Tony Khan has shown that he is interested in at least a ‘few’ of this past round of WWE Releases.
This past Thursday, WWE released 17 of their wrestlers from their contracts. These releases included the following Superstars: Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, Nia Jax, Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, Mia Yim, Eva Marie, Harry Smith, B-Fab, Franky Monet, Ember Moon, Scarlett, Oney Lorcan, Trey Baxter, Jessi Kamea, Zayda Ramier, Katrina Cortez, and Jeet Rama.
Some of WWE’s other 2021 releases have signed to AEW or shown up on Dark or Dark: Elevation. We have seen Ruby Soho, 2point0, Bobby Fish, Andrade, Malakai Black, Tony Nese, Arturo Ruas, and others.
When talking to PWTorch’s Wade Keller (h/t Jeremy Lambert of Fightful), AEW President/CEO/GM Tony Khan gave his thoughts on the most recent round of WWE releases.
Tony said, “Every time they cut 20 people, let’s just say, it’s terrible because every time someone loses a job, it’s affecting them and the people around them. Some of these people might have wanted to leave, but in general, most probably did not. It’s terrible when anyone loses their work and I feel for them. Each and everyone counts. I’m going to take a ballpark number, and I’m not trying to make light of everything, but everyone counts and this probably not the exact amount, but every time they let, lets say in the ballpark of 20 people go, I think there have been in general one, two or three people in there that I am interested in and snatch up. They keep doing these mass layoffs and each time, I find a few people and the company gets a little stronger and stronger. I do see a few in this wave. I don’t want to say who or when I would be interested in them, but there are a few interesting people they let go and same goes with the last wave and the wave before that and before that. Each wave, there are a few interesting ones and this was no exception.”
As usual, all talents have some type of non-compete clause. Some may have 30 days, others may have 90 days. Released talent also have the chance to waive this clause, as we saw Chelsea Green do to appear for the NWA a few days before her non-compete was up.