AEW's Tony Khan Confirms His Interest in Recently Released WWE Stars
WWE released 18 wrestlers this past Thursday, bringing the total number of Superstars cut this past year up to 72. And as has become the case every time WWE releases talent, the speculation over whether or not AEW will sign any of them has been running rampant on social media. Tony Khan personally addressed that speculation while speaking with PW Torch on Friday, saying there are a few in this current group he's interested in.
"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," Khan said (h/t Fightful). "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 everytime 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."
Here's the list of who got cut on Thursday:
- Keith Lee
- Karrion Kross
- Scarlett
- Franky Monet
- Ember Moon
- Oney Lorcan
- Eva Marie
- B-Fab
- Gran Metalik
- Lince Dorado
- Nia Jax
- Mia Yim
- Harry Smith
- Jessi Kamea
- Zayda Ramier
- Trey Baxter
- Katrina Cortez
- Jeet Rama
Of the wrestlers WWE has released over the past two years, AEW has picked up a number and signed them to full-time contracts. That list includes Rusev, Lio Rush, Dash Wilder, Tay Conti, Serena Deeb, Scott Dawson, Luke Harper, Bobb Fish, Chase Parker, Matt Martel, Andrade, Aleister Black and Ruby Riott.
