3 AEW rumors we hope are true and 1 we hope isn't: Departure confirmed, Why WWE didn't sign The Briscoes, Tony Khan not releasing CM Punk?
Welcome to another column on AEW rumors we hope are true and some we hope aren't.
Another former WWE name has parted ways with Tony Khan following contract expiry this past weekend.
The wrestling world is still mourning the sad demise of ROH stalwart Jay Briscoe. Since his passing, we've learned reports on why The Briscoes' talk with WWE fell through.
Also, has Tony Khan changed his mind about releasing the 9-time world champion? With these lead stories, let's dive into the top four rumors of the week.
(Note: None of these rumors have been confirmed by wrestlers, so take it all with a pinch of salt)
#4. Hopefully True: AQA officially leaves AEW
AQA's brief stint with AEW has officially ended.
The 26-year-old talent, who trained under Booker T, made her AEW debut on the February 9 episode of Dynamite in 2022.
That night, she unsuccessfully challenged Jade Cargill for the TBS Championship. But her clinical performance during the bout helped her earn a contract from Tony Khan.
Months later, she would wrestle sporadically on Dark shows. Unfortunately, she stepped away from the squared circle in July as wrestling took a toll on her mental and physical well-being.
Amidst her absence, Fightful Select reported that AQA has officially been removed from the roster page. With that, her contract with the company has also expired.
We hope this report is accurate. AQA has already bid goodbye to All Elite Wrestling via a heartfelt post on Twitter last year, which put a big question mark on her wrestling future.
We at Sportskeeda wish her good luck in her future endeavors.
#3. Hopefully True: WWE were interested in signing The Briscoes
The Briscoes never made it to WWE, but that didn't thwart them from becoming one of the most decorated tag teams of the last decade.
Sadly, the ship has now sailed on their signing (at least as a tandem) after Jay Briscoe's passing. According to Dave Meltzer, WWE once offered them a contract in 2015. But the "low money" deal factored into their decision:
"WWE at the time was very interested in the Briscoes, and rescinded that interest. There was a time in 2015 when WWE offered them a spot, but the money figure was low enough that they didn’t take it considering it would take them away from working at their family’s chicken ranch." - Dave Meltzer wrote.
We hope this rumor is accurate. Jay and Mark would have added much-needed depth and star power to the tag team division had the company offered them a lucrative deal.
Imagine The Briscoes slugging it out with The Usos or The New Day. It's a crying shame that WWE dropped the ball on these instant classics.
#2. Hopefully True: Is Tony Khan not releasing CM Punk?
Wrestling fans have been chewing over CM Punk's AEW status since his infamous rant against the EVPs and the alleged melee that happened between them in the aftermath.
Dave Meltzer recently reported that Tony Khan is still months away from making the final call on The Straight Edge Superstar's future.
The head honcho has put Punk "on the ice," and talk of his contract buyout seems to have fizzled out for now:
"We’re still months away from when Tony Khan will have to make a call regarding Punk. It’s not the easiest call because of all that happened, but Punk was a ratings draw and ratings are weaker than before generally even if there’s positive house show movement. Right now from the Punk side, the belief is that Tony Khan has put Punk on ice for now, as there are no ideas to use him that have been presented but no talk at all of late to release him either," Meltzer said.
We hope this rumor is true. Whether you love him or hate him, CM Punk is arguably the biggest box office draw in Tony Khan's pocket.
With the company failing to sell out arenas and garnering over one million viewership, it's high time for the Chicago native to make a stunning return. Should he hash things out with The Elite, the company could instantly pull the trigger on a blockbuster rivalry between these men.
#1. Hopefully Not True: Jay White isn't heading to AEW anytime soon
Like CM Punk, Jay White's future is also up in the air. Recent rumors have suggested that The Switchblade's contract with NJPW could be up "relatively soon."
White is gearing up for the "Loser Leaves Japan" match against Hikuelo, which could set the stage for his rumored departure.
AEW and WWE have expressed interest in inking a deal with the 30-year-old star once he becomes a free agent. As such, there was massive speculation about him holding talks with Tony Khan over a potential signing.
However, Fightful Select has quashed those reports after reaching out to Jay White.
We hope this report is not accurate. The AEW roster may be overstacked right now, but it still lacks credible heel stars (except for MJF).
The Switchblade could easily fit into that slot and become the main eventer for the company in the years to come.
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