Unlike lots of the names who were released with him in 2025, he is not had a match in any respect since December 13, 2024. “It’s funny because that is what I desired to do since I used to be 13 years old,” he explained. “I feel like some people know what I can do, but I do know I can do so much more. And I just really … desired to take enough time to not come back and go in halfway.”
Even together with his hiatus, Vinci claims he’s open to a return, but there aren’t yet any details in place.
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