AEW Reportedly Signs Two Wrestlers
Just about every forbidden door is open when it comes to All Elite Wrestling. The young promotion has a full-time roster of its own, but regularly welcomes in talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling, Impact Wrestling, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, GCW, and more for one-off appearances on AEW Dynamite or pay-per-view. This trend continued on the September 28th edition of AEW Dynamite, when NJPW's Juice Robinson went one-on-one with AEW World Champion Jon Moxley and free agent Bandido challenged Ring of Honor World Champion Chris Jericho for his title. Both matches received rave reviews from fans, with Bandido especially elevating his stock in the wrestling industry.
Beyond the audience, Robinson and Bandido impressed AEW itself, enough for the promotion to get them on the books. As reported by PWInsider Elite, both Robinson and Bandido "have signed AEW agreements." Duration remains unknown, but it was stated that they will both be "with the company going forward."
Robinson officially departed NJPW earlier this year, noting that he has "no unfinished business" left in the far east.
"I'm no longer representing New Japan, and I want that to be clear. I carried that New Japan flag for seven years," Robinson said. "I've got no unfinished business there. I sang that song and I danced that dance, and we've gone our separate ways. That's in the rearview mirror. I'm totally free right now. I'll fight whoever, wherever and whenever I want as long as it's the right match against the right opponent on the right night of the week."
The former IWGP United States Champion still has some ties to New Japan, as he is currently a member of Bullet Club. That said, the long-running NJPW stable has welcomed members from outside of its home promotion many times before, including currently with Impact Wrestling's Ace Austin and Chris Bey.
As for Bandido, this 27-year-old luchador is a well-traveled and heavily-decorated wrestler. American audiences will know him best for his time in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor, where he is a former world champion in both aforementioned promotions. This report culminates a month of rumors about Bandido's future, which included an offer from WWE. In a recent interview, Bandido revealed that AEW President Tony Khan said that he didn't want but needed him in AEW.
