AEW is finally starting to trim the fat with recent releases

AEW has had a bloated roster for years. Tony Khan's commitment to honoring contracts, coupled with the company's rapid expansion, left AEW with a wealth of talent that couldn't get any TV time. Every new wrestler that Khan signed pushed unused talent further down the pecking order.

On Monday, AEW finally began making moves to remove some wrestlers from the talent pool. Ricky Starks, Miro and Malakai Black were all let go from the company. Of that trio, only Black was a regular on AEW programming.

While losing three wrestlers isn't enough to ease the burden on AEW's roster, it's a start. The company has grown exponentially since its inception in 2019. It's only fair to both the talent and AEW that unused wrestlers are allowed to explore opportunities elsewhere. 

For the recently released trio, it's fair to assume at least two of them (Starks and Black) will end up in WWE. Miro, on the other hand, has developed a reputation for being difficult to work with. Still, WWE or New Japan Pro Wrestling could both be viable landing spots for the powerhouse. 

Despite this round of cuts, Khan must do more to streamline the roster. It's hard to take AEW seriously when wrestlers who we've long forgotten about are suddenly thrust into major segments or storylines. 

The company would be better served having a cap on contracted talent, or introducing a brand split. That way, there can be a commitment to building stars and squeezing the interest their popularity can generate. 

Releasing talent is never easy. Still, now that Khan has pulled the band-aid off, he would be best served by continuing to cut those who aren't expected to feature before the end of their contracts. Maybe then, AEW can truly lock in and bring back the 'feeling' of the company's earlier years.