The 90-day non-compete clause for several talents released by WWE has already expired, opening the door to a possible wave of signings in the coming weeks. In this context, AEW could be one of the most active companies, especially leading up to the summer period and the All In Wembley season.
According to an exclusive report by Wrestling Observer, there are at least seven names currently "waiting" to sign with AEW, although it has not been confirmed when these deals will be finalized or who exactly these talents are. One source even mentioned that there could be more cases, but personally only knew of seven.
The move wouldn't be surprising considering that AEW already has a large roster, but also needs to consistently cover the weekly programming of Dynamite, Collision, and ROH TV. In this scenario, Tony Khan may be looking to add more depth to the roster to strengthen different brands and have more options available in the coming months.
This situation also comes at a time when WWE has once again implemented mass releases, which could influence how the free agent market moves. Although it's not clear why the company has chosen this method, the perception is that these mass releases can also help distribute the impact of available talents and prevent a single talent from becoming the main target in the market.
The wave of releases left a wide and striking list, including heavyweight names like Kairi Sane, Santos Escobar, Aleister Black, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Nikki Cross, Alba Fyre, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Zoey Stark, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, and Zelina, in addition to several departures in NXT and the WWE ID system. Beyond the individual impact of each departure, the move reinforces the feeling that WWE is completely readjusting its roster on various fronts, from the main roster to the developmental brands.
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