WWE EVOLVE Talent Announces He's Stepping Away From Wrestling
Given how difficult professional wrestling can be, it's not uncommon for some trainees at the WWE Performance Center, especially those with no wrestling background to call it a day and pursue a career outside of wrestling. And that's exactly what Cyrus Habibi-Likio is doing. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, Habibi-Likio posted a video revealing that he was stepping away from WWE.
"Crazy because I feel like I was moving up fast too," Habibi-Likio said in an accompanying statement. "Excited for what's next!"
Habibi-Likio explained it wasn't an easy decision, but three things ultimately persuaded him to walk away from WWE. He revealed that not only are he and his wife expecting their third child, but his grandparents were also living near him in California, inspiring him to be closer to home instead of living further away in Florida. Financial considerations also weighed on Habibi-Likio's mind, as living in Florida made it harder to run his real estate business in California, a business that he believes can ultimately make him more money now than his WWE salary would.
Finally, Habibi-Likio also cited his faith, and having more time with his church community and "building a healthier relationship with Jesus" as another deciding factor. Despite this, Habibi-Likio has no ill will towards WWE, and thanked head coach Matt Bloom and several others. He also left the door open for him potentially pursuing wrestling against in the future, once he got his life in California more settled.
A former college football running back for both the Oregon Ducks and the Boise State Broncos, Habibi-Likio's stint with WWE ends after less than a year, having only signed with the promotion back in late 2025. He debuted in January under his first name, Cyrus, before being given the name Kai Kavari. Overall, Habibi-Likio wrestled 9 total matches, most of which took place on WWE EVOLVE or "NXT" live events. His final match took place on June 2nd, when he lost an "NXT" dark match to Harlem Lewis.