AEW stars released in 2022: Where are they now?
The AEW roster has been a mixed bag since its inception in 2019. Experienced professional wrestlers, as well as those showing potential, have performed in the promotion. However, Tony Khan has bid farewell to some of the talent over the years, and the same has continued in 2022. We look at where some of the professional wrestlers released from AEW in the post-pandemic years have landed.
#1. Marko Stunt
Marko Stunt was with the company in 2022, and once his contract ended in March of that year, he's been not seen in the locker room as well. He wrestled for a while in GFW but has been out of action since he suffered a concussion.
#2. Bobby Fish
Bobby Fish signed a contract with AEW in October 2021, but left in September 2022. Fish started his wrestling career in 2002 and has previously wrestled in WWE, NJPW, and other wrestling promotions. He and Kevin O'Reilly joined hands as the tag team reDRagon, and were in the hunt for the Tag Team Championship before Fisher left the company.
#3. Frankie Kazarian
Kazarian has wrestled on the indie circuit, TNA, WWE, and Ring of Honor before he joined AEW in 2019, and was one of the first signees into the company. He was one of the brightest spots in the cruiserweight division in WWE, defeating the likes of Nunzio, Scotty 2 Hotty, and others.
He left the Stamford-based company when it was revealed to him the division was not up for a revamp anytime soon. He reportedly asked for his release sometime in 2022, and his last match for the company was in December 2022. He has since returned to Impact Wrestling.
#4. Brian Pillman Jr.
The second-generation wrestler joined AEW in 2019 and was somewhat of a mid-carder in the promotion. He even featured in a tag team, The Varsity Blondes, a tribute to his father, which also included Julia Hart. He was released in 2022 and is scheduled to appear on NXT soon.
#5. Brandi Rhodes
Brandi Rhodes, wife of Cody Rhodes, was on the AEW Roster and left the promotion along with her husband. She is not performing anywhere at the moment and has spoken about her future plans on whether she will be returning to the ring. She was also the Chief Brand Officer in AEW and was an in-ring performer. She was part of the Nightmare Collective stable, along with Kong, Mel, and Luther.
#6. Cody Rhodes
The American Nightmare is the biggest name released from the AEW. Rhodes added all the newsworthiness AEW wanted when it first started business. After being an integral part of the company and storylines for a few years, he departed from the company in 2022.
Following that, he made his grand return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, and has had a fantastic run and is now in a prominent role in WWE.
Wrestling leaving rosters is a continuous process. Even this year, The Jacksonville-based company has seen the exit of two big names - CM Punk and Jade Cargill. Punk's exit was controversial, and it looks like WWE has big plans for Cargill going forward.
What do you think? Was Tony Khan correct in bidding farewell to these talents? Tell us in the comments section.