Nelson Asofa-Solomona knew change was inevitable long before the public did. After a decade in purple and more than 200 appearances for the Melbourne Storm, the powerhouse forward sensed his time under Craig Bellamy was coming to an end. What followed was one of the most dramatic and unexpected personal transitions for a modern NRL enforcer: a quiet exit from the Storm, a snub of rival clubs, and a leap into professional boxing.
Asofa-Solomona’s 2025 campaign reflected the growing distance between himself and the Storm coaching staff. Once a staple of Melbourne’s premiership-winning engine in 2017 and 2020, the towering prop featured just 12 times in the 2025 season. He also missed the previous two grand finals due to suspension — a stark contrast to the player who had been integral in some of the club’s greatest modern moments.
His release came on October 9, ending a contract reportedly worth more than $800,000 per season. For Asofa-Solomona, the moment didn’t arrive with shock — just clarity.
“I could see it coming,” Asofa-Solomona said to foxsports.com.au.
“It was a mutual agreement and I just think it was time... it was time.
“It was sad but onto a different chapter.”
A Silent Exit from Bellamy
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the absence of a face-to-face discussion with Craig Bellamy. The veteran Storm coach and the long-time forward never formally sat down to talk through the end of their partnership — a revelation that caught many off guard.
“We honestly didn’t have a conversation,” Asofa-Solomona said.
“I’m not too sure if he even knew. He is a coach, he is focusing on the whole team.
I think he did know about the situation but I don’t blame him. He was focused on trying to win a grand final.”
Despite a decade-long relationship, the final decision appeared to unfold without emotional fanfare. Asofa-Solomona accepted it as part of the business and the natural evolution of a club consistently competing at the highest level.
Interest From Rivals — but No Return to the NRL
Once released, Asofa-Solomona quickly became one of the most talked-about free agents in rugby league. Clubs came calling, but his interest in another NRL stint was minimal.
“There was a few clubs there, but I told them all the same thing,” he explained.
“What I told everyone else: ‘I’m not ready to come back, I just want to bide my time and find what I enjoy again’. That was that.”
Among the options was R360 — the breakaway rugby league competition attempting to build a superstar roster with huge financial pull. It was a legitimate pathway, and Asofa-Solomona explored it deeply.
“(R360) was an option, it was an option. I explored that avenue.
“I think it’s a great concept and I don’t blame people for trying to maximise this short period we have, but that’s been set back.”
His hesitation ultimately aligned with R360’s own shift, with organisers pushing the league’s launch from 2026 to 2028. That decision left stars such as Zac Lomax in limbo and cooled the momentum surrounding the project.
Yet Asofa-Solomona remains supportive of players chasing new horizons.
“100 per cent, the game is brutal on you physically and mentally,” he said.
“You know, shorter season, bigger money and also the concept was awesome too. Going to different cities, travelling as well.
“I think it was a great idea but look who knows what is going to come of it, because it has been pushed back.”
Walking Away From League to Chase a New Passion
Instead of club-hopping or waiting for R360, Asofa-Solomona made the boldest decision of his career: signing a multi-year deal with No Limit Boxing and transitioning full-time into combat sports.
The former NRL giant admitted he had “fallen out of love” with football and needed time to rediscover joy in competition.
“I’ve thrown myself a bit into the unknown, taken a risk. Sometimes I think ‘what the hell am I doing?’” he said.
“But I think you have to be in that mindset sometimes where you feel a little (nervous). As I said, what’s life without risk?”
He had previously dabbled in boxing, famously earning a third-round TKO over Jarrod Wallace. At the time, he thought it would be a one-off.
“I thought that was going to be my only fight, I didn’t think too much of it,” he said.
“I didn’t think I was going to fight again but it’s something that I enjoy. I woke up in the morning and boxing was the second or third thing on my mind.
“That’s what I base it off, I base it off what gets me out of bed.”
Standing 201cm with frightening natural power, Asofa-Solomona is now preparing for his first major boxing event under No Limit, scheduled for January 16 on the Nikita Tszyu vs Michael Zerafa card. An opponent has yet to be confirmed, but anticipation is already rising around his entry into the heavyweight scene.
Following — but Not Copying — Past NRL Fighters
Asofa-Solomona follows in the footsteps of several rugby league stars who transitioned successfully to boxing. Paul Gallen built a respected professional resume, while Sonny Bill Williams and Anthony Mundine reached global heights.
Still, Asofa-Solomona insists he is determined to create his own identity.
“I want to pave my own way,” he said.
“I really respect what, Paul Gallen, Sonny Bill Williams, Anthony Mundine have done in their careers and it’s cool because it’s given me a bit of a blueprint and inspiration.
“But I just want to pave my own way.”
A New Chapter for a Former Storm Giant
From premiership glory to sudden exits, from stalled rugby league revolutions to the uncertainty of professional boxing, Nelson Asofa-Solomona has embraced one of the most unpredictable transitions in recent NRL memory.
He leaves behind a career defined by power, passion and controversy — but enters a chapter filled with personal ambition and something he hadn’t felt in years: genuine excitement.
For Asofa-Solomona, the future may be uncertain, but for the first time in a long time, it’s entirely his to shape.
