Why WWE Covets AEW Stars

As mentioned before, talents who either left or were released by WWE have found new ground in AEW. One of its early members, Cody Rhodes, achieved the form that would bring him back to the Stamford promotion, having gone “from undesirable to undeniable.” Despite being a divisive act, he’s one of the company’s tippy-top stars.  The allure of being an alternative company would entice the long-embittered CM Punk to return to wrestling. Though he left on vitriolic terms, his time in AEW rejuvenated him enough to swallow his pride and rejoin WWE. Both of these men are top stars in WWE currently.

The same can’t be said for those who also returned. In AEW, the Bulgarian Miro started strong before refusing certain bookings, especially those that required him to lose matches. Back as Rusev in WWE, he’s back to losing matches. Andrade El Idolo briefly rejoined, having also believed the grass was greener on the other side, and now he’s back with AEW, where he seems happier. Aleister Black, formerly Malakai, also stepped back into the company after being presented relatively stronger in AEW, to have mostly losses. Idolo holds the distinction of all three in terms of depth, having had an acclaimed series against Carmelo Hayes and a tag team run with fellow AEW departee, Rey Fenix.

Other talents took to AEW like water. Toni Storm underwent a “Timeless” character change that made her a top star. Swerve Strickland embraced his full storytelling and aesthetic to become a main eventer. Athena is currently the top act in Ring of Honor. So long as talent is willing to put their best out, win or lose, Tony Khan will book them well. 

New Talent From AEW

On March 2, 2026, lucha superstar Penta won the Men’s Intercontinental Championship from Dominik Mysterio. He joins Rhodes, Punk, and Jade Cargill as one of the recent AEW defectors to have such a status. Upon first glance, it’d be understandable to perceive former AEW wrestlers as a bigger deal in WWE.

However, fan perception has markedly changed. Penta, for example, took a long time to become a champion. His Lucha Brother, Rey Fenix, fares no better. On NXT, meanwhile, Blake Monroe (formerly Mariah May) has been traipsing around in the mid-card in various short feuds and a brief NXT Women’s North American Championship run. Granted, current NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jane is largely the same “mean girl” type as Monroe.

Speaking of NXT, three other roster members stand out: Ethan Page, Ricky Saints (formerly Ricky Starks), and Lexis King (formerly Brian Pillman Jr.). King has meandered ever since losing the Heritage Cup, mostly being a key player in the Birthright stable. Saints had highs and lows, featuring a brief NXT Men’s World Championship run and an unpopular musical segment. Page, well, he’s had the most upside despite a rocky and doubtful start. He’s contributed not only to WWE’s newly acquired AAA as World Mixed Tag Team Champion, but he also became the longest reigning NXT Men’s North American Champion. 

Danhausen and Royce Keys

When Powerhouse Hobbs departed AEW in early 2026, he left on a positive note. On his final night, he put over Hangman Adam Page, Speedball Mike Bailey, and Kevin Knight on an episode of AEW Collision. This gave the trio of Jet Set Rodeo the AEW World Trios Championship. Shortly thereafter, rumors spread wildly that Hobbs would step through the doors of WWE. Rechristened as Royce Keys, the beefy wrestler debuted at Royal Rumble 2026 in Saudi Arabia.

Since then, he’s not been seen in the ring or even backstage at the time of this article’s publication. Mostly, he’s been seen on the podcast What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon. While this familiarizes WWE audiences as to who Keys is, fans were hoping for something different. Nothing too difficult, just a few squash matches or a short feud. I’m hoping for his sake that it’s because they want to reintroduce him in an impactful way as a big player. After all, his AEW run saw little of his full potential, so what could he achieve in WWE?

Danhausen shortly joined him in the ship-jumping. His emergence stemmed from a build that saw a comically large crate bounce from episodes of Raw and SmackDown every week in February. He finally emerged from it at Elimination Chamber 2026 to rapturous boos, and in the weeks of television since, his curses have quickly won over fans. Coming after a few years of inactivity in his AEW contract, he’s hit the ground running.

How Does WWE See Ex-AEW Stars?

As with any promoter in wrestling, the way a booker sees a particular talent will inevitably vary. Fans could be wholly behind a wrestler, but the person behind the booking may not rate them as high. And vice versa. That’s why Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston, and Rey Mysterio took so long to become top champions and had less substantial runs as such. In AEW and WWE, the talents I’ve discussed have gone through, and will go through, similar experiences in their new roles.

Surface-wise, certain talents do seem to be thriving while others are either right where they started or below. Ever since Cody Rhodes’s return at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, the message WWE wants to send seems to be one of two: “Come over here, the water’s fine!” or “Do you really want to sign with AEW? They’re not doing so hot over here.”

Regardless of one’s opinion, one thing is crystal clear. WWE sees the value in AEW and its talent-building system.