TOP 10: Who’s crossing sides?
The WWE may have been deemed an “Essential Service” in Florida however, not all Superstars were considered essential as WWE announced a series of releases earlier today. With the recent announcement, we’ve decided to put the Superstars in a list to determine the likelihood of them signing with AEW in the near future and why.
#10: Kurt Angle
After finally making his way back to where his pro wrestling career began, it’s highly unlikely that Kurt would want to ruffle Vince’s feathers at this point. He’ll most likely be one of the first names brought back on a Legends-type deal once things go back to a certain level of normalcy.
#9: No Way Jose (Levis Valenzuela Jr.)
Young, talented and charismatic, Jose unfortunately not only got lost in the shuffle on the main roster after showing promise in NXT, he was also saddled with Adam Rose’s Rosebud rejects. A repackaging is definitely in order so fans can disassociate him from the main roster failure but AEW’s mid-card could some personality.
#8: Eric Young (Jeremy Fritz)
Ever since Sanity split, his days always seemed numbered as his number of TV appearances dwindled. Still capable of solid in-ring work and above average mic skills, Eric would probably be a good fit with the Dark Order to give them some much-needed credibility and a solid advocate.
#7: Heath Slater (Heath Miller)
Just when his former 3MB partner Drew McIntyre reaches that top of the mountain and becomes WWE Champion, Heath gets handed his walking papers. Unfortunate for the entertaining mid-carder who had more than a few memorable WWE moments with former tag partner Rhyno on their quest for tag gold. Nearing 37, Heath might not be the best fit for AEW as they look to grow some of their own younger talent, he should be able to pay the bills on the indie scene for the next little while. After all, HE’S GOT KIDS!
#6: EC3 (Michael Hutter)
While most are still trying to figure out why Vince brought EC3 back to begin with, at least his latest run was so forgettable that he’d feel fresh on Dynamite even without any character tweaks. We saw glimpses of what he had become in NXT but he truly shined during the end of his tenure with IMPACT. Is there even room for 2 MJFs in AEW? Who knows but we’d love to find out.
#5: Maria & Mike Kanellis (Maria Kanellis & Mike Bennett)
The former IMPACT power couple's message of love never really clicked with the WWE universe (no, winning the 24/7 championship doesn’t count) but AEW’s women’s division is sorely lacking in star power and personality, something that Maria brings in spades. Whether she chooses to return as an in-ring competitor or a manager role, she would help improve the overall product. Mentoring Britt Baker into really owning her heel role would be a great fit. Oh, and they’d get Mike too.
#4: Drake Maverick (James Curtin)
Be it as Rockstar Spud in IMPACT or as Drake with WWE, James Curtin has always been able to bring a certain charisma to his characters. Some of his bits in the 24/7 Championship scene were pure gold! He can definitely add some depth to AEW Dynamite and help bring along some of the younger, less experienced wrestlers. Yes, he peed his pants once. We’re hoping that memory fades away soon. Poor Spud deserves better!
#3: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows (Chad Allegra & Drew Hankinson)
The former Bullet Club and OC members may very well decide to head back to Japan to continue their careers however if they decide to stay in the US, AEW would be the perfect landing spot. Criminally booked in WWE, they now have an opportunity to join a once nearly forgotten tag division that seems to be heading in the right direction, thanks in part to the imminent arrival of the Revival. Contrasting styles can lead to great in-ring psychology and adding a hard-hitting team like the Club would certainly mesh well with the current roster.
#2: Lio Rush (Lionel Green)
After what seemed like an eternity of heat over an insensitive tweet, things looked to be turning around for the young Cruiserweight, even having just recently held the title on 205 Live, albeit only for 63 days. Unfortunately, Vince deemed him expendable and is now a prized free agent for AEW to snap up. ROH’s 2016 Top Prospect Tournament Winner is still only 25 years old, can fly with the best of them and has consistently been one of the better talkers amongst the 205 Live brand since his arrival as well as when serving as Bobby Lashley’s mouthpiece on Raw. The future is bright the high-flyer and hopefully AEW gives him the consistent push he deserves.
#1: Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev)
Could anyone else possibly top this list? Not only does he ooze machismo but he’s been proven to be capable of captivating a crowd with even the slightest fist pump. With all that talent, it’s been a shame that WWE never really capitalized when they had the opportunity. He was a win over John Cena at Wrestlemania away from becoming a true main event player. Heck, they even dragged their feet turning him face when Rusev Day was the biggest thing going! Here’s to hoping that AEW’s creative allows him to finally reach his full potential as one of their top guys. And for the love of pro wrestling, please bring back the tank!
We wish all the released superstars the best of luck and who knows, maybe we'll be seeing a few of them in an MEW ring soon!