I thought this could be an interesting topic. Essentially I have four questions that I think could be cool to discuss. In the next 3 years:
Who do you think will jump from AEW to WWE?
Who do you think will jump from WWE to AEW?
Who do you should jump from AEW to WWE?
Who do you think should jump from WWE to AEW?
All I ask is for people to give reasons why specific wrestlers will or should jump, lets not turn this into a “nobody wants to jump to WWE because it sucks” or “nobody wants to jump to AEW because it second rate” kind of conversation. Not saying WWE sucks or that AEW is second rate, just examples of what I’m hoping this thread doesnt become.
Also, by WWE you can specify main roster or NXT.
Guys will jump, as long as AEW sticks around at their current level or higher, this will happen.
I think Chris Jericho will jump to WWE. Even though Jericho has been a huge part of AEW’s early success, he is a guy who seems to have runs of a few years, only to move on and go through a reset. I think he will eventually take a step back as AEW begins to establish more of its younger guys, and once that happens I think he will come back to WWE for one final run. I always got the impression that he wanted to finish his career there.
I think that Jeff Hardy will jump to AEW. Their tag team division is booked 100 times better then WWE’s, and with him in AEW he and Matt could have a great run with a TON of talented teams to work with.
Due to Moxley going public with hating the creative system Vince McMahon has in place, I will say that IF Vince steps down from creative, I think John Moxley should jump from AEW to WWE.
IMO, every single one of the Shield guys does better when they are together. Though, what I would do differently is have them together, but be 3 separate stars. So think for of a 4 horseman/Evolution type of stable opposed to what they used to be.
I think that Sami Zayn should jump to from WWE to AEW. He would be an upgrade to what’s in their main event scene right now and he is a guy who is criminally underutilized in the WWE. If pushed properly, I think he could be a giant star. He has it all, he can talk, he can go in the ring, he has the personality, and he has a good look. Doesnt get much better than him.
The only big jump I could see in the next 18 months is Daniel Bryan.
His contact as far as many know expires in Fall of 2021.
He will have a young growing family, and has reached the limits of all he can achieve within WWE. I think this factors will drive him to looking elsewhere.
Working one day a week, against a whole new roster of dream match opponents, while being able to push himself both creatively and physically, all make me think he would make the change.
I’m going to lean away from the will jumps as I really have no ideas on that kind of certainty.
As for should jump
“AEW to WWE” if AEWs women’s division continues to be what it is Shida should jump to NXT. There are so many more interesting matches for her, and the extra time working would do her a ton of good. With her improving English she could be a huge star. I would say Brit Baker as well but I think with her wanting to continue her dental practice that prohibits her working for WWE.
“WWE to AEW” basically anyone one undersized in NXT. AEW has a smaller roster size wise so guys like Gargano, the UE guys, Or Balor really seem to have way more upside has main eventers in AEW.
I could see Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford jump as a couple. Sabian has the look they like and would fit in on NXT or 205 Live perfectly. Ford would also have way better opponents and learn more in WWE.
Wardlow is another guy Vince would like because of his look and size.
I see Adam Cole jumping if he’s smart. He will never get a push on the main roster with Vince in charge because he’s too small. Tons of history with the elite too and his girlfriend works in AEW.
I can also see veteran guys like Mysterio, Bryan, Cesaro or Kofi jumping. All of those guys have been in WWE for over a decade and there’s not much left to do. It’s not normal for people to sit and rot in the mid card for that long
I think it’s hard to realistically do this when we don’t truly know contract details of talent at hand. In the future, AEW to WWE jumps and vice versa will happen.
In theory though? I think Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy will eventually leave for AEW. I can’t imagine either are particularly happy. I echo what another commenter said on Adam Cole too - if he was smart he’d jump. I also can’t see many bigger names jumping to WWE for anything other than money. So it feels hard to predict. I’m sure Jericho will one day go back for a HOF induction. I also anticipate AEW to cut some names soon due to the pandemic, so who knows?
For what I want personally? Someone needs to save Sami Zayn. How he’s been treated is an abomination. This guy should be the biggest babyface in the industry. The work he does in his community is incredible. And obviously he’s an insanely talented worker. I firmly believe Vince McMahon goes out of his way to present him as a coward and a loser because he disagrees with Zayn on many things (like how he made Daniel Bryan caring about the planet as a heel characteristic). That stuff makes me mad to no end.
In short, someone save Sami Zayn. Promote him as a top babyface. He can do the chase, he has an awesome story. I truly believe he could be a top name anywhere he goes.
I’m not one to play the hypothetical game, so I just have a related question. Does anybody know when the first major AEW talent contract or contracts are up? That’s when things will get interesting.
All I’ve heard is Jericho signed a three-year contract. So I guess you can do the math there. Otherwise, I don’t think there’s much info yet. I’d assume the major guys have multi-years and lower cards are year-to-year.
I’m pretty sure all of the New Day just signed 5 years deals. I see what you are saying about this talent sitting in the mid car, but at the same time its not like every WWE wrestler that jumps to AEW is going to become a main eventer. Regardless of you who are (WWE, AEW, ROH, NJPW etc.) you can only push so many guys at the same time.
Bryan would work out anywhere he went, he’s just that good. I think the thing hurting his chances of leaving TBH is Total Bella’s. Kind of hard to do a show featuring Brie Bella’s “home life” if her husband is wrestling for the competition.
Cesaro would be perfect for AEW, that is definitely a guy who is underutilized. Rey I see in the same spot in AEW, likely sitting in the upper mid card, maybe sniffing the main event here and there.
I found this, it says he signed a 3 year deal in January 2019, so hes got a year and a half left. If I’m Vince, I’m offering him big money to jump back, Chris has more then proved that he’s still got a ton left in the tank.
You’re right about new day, they aren’t going anywhere.
One thing to consider is I think for a lot of these guys money isn’t the main thing. So many people have made main roster money for years. Actually having some creative control and not doing swamp matches or eye for an eye matches and no longer reciting lines from the mind of a 73-year-old man might be appealing at this point.
I don’t see Jericho leaving AEW or going to WWE. AEW is the perfect situation for him as he can do whatever he wants on the show, still do Fozzy concerts and work NJPW.
It also really depends on what the WWE schedule is like after COVID. The AEW schedule is a lot more attractive and offers way more freedom to do outside projects
Just going by what Brian Cage looks like, and can do in the ring, you know it’s a matter of time before Vince notices him. And he can cut an alright promo as the angry heel.
Agreed with the first paragraph for the most part.
I see what you are saying regarding Jericho, but I could easily see Vince giving Jericho a “brock” like schedule. Maybe Jericho signs an extension when his current deal is up, but I would be shocked if he doesn’t return to WWE at some point for one final run.
I thought so too but I think the big issue is that Cage wouldn’t pass the WWE wellness test. I also remember reading he has no desire to be in WWE. But I agree it’s weird that Vince never signed him
Agreed that he is not looked at in the same light as Brock or Taker (which to be fair pretty much nobody is), but I do think they look at Jericho as a star and given that he just became the face of a company that is the first to threaten WWE in almost two decades, I have to imagine that they take him seriously now.
Fandango match was 2013, Jericho did plenty with WWE after that match, I really dont think that will even play a factor. The KO feud being overlooked at mania for Brock/Goldberg was pretty shitty, if anything that would be what deters him. Having those two feud over the IC title after the universal title was at the center of the feud for months completely ruined the match.
Time will tell, I could be wrong, but I would be shocked if he doesn’t return. Lets not forget, even after he left WWE and went to Japan, Jericho still publicly showed loyalty too WWE. It wasnt until he was offered to be the face of a brand new company that he decided to jump to a full time North American competitor. I don’t get the sense that Jericho is bitter when it comes to WWE. He’s honest, and if asked a quesiton about WWE he will say what he feels, but I don’t sense bitterness (not that you said he was).
Jericho has an ego too. Would he rather be another faceless cog in the WWE machine or continue growing an upstart? WWE doesn’t really need the guy anyways. He’s done everything there is to do there.
And now with Jericho doing a lot of commentary I could see him transitioning into that role at AEW. Commentary in WWE is obviously a nightmare with an old manic yelling in your ears so that’s another check for AEW.
See I dont think he would be a “faceless cog”, I think if he came back it would be similar to the way a guy like Brock is used. I agree that if they wanted to bring him back to be in random mid card feuds that’s a different story. Nice thing for Chris is he will have a ton of leverage this time and can likely use that when negotiating. IMO, with AEW being around, WWE would cave to him.
As for WWE “not needing” him, sure I agree, but you have even said it yourself, that doesn’t stop them WWE from acquiring and stock piling talent.
Jericho is awesome in commentary, and agreed that its likely much easier to do commentary in AEW, however I can’t say that I can see Vince doing what hes doing for the next 5 years, I feel like at some point somethings got to give, and things will be forced to change. So I wouldn’t put him doing commentary in WWE past him. Even if Vince is around, its easy for fans on the internet to say that it would be hard, but I dont see Jericho having issues with that.
Either way, I feel like we’re going all over the place with hypotheticals. Bottom line is we’ll see.