In a feel-good finish to what has been a harrowing health storyline, AEW and ROH star Maria Kanellis has announced she is officially cancer-free after a months-long battle with a rare adrenal gland tumor. The drama began in July, when doctors discovered the mass—a condition so rare it’s basically the “shiny Pokémon” of medical diagnoses, occurring in about 8 out of every 1,000,000 people.
Kanellis was diagnosed with a pheochromocytoma tumor, a name that sounds like a heel faction from 2005 but is actually a nasty piece of work that causes adrenaline to go full Ric Flair at the worst possible times. Think spiked blood pressure, a heart rate that would make your Fitbit explode, and general chaos within the body—much like a post-match contract signing in the ring.
After undergoing surgery in October, Kanellis hit a snag in her recovery, but today, she shared the ultimate babyface comeback on her X account (formerly known as Twitter, but still more chaotic than a Royal Rumble).
“Hello,” she began, with the poise of someone cutting the promo of her life. “I wanted to let you guys know that I am cancer-free. The tumor was not cancerous. We are so incredibly grateful and thankful to be moving into this holiday season cancer-free and to not have that worry.”
It was the kind of heartfelt, wholesome announcement that made even the most jaded wrestling fans put down their CM Punk debate threads and clap. She went on to thank fans for their prayers and well-wishes, proving once again that wrestling fandom can rally harder than a John Cena comeback when it truly matters.
Maria also shared that her condition could have led to serious complications if left untreated, but thanks to early intervention, she’s feeling optimistic. “We are very, very blessed to have found it as early as we did because it really could start causing problems in your body,” she explained.
Now, she’s looking forward to the future—and the prospect of returning to the ring with the kind of energy only a “clean bill of health” babyface pop can provide.