AEW president Tony Khan during AEW Dynamite at Footprint Center. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Another AEW talent is close to their release

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Feb 15, 2025 6:32 PM ET

AEW recently released three members of its roster. Malakai Black, Miro and Ricky Starks have all moved on from the company. Their departures follow hot on the heels of Penta's decision to leave AEW and join WWE.

Now, it would appear that Tony Khan is willing to allow Rey Fenix out of his current contract. Fenix would likely jump straight to WWE, reigniting his partnership with Penta, who is already becoming a fan favorite with the WWE Universe.

"AEW sources have informed me that negotiations between Tony Khan and Rey Fenix to end Fenix's tenure with the company are progressing, and resolution is expected to happen soon," Dr. Chris Featherstone of Sportskeeda Wrestling reported via X. "I was also informed that Tony Khan has been heavily advised to 'put an end to this' soon regarding Fenix's holding period."

AEW sources have informed me that negotiations between Tony Khan and Rey Fenix to end Fenix's tenure with the company are progressing, and resolution is expected to happen soon. I was also informed that Tony Khan has been heavily advised to "put an end to this" soon regarding… pic.twitter.com/gT4ezVWZfA
— Dr. Chris Featherstone, Ph.D. (@chrisprolific) February 14, 2025

Fenix and Penta formed the Lucha Brothers during their time in AEW. It's likely they would also make an impact on WWE's tag division. And while Fenix would undoubtedly add another highly talented luchador to WWE's roster, his departure makes sense for AEW.

Khan has constructed a bloated roster. Multiple talents are left at home each week, while some haven't been seen on television in months if not years. Allowing talent to leave if they're no longer in the company's plans or competitors have turned heads is smart business for Khan. He removes some salary from the company's books while also ensuring there's less of a headache moving forward.

Nevertheless, AEW would still be best served by incorporating a roster split. There is enough talent to make Dynamite and Collision their own entities. For now, though, cutting down on the amount of unused talent under contract is a wise step forward.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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