AEW star reacts to Mustafa Ali asking for his release from WWE
Mustafa Ali has asked for his release from WWE, as he announced on Twitter, and it hasn't taken long for stars from rival promotion AEW to offer their support.
AEW star Santana, one half of the Proud 'n' Powerful tag team, reacted to Ali's announcement by offering his respect to the former Retribution leader. With Ali facing plenty of uncertainty at the moment, Santana noted that he respects the renowned performer.
@AliWWE Respect.
Mustafa Ali spent much of 2021 engaged in a program with Mansoor. The two performed together as a tag team before their partnership fell apart. The feud culminated in a match at Crown Jewel, where Ali failed to pick up the victory.
Ali's last televised match was a loss to Drew McIntyre on the October 29th episode of WWE SmackDown. He then went on a hiatus from WWE programming once the road to Survivor Series began in November.
Where could Mustafa Ali go next?
It has not been confirmed whether WWE will grant his requested release, but Ali should have no shortage of options if his time with the company ends at some point soon.
The former WWE 205 Live star is often touted as an outstanding in-ring competitor by fans and peers alike. For this reason, he would be an attractive free agent for any number of promotions, including AEW and IMPACT Wrestling.
no look sharpshooter
training partner @SabinGauge https://t.co/Fq9E9Trrgj
IMPACT Wrestling could be an interesting choice; the company has a wide array of athletic talent that Ali can compete with. NJPW could have a place for Ali in either of their Japan or US-based brand. He could utilize his high-flying arsenal in the Japanese promotion's esteemed junior heavyweight division.
Given AEW's pattern of signing former WWE stars, Tony Khan's promotion might be the favorite to land Ali if he hits the open market. The likes of Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly made the switch between the two promotions last year, and Ali could be looking to follow suit.
If Mustafa Ali is granted his request by WWE, which promotion would you like to see him sign with? Sound off below!