WWE Elevating Superstars Angling Toward AEW, AJ Styles Contract Update: Report

For the first time in two decades, World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) supremacy in the pro-wrestling world has been threatened with the emergence of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an alternate company for athletes looking to become stars in the wrestling world.

WWE is still the biggest company and have the biggest fan following, but are aware that AEW, funded by Pakistani-American billionaires Shahid Khan and his son Toni, are a threat and have the power to attract the best talent from across the globe.

WWE was the main attraction for all pro-wrestlers, but AEW have now emerged as contenders with former WWE superstar Cody Rhodes occupying a vice-president type role. They have also added long-time WWE loyalist Chris Jericho to their roster.

The American pro-wrestler and singer recently signed a three-year deal with the new company and revealed that it was an NFL-style offer that blew his mind. That conveys to all wrestlers that AEW is willing to offer deals that could potentially match or better WWE’s offer.

In recent weeks, there have been a number of reports about wrestlers connected to WWE either asking to be released from their contracts or looking toward AEW for a better deal and role in the company.

According to Sportskeeda, WWE chairman Vince McMahon is keen to keep the reports of unrest on the down low and is said to have ordered the WWE Creative to give a push to all such wrestlers and give them a more active role in the weekly main events – Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live.

The likes of Revival – a tag team – and wrestler Andrade Cien Almas have been given a push in recent weeks as WWE believe that they can avoid losing them to a rival franchise by keeping them relevant in the WWE.

Meanwhile, question marks still remain over the future of AJ Styles, who is one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE at the moment. He was the face of SmackDown Live until recently when he was deposed as the champion by Daniel Bryan.

He continues to have the ear of McMahon and is being given big fights in pay-per-view events. But Styles will be out of contract in April and is yet to agree to a new deal. WWE hierarchy will not accept losing him and are working toward a new agreement.

However, AEW are certain to be monitoring the situation and will be aware that landing Styles will be a major coup for their brand as they look to slowly challenge the supremacy of the WWE. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer believes it is a great time to be a wrestler as they now have a number of options.

Especially for Styles, who he believes will have the advantage in negotiations as he is one of the best around. Meltzer also feels Styles will sign a new contract soon but has no doubt that he will consider an offer from AEW before making his final decision.

“AJ Styles doesn’t have a new contract. What timing this guy’s got,” Meltzer said, as quoted on Wrestling News. “He’s gonna have a contract soon for sure. What a great time for your contract to expire, especially for AJ Styles. Good for him, he’s worked his ass off for 20 years to be in this position.”