Thoughts on Sheamus' WWE departure

TKO strikes again.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that longtime World Wrestling Entertainment veteran Sheamus is set to hit free agency after "quickly rejecting" a "restructured" extension offered by TKO, the parent company of the Epstein Class' favorite sports entertainment promotion. 

There are several angles to cover, so let's jump right in:

TKO whacks another

WWE has lost a trio of well-respected veterans due to TKO's infamous frugality. Sheamus joins Austin Creed (fka Xavier Woods) and Kofi to reject restructured deals, presumably due mostly to salary cuts.

The TKO point of view is fairly easy to figure out: we know their executives have shown little regard for top talent in the MMA world, and WWE fans should prepare for TKO to be even more ruthless when shedding salary off the WWE books. No one - not even 20-year veterans - is safe; in fact, it likely makes them more susceptible to being let go.

TKO could argue that Sheamus (48), Kofi (44), and Creed (39) are simply too old to justify their salaries and would rather invest their millions into younger talent. This feels analogous to a successful sports franchise trying to remain in playoff contention while undergoing a soft rebuild. This trio was well pushed in the 2010s (and into the 2020s), and now it's time to cut bait in favor of younger, cheaper talent. It's a harsh reality, but there's merit to this type of approach.

The big issue for TKO: can the current WWE leadership take their young talent and mold them to be sports entertainers of comparable value to Sheamus, Creed, and Kofi? I'd answer, "I'm not so sure." The Performance Center has existed for quite a long time, yet the list of names who have graduated to bona fide WWE Superstars is surprisingly small. NXT, the company's developmental brand, has struggled mightily under the direction of Shawn Michaels and Co.

If I were part of the TKO front office, I'd push for a total housecleaning of WWE's creative branch. I genuinely do not think WWE's Chief Content Officer, Paul Levesque, has the skill or desire to mold younger talent on the main roster, and Shawn Michaels has booked some horrendous NXT television. 

Ironically, TKO could look at Levesque and Michaels and feel they could benefit from younger, more modern creative voices - especially if they are willing to earn significantly less than two WWE Hall of Famers; that being said, the odds of them being cut loose are probably small. It'll be up to them to mold younger or underutilized talent into stars, and I simply don't think they can do it. 

Should AEW sign Sheamus?

This is a natural assumption. Sheamus fits the AEW style: he hits incredibly hard and can put on genuinely great bouts. A healthy Sheamus working matches against Bandido, Brody King, Brian Cage, Darby Alli, Eddie Kingston, Gabe Kidd, Hangman Page, Hechicero, Jake Doyle, Jay White, Josh Alexander, Kenny Omega, AMJF, Orange Cassidy, Shibata, Okada, Kevin Knight, Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Mark Briscoe, Mark Davis, RUSH, Swerve Strickland, The Beast Mortos, Tomohiro Ishii, and Will Ospreay immediately jumps out in my mind. 

You could also reunite him with Claudio Castagnoli and breathe some new life into a stagnant tag team division. A reunion with Castagnoli could lead to a Death Riders split, or perhaps Sheamus is brought into the group as its newest bruiser. The BAR vs. The Young Bucks, FTR, The Rascalz, 

There are also a handful of WWE rematches that could be even better in an AEW ring. Sheamus against Andrade, Bobby Lashley, Buddy Matthews, Castagnoli, Jon Moxley, Kyle O'Reilly, Ricochet, Roderick Strong, PAC, Samoa Joe, Shelton Benjamin, and Tommaso Ciampa could all be compelling when fought inside an AEW ring. 

There are also negatives to signing someone like Sheamus: Tony Khan would be adding yet another aging WWE should-be lifer, and I don't think that's something AEW needs, considering their current core. Your weekly television regularly features Moxley, Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Chris Jericho, and Tommaso Ciampa, plus the likely additions of Creed and Kofi. Sheamus would take someone's spot, and it's vital for Khan to ensure it's not at the expense of your young core. 

There's also the question of Sheamus' health. Hopefully, he'd take some serious time off to allow his battered body to rest; that said, would Sheamus even want to work a stiffer style? As great as he is, I do not want to see him bring WWE-style in-ring action to AEW, and it would be completely understandable for him not to want to wrestle a harder style.

How about TNA or New Japan?!?!

This would be a slam-dunk free agent for TNA to pursue, though it appears like something of a pipe dream. They're struggling to retain talent, and we don't have a crystal clear picture of their financial situation. 

If they had the money, it would be a no-brainer for TNA to pursue him heavily, and I'm sure WWE would like to see the vet join their "partner" promotion rather than AEW. 

The same could be said for NJPW, too. A world where Sheamus comes to New Japan as its top, hard-hitting gaijin feels refreshing, but I'm unsure if this potential marriage is even possible (for all the reasons listed above). 

Who's Next?

It feels like more names will depart in the immediate future, and Khan can only sign so many. TKO, of course, knows this and could look to clog the free agent market with talent that Khan isn't likely to be interested in. Why? It would force talent to reconsider TKO's offer. 

Imagine being someone like The Miz: you're in your late 40s, presumably making a high salary, and you decide to reject a restructured deal. You reach out to Khan or the people you know in AEW, but the interest is lukewarm at best, nonexistent at worst. It would force him to go crawling back to TKO, who may offer even less. 

TKO's goal is to suppress talent wages. They've likely recognized that WWE only needs a handful of talent on high-salaried contracts, while filling out the rest of the roster with cheaper options. 

It's why we must know who has agreed to pay cuts, because they have absolutely contributed to TKO's efforts. They have made it much easier for TKO executives to cut the high-priced talent and pocket that money for themselves. 

The true American way.