AEW Star’s Contract Reportedly Ending Soon (And They Could Thrive in WWE)

WWE and AEW have had a host of different stars jumping between the two companies, and some have even managed to do it within the same week. Sometimes it’s a WWE star signing with AEW, and at other times it’s an AEW star signing with WWE, and then there are also times where a former WWE star who joined AEW returns to WWE, including recent returns like Rusev and Alistair Black. Now one of AEW’s earliest stars is reportedly nearing the end of their contract, which means that some fans are wondering if they might join WWE, and if it happens, they could absolutely thrive.

According to a new report from Fightful Select, sources have said that Anna Jay’s contract with AEW is expiring soon, and that’s caused some to wonder if she will re-sign with AEW or possibly head somewhere else, including possibly WWE or TNA. Some also added fuel to the fire by pointing to Jay and Tay Melo’s loss in the Tag Team Tournament this week, but they also lost to Megan Bayne and Marina Shafir, who AEW seems to be pushing quite a bit at the moment, so that’s not necessarily related.

Jay has been part of AEW since 2020, and while she initially debuted with a magician style and persona, she would then join the Dark Order and become a fan favorite as part of the faction soon after. Later, she would become a part of the Jericho Appreciation Society, but she really hit her stride alongside Tay Melo as TayJay, and the two have had some stellar matches during their time together in AEW.

Jay has shown an ability to adapt and evolve during her time in AEW, as she’s done well in singles competition both in AEW and during a stint in Stardom, and she’s also proven to be a reliable Tag Team partner alongside Melo and Harley Cameron at various times along the way. Despite all the success, it always feels as if Jay can’t quite break through to that next tier, and that’s where a run in WWE possibly comes in.

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WWE has shown an ability to effectively highlight the strengths of incoming AEW stars, and while not every move has been an overnight success, most former AEW stars have thrived. Stars like Jade Cargill, Ricky Starks, Lexis King, and Mariah May have all effectively benefited from the move and have not only refined their previous skillset but taken on some new elements along the way. WWE has mostly accentuated their strengths while shying away from their weaknesses as they refine them over time, and they have presented them like a million bucks right from the start and steadily featured all of them on TV throughout.

If you’re telling me that Jay couldn’t benefit from all that, I simply can’t believe that. Jay already comes in with a quality skillset that will just get better over time and with more reps in the ring, so most of what she needs is presentation and character-focused. Cargill’s presentation goes a long way, and over time, she’s tweaked the persona to fit that presentation to a tee. Now she feels far more comfortable in that role, and Jay could benefit from a similar journey.

Jay’s also shown she can shine in anything from comedy segments to hardcore matches, so if WWE can deliver on a big-time presentation and showcase her versatility, Jay should be able to do the rest, and that means breaking through to a whole new audience and a new level of success in the ring. There’s still plenty of untapped potential with Anna Jay, and a run in NXT and then the main roster could be the key to unlocking it. That said, Jay could also unlock that in AEW, as AEW has also shown they can highlight a star in a new way, even if that star’s been with the company for a while. WWE does offer the more compelling match-ups though, as Jay would be able to mix it up with new opponents she’s never worked with before, and that’s always part of the fun of a big free agent signing.

We’ll have to wait and see, but it is certainly interesting, and hopefully we’ll have more concrete details soon.

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