Awesome Kong made a surprise appearance at AEW Double or Nothing 2019, turning a women's triple threat match into a four-way bout.
Kong would be aligned with Brandi Rhodes in AEW with the duo, along with Japanese Deathmatch Legend Luther, forming the Nightmare Collective. The group would come to an end relatively quickly and written off television at the start of 2020. Kong would take up a backstage role until her time with the company ended in June 2021 when her contract expired.
Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Kong was asked about her time in AEW and being part of the Nightmare Collective.
"I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the crew over there at AEW, especially since we were just up and running. We are all new executives and trying to think outside the box and really give it to y'all. Something new, something that hasn't been seen. We've seen it all. We were trying to give you something that you haven't seen. I felt unheard. I wasn't in control. All I could do was say, 'I have this idea of XYZ.' I couldn't get in the room where final decisions were made. Believe me, Kia [referring to her real name Kia Stevens] stalked that room. I would stay there after big meetings and pick up the water bottles and cups like, 'Huh, Y'all need...you need me to go? Okay' [Laughs]. I tried to get into that last meeting where decisions were made," she said. "Never had a chance to. 'That's just not going to happen, so I'm not going to push it.' When you see this [makes a box with her hands] is who they are comfortable with making decisions, that's not a read or a critique, that's just who was comfortable making decisions. What do you do? It's out of my control. If I had control, give me 15 minutes of Kia. Kia's 15 Minutes of Fame. 'Go out there and steal the show from them boys. You, you, you. Nyla (Rose), go steal the show from the boys.'"
Kong announced her in-ring retirement at NWA EmPowerrr on August 28, 2021.
She was inducted into the IMPACT Hall of Fame at Bound for Glory 2021.
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