3 AEW wrestlers who can join WWE in 2025
When AEW launched in 2019, fans saw many disgruntled WWE stars make the switch from the established company to the newly formed one. Top names like Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole all chose to invest in the project that Tony Khan and The Elite created.
Fast forward to 2025 and we have now seen many stars from All Elite Wrestling choose to go to WWE. With Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Ethan Page and more making the switch.
In the coming days, fans are fully expecting the former AEW Tag Team Champion, Penta, to make his debut on Monday Night RAW.
With Penta seemingly through the door in WWE, we are going to take a look at three other AEW stars who could join him by choosing to change companies this year.
#3 - An 'absolute' show-stopping WWE debut
One AEW star who many feel would be a perfect fit for WWE especially when it comes to his ability to cut a strong promo would be Ricky Starks.
The former AEW Tag Team Champion has not had a match for the company since March of last year and seems very much out of favor with the top brass of the promotion.
From being likened to The Rock, and having competed against the best that AEW has to offer, Starks certainly has all the skills to make it as a main event star in World Wrestling Entertainment.
Starks very much has a foot in the door in WWE when it comes to the friends he has working there, most notably Cody Rhodes.
Starks made headlines last year when he was seen in a box at WrestleMania 40 as he sat in attendance to watch his friend finish his story to become the Undisputed WWE Champion.
Speaking to WhatCulture Wrestling, Starks addressed the tribalist response that some fans had to him being at Mania as well as elaborating on what his friendship with Cody means to him.
"He’s done more for me than I could have ever asked someone to do. So in return, he will always have my loyalty and respect because that is how, me as a person, that’s how I operate. So to see that, to see that live, to know the things that he went through the year prior, that was really cool to see because as a friend, you should always want to see somebody succeed."
#2 - A former NXT Champion makes his return
Having made the switch from WWE to AEW in 2021 many expected Malakai Black to become a main event star in the promotion, and whilst he started off with a high-quality feud against Cody Rhodes, the Dutchman never reached the pinnacle of the company.
It has been reported that as of 2025, Black's contract with AEW is up, with his reported two extra years with the company only being optional.
With Black seemingly a free agent again, fans are wondering if a return to WWE may be on the cards, especially with Triple H now at the creative helm.
During his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, Black's best spell came in NXT where he worked very closely with The Game.
In an interview on the Universal Wrestling Podcast, Malakai spoke of the creative understanding that he and Triple H shared whenever they would work together.
"Hunter was definitely a guy that said like 'what do you want to do, what do you think, what do your characters think? Like, ya know, he would work with me because he knew where I came from and he knew what I did and then he went, I have this dude that looks this way and he doesn't these certain things, I don't want to tell him how to do it because he's clearly understanding what I want from him and I can now help him."
#1 - The Lucha Bros reunite
With Penta's WWE debut seemingly moments away many fans are hoping that his brother Rey Fenix will soon follow suit.
For the past 10 years, Fenix and Penta have established themselves as one of the best tag teams in the world capturing the Ring of Honor, AAA and AEW Tag Team titles.
Many fans would have expected to see Fenix make his debut alongside his brother. However, it was reported last year that AEW chose to add almost a year to his deal to compensate for the time he missed due to injury.
Whilst there is no set date on when Fenix can join World Wrestling Entertainment with his brother, there are teams who are already interested in facing them.
Most notably, the Usos, with Jey stating in an interview with The Metro that he and his brother Jimmy would be very keen to step into the ring with the Lucha Bros as well as the Motor City Machine Guns at some point down the line.
"We’ve done everything. But I feel like if we did have a comeback, man, I would like to run with those guys [Shelley and Sabin], a couple guys from NXT, maybe the Lucha Bros. But they gotta walk through this door."
Despite the tactical move from AEW to keep the Lucha Bros apart, it seems only inevitable that Rey will eventually join his brother in WWE at some point this year.