Cedric "PRYME" Alexander wants 'to show what I really am' after nearly a decade in WWE

In 2002 Roy Jones Jr released a song called 'Y'all Must Of Forgot." It was a track meant to remind everyone of how great a boxer he was as he went on a quest to reclaim his titles. While that may not have worked out for him, some may say that Cedric Alexander is a on a quest to remind fans how great of a wrestler he is now that his time in WWE is over.

Cedric Alexander spent several years on the independent scene before competing in WWE's Cruiserweight Classic in 2016. He had an instant classic with Kota Ibushi, leading fans to chant for him to be signed. Paul "Triple H" Levesque came through the curtain to acknowledge fans. Alexander signed with WWE and spent eight years with them until February when he was part of a round of talent cuts.

While in WWE, he was a standout on the cruiserweight brand, 205 Live, where he held the Cruiserweight Championship and spent time competing on NXT. Alexander held the 24/7 Championship three times, although each reign was very brief. He eventually joined The Hurt Business, where he held tag team gold on WWE Monday Night Raw with Shelton Benjamin.

Since his 90-day non-compete ended in May, Alexander has immersed himself in the indie scene by competing in promotions such as House of Glory, Deadlock Pro, APC Catch in France, and Crash Lucha Libre in Mexico. He made his long-awaited return to his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, to debut for ASÉ Wrestling. The show, "Return of the King", was named after him.

Alexander defeated Yahya, an ASÉ original. Alexander hasn't lost a step and looks much like the wrestler we had seen tearing up the indie scene. Following their match, Alexander had harsh words for his opponent. He told him that he left the Charlotte indie scene to him and others eight years ago and was disappointed in him. Alexander told "The Gifted One" that he hasn't done anything since he's been away.

Days prior to his triumphant hometown return, Alexander debuted in TNA. There he met a familiar foe, Mustafa Ali. They were dubbed the "Heart and Soul" of "205 Live" where they had one of the brand's best feuds. It culminated on the WrestleMania 34 pre-show in a show-stealing match. Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight Championship.

Alexander returns to his hometown

When asked about wrestling on the indies in Charlotte after eight years, Alexander replied that it felt like a homecoming. “I know that it sounds cliché, but it really is a homecoming. I haven’t felt this kind of support in a while. Having my daughter and mom in the crowd – having my mom not throw a chair for a change (laughing), so that by itself is a win. She had a good time and didn’t throw a chair at anyone.” There was an infamous match early in Alexander’s career at a rec center where his mom threw chairs at his opponent. 

Debuting for ASÉ while making his return to his hometown was “paramount because of the connection I have there, even though I’d never wrestled there, because of Darius being the owner. I remember being on those phone calls with Darius when ASÉ was in the works, when he was thinking about it and it was a concept. Essentially helping one of the founders of ASÉ; it felt like coming to my promotion.”

Alexander’s wife, Ariel (Big Swole), is also involved with promotion where she’s been a hype woman and appeared on commentary for several shows. To be involved in a project like ASÉ is “important to be kind of the first to do something, to bring something out that hadn’t been brought in a while. ASÉ hasn’t had its due diligence yet because it’s for wrestlers, by wrestlers. We’re not just money grabbing people, trying to make a quick buck, screw you out of money. We’re trying to build a safe haven for wrestlers to express themselves. For me, definitely I feel like I have a new lease on life. I’m able to open myself up in a way I wasn’t able to before in WWE, just because I’m dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s off and stuff there. And here, I’m the boss. If I feel like doing it, this is what we’re going to do. It’s freeing.”

Thoughts on the indie wrestling scene in 2025

The indie scene has changed a lot in the near decade Alexander has been gone. Since returning, he’s wrestled for various promotions in the U.S., while also competing in Mexico and France. Following his match with Yahya, he criticized his opponent for not doing more while he was away. He feels the current indie scene has “a lot of talent, but no direction. There’s a lot of talent that can do any and everything, but there’s no direction. They don’t know where to go with it. For example, Yah. He’s a great wrestler, we all know this. I helped train him, of course he’s good. But it's one of those things where for the last eight years, he’s been directionless, taking what’s coming to him instead of just going out and getting it.”

“That’s the thing that’s just missing from independents in general, especially in the Carolina scene. You’ve got three major companies out there, four if you count New Japan. Everyone is signing everybody. I feel like a lot of people look at it as, ‘well my time is going to come eventually. I’ll get signed by somebody.’ That’s not always the case. You gotta work for it and I feel like a lot of kids today think they don’t have to work for it. They think, ‘oh, I’ll be signed eventually’. It’s not set in stone like that. You have to work for it and I feel like a lot of kids are losing that work ethic.”

He feels a bit differently about the independents in Mexico and France. “Mexico is Mexico. It’s rich in wrestling. That was easy, that was a walk in the park. It was my first time in Mexico actually wrestling. So for me, it was getting to experience a new crowd and how loud a Mexican crowd can be. It was a lot of fun.”

“Paris was very surprising. You don’t hear a lot about a French wrestler. But man, there’s some really great French wrestlers out there. “Mr. Hype” Curo, my opponent in France, is really, really good. I hadn’t heard a lot about him. I had seen him sparingly, but man, these guys know how to work. And not just do moves like a spotfest, but these guys know how to work. It’s just awesome over there. It’s an untapped market. I feel like there’s a lot of things going on there that could be expanded upon, it just isn’t getting a lot of attention.”

'I want to show what I really am'

As for goals post-WWE, Alexander wants to “show what I really am. I kind of want to open myself up, not be so…walking on eggshells, I guess. When you’re in WWE, you’ve got to go by someone else’s rules and what they want and what they need for the time. I spent so much time doing that that I forgot what works for me, what’s going to make me better as a character. This time on the indies has helped me establish that and understand who I am as a wrestler. That’s something that I lost for a while. Getting back on the indies really, really helped.”

For years, many fans have expressed wanting to see Alexander in NJPW, particularly in the renowned Best of Super Juniors (BOSJ) tournament. “Oh, 100%! I don’t know if I’m a Super Junior anymore, I’m a little thicc. What’s the weight limit?” After reminding him that Shingo Takagi competed in BOSJ, he declared that if Takagi could be a Super Junior, so could he. He isn’t going back to 205 because “I like being Beefy Ceddy.” If the weight limit for BOSJ is 100 kg, that is equivalent to around 221 pounds. 

TNA Arrival and revisiting an old feud 

Going to TNA is an opportunity for Alexander to help him stand out on his own. “I’ve been associated with others for so long and I think it was time for me to kind of to see what I can do by myself. And rekindle my old friend, Mustafa (sic). Gotta run that back one more time.” 

“For me, 205 Live was the show. It helped put me on the map and in some ways, I helped put 205 Live on the map. It’s kind of my baby, so to speak. It’s always going to mean so much to me. I have good memories from being in the locker room. Some of my best matches are on 205 Live. Whether you watched it or not, some gold is sitting there waiting to be discovered.” 

“As far as Mustafa, I saw the opening. He’s being a little crazy. I think he needs a little wakeup call. I think Ceddy’s that wake up call. I feel like he didn’t have a dance partner for a while. He needs a good dance partner to show him what’s up. I think I can give Mustafa a good run for his money, even though he’s been on a roll in TNA. I think I can put that on hold for a second.”   

Alexander and Ali was one of the defining feuds of the 205 Live brand among its faithful viewers. Alexander was “The Soul of 205 Live” while Ali was dubbed “The Heart of 205 Live”. Ali was released from WWE in 2023 and spent 2024 tearing up the indies. He also joined TNA and became the X-Division champion last year. After some time away, Ali made his return earlier this year. 

When the “Heart and Soul” spoke to each other in a TNA ring, Alexander spoke of their friendship and how Ali was the one he’d call to talk him off the ledge. He reminisced about their WrestleMania match and how John Cena sat front row and gave them a standing ovation after. Ali is bitter because when fans talk about their feud, Alexander’s name is always said first. He says Alexander stole his ‘Mania moment and he wants a rematch in an attempt to beat the one person he’s never beaten. The former friends will face each other one-on-one at TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view on July 20. 

Reuniting with The Hurt Syndicate 

Alexander recently reunited with Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP at the River City Wrestling Con in St. Augustine, Florida. It’s a reunion that fans have been hoping to see, especially with the group now in AEW. Benjamin and Lashley are the current tag team champions.

When asked what it was like reconnecting with them, Alexander said, “I don’t think we ever disconnected to begin with. So it just felt like hanging out with the boys again. It was fun for the River City Con. It was a good time. It felt good to be back in a suit around them again. Even though trying to keep a suit pressed and clean was a stressful time in my life. It was a good time and I think when the time is right, yeah, we could see it.” 

When it comes to AEW, “nothing is off the table. Everything is open. I have no dog in any fight, so to speak. I’m open for business.” 

Dream matches and rematches 

As for dream matches or rematches, Alexander mentions two opponents that fans want him to run it back with: Ibushi and Zack Sabre, Jr. He issues a challenge to Ibushi; “bring your (expletive) out, Kota. Let’s do this! We got one more. I love Zacky Boy. Give me Zacky Boy again. I don’t mind running it back with Zack.”

Alexander also wants to face Ninja Mack. He reiterated wanting to wrestle for New Japan. “Tanahashi likes me, right? I like him! I can work for you, brother. Bring me in, let’s do it! You know where to find me. I’m free.” 

When Alexander wrestled in the now-defunct Premiere Wrestling Xperience (PWX), he was one half of the tag team champions, 7OH4!, with Caleb Konley. Konley currently holds the Juggalo Championship Wrestling American Championship along with the Next Generation Wrestling Eastern States championship.  On a potential reunion, Alexander responded, “let’s do it. Why not?” 

Alexander has a parting message for his fans: “Watch Pryme Alexander. Love it. Accept it. Breathe in it.”