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AEW President Tony Khan recently announced that he is set to sign a performer whom the fans respect and admire. The mystery signing will put pen to paper at the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.
Khan has made it clear since 2019 that he isn't afraid to splash the cash when making big signings. In the last two weeks alone, he has hired Mariah May and Kota Ibushi, showing no signs of slowing down.
Fans are eagerly awaiting to discover who the mystery signing could be. With all the WWE Superstars released in September 2023 still sitting through their 90-day non-compete clauses, here are five performers Tony Khan could recruit at Full Gear.
#5 MJF could sign a new deal
MJF is already signed to AEW, so what's all this about? For those living under a rock for the past year, the AEW World Champion is ready for the "Bidding War of 2024." Maxwell Jacob Friedman is ready to play All Elite Wrestling and WWE off each other to get the best deal, but Full Gear could put an end to that.
Friedman will become the first man in history to spend one full year as AEW World Champion if he defeats Jay White on Saturday. He previously admitted that Tony Khan is doing everything he can to keep him in the company. If Khan concludes the November 18 event by announcing MJF's re-signing and ending the "Bidding War of 2024," fans will have more confidence in the product moving forward.
#4 Katsuyori Shibata could sign a deal if Tony Khan offered him one
The current ROH Pure Champion wasn't sure if he would be able to wrestle a few years ago, and now he has competed at multiple pay-per-views for AEW and Ring of Honor. However, he isn't a full-time member of the roster, but that could all change at Full Gear.
Shibata recently said he would happily sign a deal with All Elite Wrestling. Tony Khan has made it very clear that he would love to have Shibata around full-time. If he joins the company, it would be the first major contract The Wrestler will have signed in over six years.
#3 El Hijo del Vikingo could be the mystery man
The current AAA Mega Champion may well be a full-time member of the AEW roster soon, given how many times he has wrestled for the company. At the time of writing he's not under contract, but could that change at Saturday's pay-per-view?
AEW's relationship with AAA has been intact since the company's inception. But since Tony Khan recently welcomed CMLL stars onto his shows, maybe the relationship between All Elite Wrestling and AAA could end soon. Multiple stars like Rey Fenix, Bandido, and Komander are "All Elite" despite working for AAA in the past, and El Hijo del Vikingo could be next in line.
#2 Will Ospreay will be a free agent in 2024
While The Aerial Assassin will technically still be under contract with NJPW when Full Gear takes place, it's obvious that he is someone who is high on AEW's priority signing list.
Ospreay announced in August that his contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling will expire in early 2024. He has already performed for AEW multiple times, which is why something unique could happen this weekend.
Thanks to the strong relationship between AEW and NJPW, a pre-agreement deal could be organized to make Ospreay's transition from one company to another much smoother. Ospreay could sign an AEW deal on Saturday, finish his commitments in Japan, and become a full-time member of All Elite Wrestling immediately.
Tony Khan could be familiar with such experiences with players in the Premier League and the NFL. Hence, he might be looking to secure Ospreay's services as soon as Saturday.
#1 Mercedes Mone looks set to return to action
It's a move that has been rumored and speculated for over a year, but this Saturday could finally be when the former Sasha Banks eventually becomes "All Elite."
Tony Khan has made it clear that he's a huge fan of Mercedes Mone. She attended the All In pay-per-view in August 2023 and, if we are being honest, it's the move that arguably makes the most sense.
For some reason, the AEW women's division has always been a weak point for the company. By bringing in someone with the credibility, respect, and aura of a Mercedes Mone, All Elite Wrestling could improve their women's roster. This is the reason the former WrestleMania main eventer tops the list.
