In the month of January, All Elite Wrestling announced several new signings to the company, with what feels like more in the future.
The signings started with Andrade El Idolo returning to the company for technically the third time. The Rascalz were also signed, albeit with one member Trey Miguel missing who would go back to TNA. Next was Jake Doyle, who used to go by the terrible name of Jake Something. CMLL stars Mascara Dorada and Persephone signed dual contracts with AEW, as well as Hechicero who everyone assumed had done that a year ago. Zayda Steel was next signed, followed by Alec Price and Jordan Oliver. This was capped off by Tommaso Ciampa.
There have been rumours that the next to come will end up being Clark Connors from New Japan Pro Wrestling and potentially David Finlay from NJPW as well. If they sign along with Gabe Kidd, that would mean a significant part of Bullet Club’s War Dogs, which was recently integrated into a new faction called Unbound Co., would be moving to AEW.
There have also been persistent rumours of AJ Styles coming to All Elite Wrestling, which would be a pretty ridiculous thing to happen right after Trey Miguel was let out of his contract due to WBD objecting to the signing due to things he said in the past when AJ has been King of the Homophobes in pro wrestling for the 21st century. I get some people want their dream matches but let’s have at least a little consistency here.
Too Many Cooks
A lot of the concern of so many wrestlers being signed is the lack of TV for everyone to be able to have matches and get over. AEW has four hours of television per week, with HonorClub on Ring of Honor for anyone not getting AEW TV time. When people talk about too many wrestlers signed it isn’t about the cost. If Tony Khan wants to pay 500 wrestlers annual salaries who am I to object? It’s more about hard it is to keep track of everyone, feature everyone, and get every bit of juice you can out of a wrestler by the time their contract expires.
This does make one wonder if all of these new signings are for the launch of something new for AEW on TV, or if AEW is just preparing for a lot of wrestlers to have deals expire in 2026. Powerhouse Hobbs recently made his exit, but there’s a lot of others expected to have contracts expire in AEW. From what I’ve found, The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, John Silver), Anna Jay, Britt Baker, Chris Jericho, Danhausen, Kip Sabian, and Scorpio Sky are all expected to have their deals expire in 2026. At the end of 2026 it’s said that FTR and Kyle O’Reilly’s deals will also expire, though one would think AEW would try to re-sign them. Same to Mark Davis, who is very active in the Don Callis Family.
Maybe AEW is just rotating the roster, bringing fresh people in as a lot of the expiration deals are people who have been with AEW for years and never really got to where people thought they could be. At one point in time, the Dark Order was very over in AEW and could have held Trios Championships. Scorpio Sky and Britt Baker are former champions with consistent injury issues. Danhausen was a mistake. I bring some of them up because if AEW doesn’t properly manage some of these new signings? They too may have a similar fate.
It can be disappointing when someone doesn’t get utilized the way you wish them to be, but it’s also just the way the industry works. I don’t get upset when Mike Santana and Frankie Kazarian are in TNA talking about how they didn’t get enough opportunities in AEW. They didn’t, and I understand their issue. That’s why it’s best to leave and bet on yourself than stay unhappy.
There’s already wrestlers in AEW I wish could get more time like The Cru, Ace Austin, AR Fox, and every Joshi wrestler not named Mina Shirakawa, and I worry if they will be next on the list due to all of the new signings into the company that will need TV time. But that’s just the reality. It’s a sink or swim. AEW isn’t obligated to get everything out of you. You need to make yourself valuable any way you can, and if you can’t? There’s other places to work.
The New Class
So let’s look at some of the wrestlers who have been signed, how I feel about them right now, their potential, and where I could see them going in the future. Years down the road someone can pull this up and call me an idiot for not believing in someone, or call me an idiot for believing too much in someone.
Andrade El Idolo: Andrade is tough to even include here since he was here before, twice technically, but I should touch up on how he’s been since returning to AEW. He has been everything I always wanted him to be. He’s finally focused and hitting his potential the way I knew he had back when I watched him in other companies. Andrade is a serious main event option now. Consider him graduated.
The Rascalz: It’s too bad Trey can’t join them but it might be better for them to be a threesome than a foursome. The Rascalz were all great X-Division wrestlers, with the oldest in Desmond Xavier being the best of them. Always been a fan of Zachary Wentz as well. Myron Reed is probably the weak link of the three wrestling wise but he’s also the most visually striking. My hope is that The Rascalz could convince Tony Khan to take his Trios division more serious, as The Rascalz would be perfect for party matches on Collision.
Jake Doyle: Ah, Jake. I’ve liked Jake for a while. The problem with Jake is a common problem I’ve brought up with guys like Wardlow where people see a big muscle powerhouse and think top guy instead of perfect tag team wrestler. Tony Khan seems to have agreed, putting him immediately with Mark Davis in one of the more exciting tag teams AEW has formed in some time. Unfortunately, Jake Doyle got injured pretty much immediately. I don’t know how long it’ll take for him to return, but he hopefully returns to tag team wrestling.
Mascara Dorada: I am a huge fan of Dorada, especially with how young he is, and while I don’t know how much AEW plans to use him or has access to him, I think he’s immediately the number two luchador in the company behind only Bandido. I thought he should have won more in the Continental Classic, and I hope AEW uses him as more than just a good wrestler to have good matches. He can be more.
Hechicero: You graduated years ago, old timer. I love the big Wizard though. Would love to see Hechicero, El Clon, and Andrade work an evil Rudo trios for the Don Callis Family.
Persephone: I will admit I haven’t seen enough of Persephone but from what I’ve seen? She’s a really well rounded wrestler. She has enough size to bang it out with the likes of Kris Statlander and Jamie Hayter but enough speed and agility to keep up with any of the Joshi. I haven’t really seen any weaknesses in her in-ring work from the little I’ve watched. Maybe she could be a little harder on the strikes. Depending on her availability she might be better used in Ring of Honor as a candidate to eventually beat Athena.
Zayda Steel: I’m well aware that there are people in AEW (and critics of AEW) who constantly push for the company to get younger and showcase younger stars regardless of ability. When I watched Zayda Steel need eight steps to do a corner knee on Marina Shafir I don’t really think AEW is prioritizing, “Where the best Wrestle” and instead are just looking to put young people on TV. I had hoped AEW would have learned from pushing the likes of Skye Blue and Julia Hart too fast that as much as you might want young stars? They have to earn it or else they end up a detriment on TV. Hopefully the few TV appearances for Zayda is just AEW showcasing her before letting her get her reps in ROH and improve. I see why they consider her to have potential, but potential needs to be realized before it earns TV time over those who are already good.
Alec Price and Jordan Oliver: It’s unfortunate that independent wrestling in the United States is where it is because these two probably still need some seasoning. I think AEW saw the same episode of Juggalo Championship Wrestling that I did and felt they needed to get these two kids out of that place before they picked up bad habits. Oliver used to be one of the worst indie wrestlers but has improved over the years. Alec Price, man. I’m very high on him and think he could end up a “Next Darby Allin” with the right progression for AEW but it’s going to take some time. These are perfect signings to make ROH Men’s World Tag Team Champions soon.
Tommaso Ciampa: I was very much against this signing. It’s not because Ciampa is a bad wrestler. It’s not because I think there’s a WWE stink to someone that cannot be cleaned off. It’s more about the fact I knew AEW would push him, treat him as a priority, and that would mean less time for someone else. I ended up right, as he’s now TNT Champion, but I will say that they’ve done everything right with his debut. He’s absolutely beloved, his song is over, and it reminds me of Adam Cole coming to AEW. This isn’t a guy I’m fond of, but if they get everything they can out of him? Great. I think he’s hit it out of the park when it comes to debuting a new guy who can be pushed, so as long as they keep that up? It’ll be less about criticism and more about personal preference.
Clark Connors: While Clark Connors is not officially on the AEW roster, Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio has said it’s believed he has signed. I like Clark, and he’s one of the few guys from New Japan Pro Wrestling I think fits AEW better than he fit there. Clark is a smaller guy but works well against bigger men, and I think NJPW still adhering to weight classes doesn’t allow someone like that to really reach their potential. I think AEW is the right place for him, even if he has to do a bit of ROH early on before finding a bigger role.
David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, and War Dogs: I’ll just add a little more here. I mentioned how Dark Order might have their contracts coming up. I feel like if that happens and they depart, and AEW signs Finlay and Kidd? It’s Tony Khan essentially replacing those three with the War Dogs. While it disappoints me that AEW didn’t get everything they could have out of Dark Order, I see the process of a general manager and considering it a healthy replacement.
Gabe Kidd probably should stay in New Japan Pro Wrestling but his constant appearances in AEW have caused NJPW fans to turn on him. David Finlay is a different story. Finlay signing with AEW instead of WWE would be a surprise. I think he’s a little too vanilla to work in AEW, whereas I’m sure WWE would push him as the son of Fit Finlay and give him more to bite on.
Having the three War Dogs come over builds an instant feud with Bullet Club Gold once Juice Robinson and Jay White are both healthy, which could be a great feud for the Trios Championship. After that? It’s hard to really factor into where they would go. If I’m Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia I’d be pretty annoyed seeing the War Dogs essentially take away my TV time just because they got a new car smell.
School Is Out
I think as we’re now in 2026 we shouldn’t really evaluate AEW the way we might have evaluated other companies.
AEW doesn’t have a development system. Not having this means wrestlers don’t really do the regular progression system we’re used to. Wrestler starts young, gains experience, moves up card, moves to major leagues, starts in undercard, moves up to midcard, moves up to upper mid, breaks glass ceiling, becomes main eventer. AEW really doesn’t operate this way.
AEW is more about having a collection of main players, wrestlers who the company revolves around like Jon Moxley, Timeless Toni Storm, MJF, and The Elite, and then finding people to feature against them. Meanwhile, on the periphery, is a massive roster of various wrestlers who can move up or down, but none of them have a prioritized development structure.
So when Wheeler Yuta is sitting in Death Riders, basically the way he was in the Blackpool Combat Club, and hasn’t really progressed in years? That’s because he’s not expected to. He’s at his level. I’m not saying this is a good thing, more that it just is.
So when you see all these new wrestlers coming into AEW and think about the guys on roster who will now get less TV time, less time to develop, and less time to be featured? That’s just their system. They are focused on always acquiring new names to keep the cards fresh, because they know the same hand full of people will be at the top as the star of the show. The featured players.
Some people might get elevated to the top, new people might be tried, and the featured players might leave. But you know a featured player when you see one. You knew the minute Will Ospreay officially arrived that he was a featured player, even if he has not become AEW Men’s World Champion yet. Same goes for Mercedes Moné.
This may make wrestlers feel a little disposable, or hard to invest in them if you know their progression won’t mean something unless they break out of their expected position (see Swerve Strickland and Kyle Fletcher) but until AEW embraces a development system? This is the company. It’s not about getting 100% out of every wrestler signed. It’s about keeping AEW TV always fresh. Even at the cost of an original existing identity.
Hopefully AEW can get a proper streaming deal for Ring of Honor so a lot of these wrestlers can get seen on there without waiting for their turn with the four hours per week of TV AEW gets. Class dismissed.
