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All Elite Wrestling has shrewdly not demonstrated an over-reliance on wrestlers who previously worked with WWE. Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, The Lucha Bros., The Young Bucks, MJF, and plenty of other talents made their names via other, smaller platforms, or are currently on the rise and blazing new trails before our eyes in AEW.
There remains, however, some value in former WWE stars. The presence of Chris Jericho, Cody and Dustin Rhodes, Shawn Spears, Billy Gunn offers more casual fans a hook, and sense of credibility that AEW is a big league promotion. Moreover, the surprise emergence of a star like Jon Moxley at Double or Nothing can garner legitimate headlines and really draw eyes to the AEW product.
Will more former WWE Superstars show up at AEW All Out? We probably won’t see a plethora of them given the AEW ethos, but given just how successful the Moxley appearance in particular was, it feels quite feasible AEW will go to that well again. This article considers five former WWE Superstars who could show up at AEW All Out.
#5 Alundra Blayze
While Jon Moxley may have stolen all of the headlines coming out of Double or Nothing, another surprise appearance by a wrestler of even greater stature—albeit a retired legend—saw Bret Hart come out in front of the live audience to introduce the new AEW World Championship belt. Some reports suggest Ric Flair was originally tagged for that spot before health issues got him pulled from the weekend (including his featured role at Starrcast). Nonetheless, the Hitman was still a true legend to offer instant credibility to the title.
If AEW sought to reproduce this dynamic for the Women’s Championship that’s scheduled to be unveiled at AEW All Out, there may be no greater choice than Alundra Blayze. She was a tremendously talented legend of women’s wrestling. We can add onto that her tenuous relationship with WWE. After dropping the WWE Women’s Championship in the trash during the Monday Night War, she was eventually forgiven enough for a Hall of Fame induction.
Blayze has since been subject to uneven treatment, including having a documentary special about her pulled and introduced on the WWE Network less prominently, besides which her backstage interviewer work for the Mae Young Classic never made broadcast. That combination of being a respected figure and having a love-hate relationship with WWE positions her much like Hart as a prime candidate to appear for AEW.
#4 Austin Aries
Austin Aries was a star for Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling before a disappointing run with WWE. He was largely miscast as a face character, and despite seemingly working in environments set up for his success in NXT and on 205 Live, he never realized his potential and left amidst rumors of personality differences with the powers that be at WWE. Aries’s reputation hasn’t gotten much better since, particularly with a new run in Impact that ended abruptly.
Despite the issues he may carry with him, Aries remains an outstanding in ring performer and a guy with a big enough personality to make waves. He could be an intriguing addition to the fledgling AEW All Out locker room, especially if he were to be cast in the arrogant heel persona he has performed so well in. Moreover, as a veteran, Aries could prove a mentor to younger talents on the roster and help set them up for bigger things down the road.
#3 CM Punk
There may be no single free agent (former) wrestler with more AEW buzz attached to him than CM Punk. After his tumultuous departure from WWE, it seemed fair to guess that he really was retired from the ring. However, with reports of him making appearances under a mask for smaller promotions, and him working an autograph signing over All In weekend last year, and with AEW All Out bringing AEW back to Chicago, it feels more possible than ever Punk could make a return.
Of course, the Straight Edge Superstar has denied the rumors on social media, and it’s far from certain he’s working the fans. Punk signing for a limited time seems feasible, though, given AEW’s aesthetic and how it matches Punk’s identity. Moreover, the chance to play a key role for a prospective competitor to WWE seems like it would logically be appealing to him. Even if it were a non-wrestling appearance, just to further buzz, Punk could have a presence at this show.
#2 Big Cass
Big Cass looked like he was primed to become a major star for WWE, if only for his size and look. His fortunes slipped, leading up to an abrupt departure from the company. He has shown up in smaller promotions here and there, but it’s hard to say that he’s built on his legacy since.
Cass is exactly the kind of star with a degree of recognition from his time in WWE, but plenty of space to still rewrite his story in a new environment, better set up for his success. In AEW, Cass’s status as a big man would only be amplified amongst a roster mostly made up of smaller talents. Cast in a role that covers his limitations from bell to bell, and plays up the sheer magnitude of his size, Cass could do nicely for himself. Moreover, his size could help out AEW by giving them the sort of hoss talent that Cody Rhodes has openly talked about courting to flesh out their roster. Let's see that do we get a chance to see him in AEW All Out.
#1 Alberto Del Rio
Despite a checkered reputation that includes ugly splits with WWE and Impact Wrestling, Alberto Del Rio seems to keep rising from the ashes, landing relatively high profile opportunities. There’s a reason for it—when motivated and used properly, he’s a very good professional wrestler.
Would Del Rio deliver for AEW? And if so, for how long?
It’s impossible to tell, but he’s not getting any younger and we could be at the nexus point of his desire to shore up his legacy with one more big run, and AEW benefiting from signing one of the highest profile Latino stars in the business. If AEW could challenge the Del Rio that showed up to work for Lucha Underground, he may well be an asset for them, staring at AEW All Out.
