While the bulk of All Elite Wrestling’s day one roster remains with the company to this day, some formerly up-and-coming prospects have garnered the attention of top wrestling companies around the world. Names who started out small, like Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Ricky Starks, have grown to be world champions and tournament winners in AEW, and that skyrocketed success is not lost on competing promotions. MJF especially has made his imminent free agency a part of his on-screen persona, regularly teasing the “bidding war of 2024” between AEW and WWE when his contract expires next January.
That said, not all AEW talent are keen to see if the grass is greener on the other side.
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Darby Allin is AEW For Life
Speaking on the Jon Chuckery Show, AEW original Darby Allin re-emphasized that he will wrestle in AEW until his career is over.
“I haven’t shied away from this, I tell (AEW President) Tony [Khan] that I’m maybe the worst businessman in pro wrestling because there is never going to be a bidding war for Darby Allin. I love AEW so much,” Allin said. “I’m not playing games. I’m not going to be like, ‘What if I went somewhere else?’ No, I’m just being real. Darby Allin is going to live and die in AEW.”
Allin debuted with AEW at AEW Fyter Fest in June 2019, going to a time-limit draw with Cody Rhodes. He went on to be part of AEW’s day one roster upon the company’s televised launch that fall. Allin is a two-time AEW TNT Champion and has main-evented AEW Dynamite multiple times.
Beyond his in-ring accomplishments, Allin stressed how grateful he is to have the creative freedom to be himself within AEW.
“I can’t say enough good things about working with Tony Khan. It baffles me that people can take it for granted. I don’t know if people realize how fortunate we are to be wrestling at such a high level with such an open-minded owner,” Allin said of his boss. “What you see out there is 100% Darby Allin. Nobody tells me how to walk, talk, or act. It’s 100% me. To have that free reign to collaborate with Tony and create such good storylines leading to Wembley, you can’t say enough good things. I’m super stoked about everything and my whole growth with AEW, but them letting me be me.”
Allin teams with Sting to take on Swerve Strickland and AR Fox in a coffin match this Sunday at AEW ALL IN: London.
