Cedric Alexander Says He Had The Opportunity To Join The Hurt Syndicate In AEW

Cedric Alexander has explained why he hasn’t joined The Hurt Syndicate in AEW.

Since his release from WWE on February 7, 2025, many fans have speculated that Cedric Alexander could make his way to All Elite Wrestling to reunite with MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin in The Hurt Syndicate, with the quartet having previously found success as The Hurt Business in WWE.

Appearing on Busted Open, Cedric Alexander revealed that he had the opportunity to join The Hurt Syndicate in AEW but ultimately decided that he wanted to do his own thing as to not feel forever tied to the unit.

“Bobby [Lashley], Shelton [Benjamin], MVP, they’re all legit close friends of mine. So I was very happy for them that they got to bring the group back and finish their story, their careers the way they wanted to. But I was also like, ‘Man, what about me? I was a part of that group, too. I helped make that group what it was.’ But at the same time, when I had the opportunity to go to AEW, I was looking at it in a sense of, for them, they’re finishing their careers with the Hurt Business. I still got another 10, 15 years to go. So 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.’ I was a self-made man before I came to WWE and CWC. So I would like to be able to say, ‘No, this was my choice, something I did for me.’”

-Cedric Alexander

Alexander now finds himself part of another faction, having joined Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers as the newest member of The System alongside Bear Bronson during the January 22, 2026 edition of TNA Imapct!.

The Hurt Syndicate meanwhile have found success in All Elite Wrestling, with Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin having held the AEW World Tag Team Championship. The unit has been largely absent from AEW for the majority of 2026 thus far, however, with Bobby Lashley yet to return after being sidelined with injury in late 2025.

As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on the futures of both Cedric Alexander and The Hurt Syndicate as soon as we hear more.

If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to WrestlePurists.com for the transcription.