Ace Austin Signs With AEW, Debuts At Cincinnati Collision Tapings

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Lyric Swinton | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 11:55 PM ET

Ace Austin is officially All Elite.

At this week's Collision tapings in Cincinnati, OH, Austin was offered a contract by AEW CEO Tony Khan after having a match with Ricochet, according to The Takedown on SI's Rick Ucchino. Ace Austin is a native of Dayton, OH which is about an hour away from Cincinnati.

After being a member of the TNA roster since 2019, Austin departed from the company in May and entered free agency. While with TNA, the 28-year-old was successful in both singles and tag team competition. He is a former three-time X-Division Champion, and alongside Chris Bey, he was a three-time TNA World Tag Team Champion as part of ABC.

In 2022, Austin participated in NJPW Best of the Super Jr. 29, finishing with five wins and four losses. While in Japan for the tournament, Ace Austin accepted an invitation to join the Bullet Club stable. It remains to be seen if he'll be aligned with Bullet Club in AEW.

Currently, AEW's branch of the stable, also known as the Bang Bang Gang, includes Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, and Jay White, with the latter two currently on the shelf with injuries.

Change is Inevitable.

It’s not a matter of if… but when.

-FREE AGENT- pic.twitter.com/solENc1C79
— Ace Austin ♠️ エース・オースティン (@The_Ace_Austin) May 28, 2025

During his summer as a free agent, Austin has remained busy competing in indie promotions including Wrestling REVOLVER, Revolution Pro, and the Scott D'Amore-led Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling.

Ace Austin's AEW debut will air this Saturday on Collision on TNT and HBO Max at 8 p.m. EST.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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