5 Forgotten appearances by WWE Legends within AEW
AEW has only been around for three years, but the promotion has featured a handful of cameos and appearances from wrestling legends.
The sport truly rose to prominence in the 1980s, with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair leading the charge. Eventually, millions of homes welcomed pro-wrestling into their homes, and numerous legends have been born from the sport as a result. All Elite Wrestling has managed to get legendary former WWE Superstars to appear in the promotion.
Today we list 5 Forgotten appearances of wrestling legends within AEW:
#5. WCW and WWE Legend Raven appears on AEW Dynamite to tease the revelation of "The Exalted One"
While anticipating The Dark Order's then-elusive leader's reveal, the founder of Raven's Flock showed up to tease fans. During an episode of Dynamite, the WCW legend was briefly shown sitting behind Evil Uno and The Dark Order. While the legend said nothing, fan speculation ran rampant after Raven appeared.
Brodie Lee was eventually revealed to be the true leader of the faction. For some fans, however, due to the appearance, Raven's Flock 2.0 was still a possible reality.
While Raven has not officially retired, he hasn't stepped into the ring since 2019. The 57-year-old has also suffered a slew of injuries over the years and was recently announced to be replacing yet another knee.
Realistically, fans hoping to see the star in the ring will, unfortunately, have to settle for classic clips. However, he could still return to his roots as a manager.
#4. WWE Hall of Famer, Greg "The Hamer" Valentine, gives his seal of approval to the Dog Collar Match
Our special guest tonight for this dog collar match is Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine!
WATCH #AEWDynamite NOW on @TNTDrama. https://t.co/PUPoqMrjFG
Before the match would begin, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine was introduced to the crowd in attendance. The legend gave his stamp of approval for the match, due to being involved in the "most brutal" Dog Collar Match against the late-Roddy Piper.
During what would become Brodie Lee's final match, the star took on Cody Rhodes in a Dog Collar Match for the TNT Championship. The Exalted One would end up losing to Rhodes before stepping away to nurse his underlying health issues.
While Valentine's appearance was minimal, the legend could still return to AEW to become a manager or simply grace fans with a memorable moment.
#3. Former 2x-WWE Women's Champion, Jazz, appears at AEW All-Out 2019
AEW's flagship show All-Out featured several shocking appearances, including Jon Moxley's debut, but also notably the appearance of Jazz. The former WWE Women's Champion made her appearance during the Casino Battle Royale but was eliminated by ODB.
While her run with WWE only lasted for three years, plus a brief return in 2006, she's still considered to be one of the most iconic female wrestlers. Some fans will also recall the star from her brief time with ECW between 1999 and 2000.
Jazz is currently managing IMPACT Wrestling stars Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering, meaning that it would be unlikely for her to reappear in AEW anytime soon.
#2. Gangrel appears with an unconscious Hurricane Helms at AEW Full-Gear 2020 during the Elite Deletion match
Gangrel & Hurricane Helms showing was pretty fantastic stuff.
#AEW #AEWFullGear
https://t.co/s7qvUIgQSl
During AEW Full-Gear 2020, fans were shocked to see WWE Legend and The Brood founder, Gangrel, alongside Hurricane Helms. The two stars made very brief cameos during Broken Matt Hardy's Elite Deletion match. The segment could simply be seen as a hallucination by Matt's "Broken" character, but fans were delighted nonetheless.
Gangrel briefly managed to wrestle beside The Hardys during their WWE run, when the legend went against his then-Brood members Edge and Christian Cage. Gangrel recently appeared on the May 27th episode of Rampage and was reunited with The Hardys.
#1. Bret "The Hitman" Hart presents the AEW World Championship
Bret Hart is one of the most recognizable wrestling legends. The former WWE Champion is still touted as the best wrestler of all time by many fans and current wrestlers alike. Hart made a special appearance at the inaugural Double or Nothing PPV back in 2019.
The Hitman was picked to unveil the AEW World Championship to fans. Fellow Canadian wrestler and veteran, Chris Jericho, went on to become the inaugural world champion. Since then, Hart has been referenced extensively by FTR and CM Punk, with his return even teased.
Bret Hart has unfortunately been retired since 2000, after being a botched kick to the head by Goldberg. He recently signed a merchandise deal with WWE, but can still reappear in All Elite Wrestling.