Former WWE Star Set for Major Homecoming and the Reason Will Surprise You
Zoey Stark is heading back to Las Vegas and not for a WWE event. The former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, who was released from WWE on April 24, 2026, while still recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus, has officially been announced for Future Stars of Wrestling's Survival of the Fittest event on August 22, 2026, at the HyperX Arena inside the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip.
The reason this is a homecoming and not just another independent booking is the part that catches most people off guard. Before Zoey Stark ever set foot in a WWE ring, before she was even called Zoey Stark, Las Vegas was where she built everything. FSW was not just a stop on her journey. It was the place that made WWE notice her in the first place.
What Is the FSW Survival of the Fittest and Why Does It Matter?
Future Stars of Wrestling(FSW) - Las Vegas' Own Promotion
Future Stars of Wrestling is an independent promotion based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been running since the early 2000s and has served as a launching pad for several wrestlers who went on to sign with major companies. FSW has its own arena, its own championship history, and a loyal Las Vegas fan base that has watched homegrown talent rise through the ranks and eventually leave for the big stage.
Zoey Stark's banner still hangs in the FSW arena alongside other Vegas wrestling names. That banner has been there since she left for WWE in January 2021. Now she is coming back to the building where it hangs.
August 22, 2026, at HyperX Arena Inside the Luxor
FSW Survival of the Fittest 2026 takes place on August 22, 2026, at the HyperX Arena inside the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. This is a significant venue upgrade from FSW's usual home; putting the event on the Strip gives it a different kind of visibility.
Why This Event Is Significant for Zoey's Return
This will be Zoey Stark's first professional wrestling match since May 19, 2025, when she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus during a Money in the Bank qualifying match on Raw. Over a year between matches. Coming back to FSW, the place where she was last seen before WWE, closes a circle that has been open for five years.
The Real Reason This Is a Homecoming
Zoey Built Her Name at FSW, Not in WWE
Most WWE fans know Zoey Stark from NXT and Raw. But the version of her that WWE signed in January 2021 had already been battle-tested for years on the independent circuit, with FSW being the promotion that shaped her most.
She started competing for FSW in 2019, working her way into the title picture in a women's division that needed someone to take it seriously. She did exactly that, and the FSW Women's Championship became the most meaningful title she held before WWE came calling.
Not many wrestlers get that from an independent promotion. She earned it.
She Won the FSW Women's Championship in 2019
On September 29, 2019, competing under her real name, Lacey Ryan, she defeated Taya Valkyrie at FSW Mecca V to win the FSW Women's Championship. Valkyrie was at the time a reigning TNA Knockouts Champion; this was not a low-stakes win. Beating her in Las Vegas for the FSW title in front of the home crowd was the moment that put Serrano on the map.
She held the FSW Women's Championship for over a year, defending it successfully multiple times before losing it to Mazzerati on November 20, 2020, just weeks before WWE called.
FSW Is Where She Got on WWE's Radar in the First Place
The WWE tryout came in November 2020. The signing was announced in January 2021. The timing is not a coincidence. Her FSW run, the Mecca V win, the high-profile defences, all of it contributed to WWE's decision to bring her in.
When she left FSW in January 2021, the promotion held a send-off event for her. She hugged the people who helped build her career there and walked out of the building as a future WWE superstar. Now, five years later, she is walking back in.
Zoey Stark's WWE Journey: Five Years in Review
From Lacey Ryan to Zoey Stark Signing with WWE in 2021
Theresa Serrano signed with WWE in January 2021 and was given the ring name Zoey Stark. She debuted on the January 29 episode of 205 Live, teaming with Marina Shafir in the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, losing to Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart in the first round.
Her NXT singles debut came on February 17, 2021, when she defeated Valentina Feroz. From there, she moved quickly, picking up a win over Toni Storm on the NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver pre-show in April and building momentum as one of NXT's most promising new arrivals.
NXT Women's Tag Team Championship with Io Shirai
The biggest moment of her NXT career came on July 6, 2021, at NXT Great American Bash, where she and Io Shirai defeated Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell to win the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. For a performer less than six months into her WWE career, winning gold alongside one of the best workers in the world was a significant statement.
The reign ended at Halloween Havoc 2021, when Toxic Attraction Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne won the titles in a triple threat ladder match. Shortly after, Stark suffered a legitimate knee injury and was written off television.
Main Roster Run on Raw - The Pure Fusion Collective
Following her return from that knee injury, Stark was drafted to Raw as part of the 2023 WWE Draft and debuted on the May 8 episode, defeating Nikki Cross. She aligned with Trish Stratus, then split from her and eventually teamed with Shayna Baszler. The two later became part of the Pure Fusion Collective alongside Sonya Deville, running as a heel faction on the Raw brand through 2024 and into 2025.
During her main roster run, she challenged for the Women's World Championship at Crown Jewel 2023 in a fatal five-way against Rhea Ripley and competed in multiple Money in the Bank ladder matches. She never won a championship on the main roster, but she was on Raw every week when she was healthy and contributing to real storylines.
The Knee Injury That Changed Everything
On May 19, 2025, during a Money in the Bank qualifying match on Raw against Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane, Stark attempted a missile dropkick from the top rope and landed awkwardly on her right knee. She was removed from the match immediately.
Days later, she confirmed the damage herself in a social media post. ACL, MCL and meniscus in the same knee. Surgery was unavoidable, and the road back was going to be long.
How Zoey Stark Got Released From WWE
Cleared to Return, Then Released Before She Could
Stark had been targeting a return to WWE programming for the middle of 2026, and by the time April arrived, reports indicated she had recently received medical clearance to return to the ring. WWE's creative team was reportedly discussing her comeback plans.
Then, on April 24, 2026, as part of a wave of releases that also included Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Santos Escobar, Apollo Crews, and the Motor City Machine Guns, Stark was let go. She had cleared the medical hurdle she just never got the chance to use it.
The releases were communicated by TKO directly rather than through WWE's Stamford offices, a detail confirmed by multiple released performers, including Zelina Vega. Stark had been with WWE for five years and never got to return from her final injury before the call came.
Her Emotional Response After the Release
Stark responded on social media with the kind of statement that is hard to read without feeling the weight of the situation. She thanked WWE for making a young girl's dream come true and spoke about the friendships and lessons she took from her time there.
She did not put a timeline on what was next. She simply said she would be back.
What This FSW Appearance Could Mean for Her Future
Is This Just One Show or the Start of Something Bigger?
One booking does not define a career direction. But FSW is not a random choice. Going back to the promotion where she built her reputation, in the city where she made her name, on a show that has genuine visibility, this feels like the start of something, not just one match to stay busy.
She is also no longer on the 90-day non-compete clause that prevented her from working elsewhere immediately after the WWE release. By August 22, she will have been a free agent for nearly four months. Plenty of time for conversations to happen.
Could AEW, TNA or WWE Be Next?
Nothing has been announced. No reports have surfaced about AEW or TNA pursuing her. WWE rehiring released talent under Triple H's regime has happened before; Aleister Black and several others came back for second runs. Whether Stark falls into that category depends on how her FSW appearance goes and what her knee looks like in competition.
What she does have going for her is that WWE was reportedly still high on her at the time of the release, and the timing of the release, clearing medical only to get let go, suggests this was a budget decision rather than a creative one. That is the kind of thing that keeps a door open.
What Fans Are Hoping to See
The FSW crowd that watched her win the Women's Championship in 2019 will be in that building on August 22. For them, this is not just a wrestling match. It is the return of someone they watched leave for the biggest stage in the industry and who is now coming home to prove she can still do this at a high level.
The knee will be the story of the night. One year and three months after the injury, stepping back into a ring for the first time in front of the fans who never stopped watching will tell fans more about where she actually is than anything she could post on social media.
Closing Thoughts
Zoey Stark spent five years in WWE, won a championship in her first year, fought through two serious knee injuries, got cleared to return from the second one, and was released before she could step back on camera. The story did not end there. She is going back to Las Vegas, back to FSW, back to the arena with her banner on the wall, back to the fans who watched her become the person WWE eventually signed. The FSW Survival of the Fittest on August 22 is not a consolation prize. For someone who built her name in that building, it is the most fitting possible first step back.
FAQs
Who is Zoey Stark?
Zoey Stark is the ring name of Theresa Serrano, an American professional wrestler born on January 25, 1994, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is best known for her five-year tenure in WWE, where she competed on NXT and Raw, and won the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship with Io Shirai in 2021.
Why was Zoey Stark released from WWE?
Stark was released from WWE on April 24, 2026, as part of a wave of roster cuts made by TKO, WWE's parent company. At the time of her release, she had recently received medical clearance to return from a knee injury, but was let go before she could make her comeback.
What is Zoey Stark's real name?
Zoey Stark's real name is Theresa Serrano. Before signing with WWE, she competed on the independent circuit under the ring name Lacey Ryan.
Where is Zoey Stark appearing in 2026?
Zoey Stark has been officially announced for Future Stars of Wrestling's Survival of the Fittest event on August 22, 2026, at the HyperX Arena inside the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip.
What is FSW Survival of the Fittest?
FSW Survival of the Fittest is an annual event hosted by Future Stars of Wrestling, an independent promotion based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2026 edition takes place on August 22 at the HyperX Arena inside the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Did Zoey Stark win any titles in WWE?
Yes. Stark won the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship with Io Shirai on July 6, 2021 at NXT Great American Bash. They defeated Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell to win the titles, holding them until Halloween Havoc 2021. She did not win any championships on the main roster during her Raw tenure.
What injury did Zoey Stark have?
On May 19, 2025, during a Money in the Bank qualifying match on Raw, Stark tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus in her right knee after landing awkwardly from a missile dropkick. She confirmed the extent of the injuries in a social media post shortly after.
When was Zoey Stark released from WWE?
Zoey Stark was released from WWE on April 24, 2026, as part of a wave of releases that followed WrestleMania 42. The release was communicated by TKO rather than through WWE's Stamford offices.
Is Zoey Stark returning to WWE?
Nothing has been confirmed. WWE has not announced any plans to rehire Stark. Her FSW appearance on August 22 will be her first match since the May 2025 knee injury.
What championships did Zoey Stark win before WWE?
Before signing with WWE, Stark won the FSW Women's Championship on September 29, 2019, defeating Taya Valkyrie at FSW Mecca V. She held the title for over a year before losing it to Mazzerati on November 20, 2020. She also won the UCW-Zero Ultra-X Championship twice earlier in her career.