Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion has finally spoken after leaving the company. Giovanni Vinci, aka Fabian Aichner, has posted on Instagram for the first time since his release in February 2025.
Vinci joined WWE in 2017 and started his run using his real name, Fabian Aichner. Over time, he built a reputation while competing in WWE NXT and NXT UK.
His career really took off when he formed a tag team with Ludwig Kaiser. Later, they teamed up with Gunther to form the faction Imperium. The group became popular for its philosophy of protecting the “honor of the mat.” Vinci usually played the powerhouse role within Imperium.
During his time in WWE, Vinci and Kaiser won the NXT Tag Team Championship twice. Vinci also played an important role in helping the NXT UK brand grow. His matches at major TakeOver events helped build the brand’s reputation.
In April 2024, Vinci was written out of Imperium after a storyline attack by Kaiser. This ended his run with the faction that had defined most of his WWE career.
After the split, WWE tried to reintroduce him with a new “rich playboy” character through several promotional videos. However, the gimmick did not connect with fans. When he returned to TV, his appearances were short and mostly unsuccessful. One notable loss came against Apollo Crews, which halted the momentum of the new character.
His final match aired on the September 2024 episode of WWE SmackDown. After that, Vinci mostly appeared in dark matches and occasionally on WWE Speed.
In February 2025, WWE released Vinci as part of a larger group of roster cuts. Other wrestlers released at the same time included Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Cedric Alexander, and Blair Davenport.
Fabian Aichner Starts New Chapter After WWE Role
Giovanni Vinci, aka Fabian Aichner, shared a simple message on social media that hints at his new beginnings.
Aichner shared a few photos of himself showing off his physique, flexing his biceps, while standing at the Grand Canyon. He captioned the post “New Chapter” and added the song “Beautiful Day” by U2.
It was the first time Vinci publicly addressed his departure from WWE after spending nearly eight years with the company.
It seems like the 35-year-old might be ready to get back to the ring. It will be interesting to see which promotion he chooses to join next.
