Thunder Rosa returned to All Elite Wrestling this past Wednesday on Dynamite, marking her comeback after an eight-month absence due to injury recovery. She is now scheduled to face Julia Hart on AEW Collision, resuming her in-ring career with renewed focus and determination.
Rosa Shares Mixed Emotions and Recovery Journey
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Thunder Rosa described the complex emotions she is experiencing ahead of her return.
“I’m excited. There’s like five different feelings I’m feeling right now,”
Rosa said.
“I feel a knot in my stomach. I’m just nervous, it’s always good to have nerves right before a big return.”
She revealed the challenges she faced during her time away from wrestling, emphasizing the role of physical therapy.
“This would be the second time that I’ve been gone for a long period of time. I’ve been out for eight months. I can tell you therapy, physical therapy was key for me to come back the way I came back. It was rough and just the fact that I had to take smaller steps to even do like simple things. It took me a while and it was very scary so now the pressure is on even more for myself, because I have nothing to prove to anyone. I want to make this very clear, everything that I’m doing I’m doing to prove to myself that I still got it, that I deserve this spot.”
Context of Rosa’s Last AEW Appearances
Thunder Rosa last competed in an AEW ring on June 12, 2025. At that time, she had recently challenged Athena for the ROH Women’s Championship at Supercard of Honor but was unsuccessful. The following night, she participated in the Casino Gauntlet match at AEW: All In, continuing her active role in AEW’s women’s division prior to her hiatus.
Significance of Rosa’s Return for AEW
Thunder Rosa’s comeback to AEW signifies a notable moment for the promotion’s women’s division, demonstrating resilience and dedication after a lengthy rehabilitation process. Her forthcoming match against Julia Hart is highly anticipated and will serve as a measure of her readiness to compete at the highest level once more. This return also highlights Rosa’s personal commitment to proving her capabilities, not just to fans or opponents, but foremost to herself.
"This injury…There were some moments where I was like, I'm probably never going to wrestle again."@thunderrosa22 on making her long awaited return to the ring tonight on #AEWCollision 👏👏👏#OffTheRopes | @robinlundberg | @Thecoachrules | Weekdays 2-4pm ET on Pro Wrestling… pic.twitter.com/ildzbMelTL
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) February 21, 2026
