Thoughts on the recent Free Agent class

All Elite Wrestling founder and CEO Tony Khan has assembled one of the greatest talent rosters in the history of weekly professional wrestling television. 

It may look dramatically different as Khan attempts to stay the course heading into 2027, one of the more crucial years of AEW's existence. The current Paramount-WBD merger appears to be on hold, and it's difficult to get an accurate read on the prospects of it being approved. Khan has been shouting from the rooftops about all the potential benefits his promotion may reap if the merger goes through, often citing his relationship with Paramount's head honcho, David Ellison (please keep better company, Tony).

But that's a discussion for another day, and I'm going to approach the rest of this article with the assumption the merger goes through. Khan has a chance to entirely reshape his roster, as several wrestlers have officially hit free agency following their releases from AEW's rival, World Wrestling Entertainment, and even more may be on the way.

The Sickos I encounter are generally staunchly against bringing in most ex-WWE talent, and it's a perspective I understand, even if I don't entirely agree with it. We've already seen ex-WWE talent like Alistar Black or Rusev make the jump from WWE to AEW, only to become malcontents clearly waiting for the opportunity to jump back into the comfortable arms of Big Nose. It would be unfortunate for Khan to make the same mistake twice, especially when it's at the expense of talent who are struggling for airtime. 

I'm a bit more open-minded. For one, Khan has signed several ex-WWE talent following the departures of Black and Miro, and we haven't heard of any causing any issues. Ricochet, Timeless Toni Storm, Mercedes Moné, and Adam Copeland are some of the bigger WWE-to-AEW jumps, and they have yet to cause any real problems, especially in comparison to the former Malcontents plaguing the roster (that we're aware of). 

They've also performed generally well - Ricochet is doing good work with The Gates of Agony and may be adding more members to his faction imminently. Timeless Toni and Mercedes Moné are two of the best wrestlers in the world. I understand if Adam Copeland is a bridge too far, but I don't think he's been as bad as the Sickos believe. 

I've decided to analyze each free agent, plus the possibility of AEW adding Bayley to its Women's Division. This is my personal opinion, though I intend to be as fair as possible. We'll examine whom I believe Khan should target, names I'm on the fence about, and those who shouldn't be considered at all. Let's get to it:

The Definites: Austin Creed, Kofi, Kairi Hojo
There is a massive pro to bringing in Creed & Kofi: it allows Khan to promote a legitimate dream match between the duo and The Young Bucks, a match that has been playfully teased since before AEW existed. Objectively speaking, it would be promotional malpractice for any wrestling promoter to pass on this opportunity. It's a big money match, plain and simple, and the chance of it occurring in an AEW ring was thought to be close to 0. Now, we're one step closer to it becoming a reality.

Another pro: the tag team division would get a significant boost. We're talking about a division anchored by The Bucks, FTR, Creed & Kofi, Cage & Cope (at least in the short term), Jake Doyle and Mark Davis, The Gates of Agony, The Hurt Business (where are they btw?), Brodido, and any combination from factions like The DCF or The Death Riders, plus more. I've been a staunch proponent of elevating the men's tag division, and Creed/Kofi only add more credibility.

There are a couple of obvious cons: Wood will turn 40 this September, and Kofi is a few weeks away from hitting the big 45. Age has to be a consideration, though the duo had the benefit of working WWE's soft in-ring style for nearly 2 decades (maybe there's less wear and tear). The current tag team champions are each 52 years old, and the last champions are in their early 40s. You are adding a ton of age to a division that should feel explosive and vibrant, and that's something Khan should consider. Would they be amenable to a very short-term deal? Likely not. If they're coming in, they're likely on their roster for the next 3-5 years. 

There's also a question of how they want to be presented on TV. I would vehemently be against weekly skits and bits that are intended to evoke humor, and humor in professional wrestling is typically awful and sophomoric. They've spent 20 years entertaining the wrestling equivalent of Disney Adults, and they know they were very good at it; that said, they should leave the act behind in Stamford. It's incredibly important for Khan to retain AEW's identity, something some Sickos feel has been abandoned in favor of a more WWE-style presentation. 

Still, Khan has to promote that match at a massive PPV (All In? Double or Nothing?). It would be foolish of him - or anyone - to pass on it. I even think there's a chance the lead-up will produce strong television, but I'm keeping my expectations in check. 

Kairi Hojo is one of the better women wrestlers in the world, at least the last time I viewed her work (a very long time ago). I think she would bring something unique to AEW's Women's division. There's a laundry list of opponents, some fresher than others: Moné, Storm, Megan Bayne, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander, Athena, Hikaru Shida, Lena Kross, Mina Shirakawa, Persephone, Queen Aminata, Thekla...the list goes on and on. 

Still, we don't know what matters most to Hojo. It would be reasonable, if not outright expected, for her to return to Japan and re-join AEW's partner promotion STARDOM. Hojo could occasionally appear in AEW in the same manner as Shida, Riho, and other female Japanese talent under their employ. There's also the issue of visa access, particularly with the United States currently occupied by a racist administration. However, I am not sure how much of a consideration that is for Khan. 

On the Fence: The Motor City Machine Guns, Santos Escobar, Zoey Stark

The Motor City Machine Guns are one of the greatest and underappreciated tag teams of my generation. Still, they declined an opportunity to sign with AEW in favor of going to WWE. I never understood their motivation, because it was clear as day that WWE would not utilize them as the living legends they are. The wrestling fan in me wants to see them join AEW, but their choosing WWE left a bad taste in my mouth. I don't get the feeling they're still kidding themselves about the prospects of having a successful run in The Fed, and that's why I'd be more open to them coming in for a proper run. Memo to Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin: WWE bad. Don't do that again.

El Hijo del Fantasma, fka Santos Escobar, is someone who's been around for quite a while (he's somehow already 42 years old). Here's the biggest red flag: he recently released a video calling out Paul (Big Nose) and Nick [Khan] to "watch him." Brother, fuck those two idiots. Escobar certainly gave the impression that he's looking to impress his former bosses, and one must question if he'd be another Black or Miro during their AEW runs. Also, I'm not particularly interested in seeing him on weekly TV. He's a guy I would've taken a chance on years ago, but likely no longer. 

Zoey Stark is someone I'm unsure of. I don't mean to be dismissive of her, but I'm neutral about her coming in. Would it excite me? No. Would it infuriate me? No. I'm fine with any decision. 

Hard No: Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Wyatt Sicks

I don't feel the need to expand on Black, but I'll bite on Vega: she's a total 0 in my book. She's been in the professional wrestling industry for ~15 years, and I'm unsure how she's managed to keep getting opportunities. Andrade released a video of him reuniting with Xelina, and I immediately screamed out, "NOOOOOO!" I don't want to see her managing Andrade—I don't want to see her, period. She oozes bad vibes, stinks in the ring, and is a fucking pain in the ass to deal with. Plus, she'd likely advocate for her stupid husband to retain his job, which absolutely should not happen. Kick rocks, both of you.

Zero disrespect to the Wyatt Sicks, but I don't see any of them being much of a fit in AEW. Best of luck to them. 

I'll be doing a write-up on the possibilities of Sheamus, Bayley, and perhaps other notable WWE stars potentially making the AEW jump soon. Take care, y'all,