WWE Reportedly Interested In Signing Several Top AEW Stars

AEW may have to fend off WWE as the company attempts to re-sign four of its most important stars.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Cageside Seats), WWE “absolutely have interest in all four” members of AEW’s The Elite: Adam Page, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks duo of Nick and Matt Jackson. The site adds, “AEW and The Elite quartet of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks & Hangman Page haven’t agreed on new contracts yet but the sides have been close for several months.”

It isn’t clear exactly when these stars’ contracts will expire due to varying injuries and the possibility that time has been added to their contracts. After originally signing with AEW in 2019, all four members of The Elite were set to see their contracts run out in early 2024, but that may have changed due to numerous lengthy injury-related absences.

Regardless, WWE would be, in a word, foolish not to make a serious effort to sign a quartet that is essentially the heart and soul of AEW.

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Of course, it was Page, Omega and the Jackson brothers who, along with Cody Rhodes, were the main reasons AEW even launched in the first place. Rhodes famously became the first major AEW star to cross into enemy territory when he returned to WWE in early 2022.

Since then, Rhodes has main evented WrestleMania, won the Royal Rumble and established himself as one of WWE’s biggest draws and top stars. Sure, hindsight is 50/50, but Rhodes clearly made the right decision. Had he stayed in AEW, he’d be stuck in midcard purgatory with dozens of other ex-WWE stars.

Should The Elite ponder following in the footsteps of Rhodes? Well, yes. All four members should at least consider it, but The Elite in WWE is far less of a sure thing than Rhodes back in WWE ever was.

Fightful Select adds that WWE is “nowhere near being legally allowed to talk to any” members of The Elite. Likewise, many within “AEW were confident they’d retain the Elite, despite CM Punk returning to the company.” Punk, oddly enough, might be the X-factor in the situation, given the group’s long-running issues with Punk, who will return to AEW later this week.

AEW, after all, might—metaphorically speaking—not be big enough for all five stars to co-exist. If Punk returns and significant problems persist despite Tony Khan’s willingness to do a soft brand split to keep Punk away from The Elite, then WWE suddenly becomes a much more attractive destination for Page, Omega and The Young Bucks.

WWE, which is also reportedly interested in AEW’s Hook, would send shockwaves throughout the pro wrestling industry if it was able to pry the entire Elite—or at least some of its members—from AEW. Is it likely, though? No, probably not.

AEW offers The Elite something WWE likely never will: An easier schedule. Based purely upon its history of how WWE treats its talents, it’s extremely unlikely that any members of The Elite would waltz right into WWE with a favorable part-time schedule and big money contract.

Consider that AEW is reportedly willing to give The Elite “significantly more money” to re-sign and continue to work a schedule that is much less physically taxing on the body, and it’s easy to see why AEW is the clear frontrunner here. But in pro wrestling, nothing is impossible. Hardly anyone, after all, would have envisioned Rhodes returning to WWE before he did exactly that.

Thus far, AEW has largely been a place for ex-WWE stars who didn’t get their fair shot in WWE. The Elite have clearly gotten all they could ask for in AEW, but a lot could change between now and the expiration of their contracts.

With both AEW and WWE expect to land lucrative new TV right deals soon, they will likely have significantly more leeway to spend big money on top free agents starting next year. That’s why AEW should be interested in potential free agents like Drew McIntyre, just as WWE should pursue stars like The Elite who could bolster its roster.

While The Elite likely won’t commit to AEW—or WWE—just yet, rest assured that their decision will be one of the most important potential turning points in AEW history.