Nikki Cross Makes In-Ring Return At OTT After Dark

Nikki Cross is back in action. The performer, wrestling under her independent name Nikki Storm, returned to the ring on Thursday, July 23, at OTT After Dark, teaming with her husband Big Damo to defeat The Weirdos, Frankie Vendetta and Kat Von Kay.

It marked Cross’s first match since December 2024, capping a lengthy absence that stretched well over a year. WWE released her from her contract in April, closing out a run with the company that dated back to her time in NXT UK, where she first built her reputation as one half of the eccentric and beloved Sanity faction alongside Killian Dain (Big Damo), Alexander Wolfe and Eric Young.

Cross went on to have a notable main-roster run with WWE, including a Money in the Bank cash-in and a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship reign, but injuries and reduced television time slowed her momentum in recent years. Her return alongside Big Damo — her real-life husband and longtime tag partner going back to their British independent days — at OTT, the Irish promotion where both performers built their names before signing with WWE, feels like a fitting homecoming rather than just another indie booking.

Cross shared the news on social media, greeting fans simply with, “Hey…” as she confirmed she was stepping back between the ropes.

For a performer whose in-ring career had been in limbo for so long, lacing up the boots again at OTT carries real significance. The promotion has long served as a proving ground and, now, a landing spot for talent moving on from WWE and AEW, and Cross’s appearance there is a strong signal that she’s serious about getting back to full-time wrestling. Pairing with Big Damo for the win also suggests the two are looking to rebuild as a tag team on the circuit, mirroring the chemistry that first got them noticed years ago.

The bigger question now is what comes next. Cross is one of several recently released WWE talents testing the waters on the independent scene, and given her history — as an underrated in-ring technician and a fan favorite dating back to her Sanity days — it wouldn’t be surprising to see other companies take notice if this OTT appearance is the start of a broader comeback tour. Whether that leads to a run in AEW, TNA, or simply a continued presence on the international independent scene with Big Damo by her side remains to be seen.

For now, though, the takeaway is simple: after a year and a half away from in-ring competition and a WWE release behind her, Nikki Cross is wrestling again, and she looked right at home doing it in the promotion where her career first took shape.