'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The AEW roster is packed with wrestlers from all over the world, including former WWE Superstars. Since the company's birth in 2019, the roster has grown to an impressive mix of veterans, legends, and rising stars. The upstart company made a statement from the beginning that they were not to be taken lightly.
2022 was a decent year for Tony Khan and the crew. Part of the reason why the company enjoyed such a high level of success was because of the new talent that was added to the roster.
While some of the new additions came from the independent scene, several signees from 2022 were once on the WWE roster. With that said, today, we're taking a closer look at some of the newer names on AEW's growing roster. Here is our list of five former WWE Superstars who signed with the company in 2022.
#5. WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett made his All Elite Wrestling debut on the November 2, 2022, episode of Dynamite when he attacked Darby Allin. The Hall of Famer's debut marked his first televised appearance on TBS in over 21 years, with his last TV match being in 2001, on the final episode of WCW Thunder.
Fans are all well aware of Jarrett's storied career. At 55 years young, Double J has been wrestling for nearly 40 years with no signs of letting up. Jarrett is currently aligned with Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh. Together they form the stable known as The Lethal Connection.
Before signing with AEW, the veteran competed all over the world, including WCW and WWE. Throughout his career, Jarrett has been a champion at many levels. His most notable accolades include being a six-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, a four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and a three-time WCW United States Champion. The Double J was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.
#4. Former TNT Champion Samoa Joe
One of the biggest acquisitions of 2022 was Samoa Joe making his return to Ring of Honor, and considering that ROH and AEW are now under the same corporate umbrella, Joe technically signed on April 1, 2022, after making a surprise run-in appearance at the ROH Supercard of Honor pay-per-view event.
Prior to signing with AEW, Samoa Joe spent seven years with WWE. During his run, the Samoan Submission machine became one of NXT's most dominant superstars. Joe went on to become a three-time NXT Champion, and during his stint on the main roster, the former Impact Westling star was a two-time WWE United States Champion.
Since joining the All Elite roster, Joe has been involved in some very exciting feuds. The most notable storyline included Wardlow, which culminated with Samoa Joe winning the TNT Championship at the Full Gear 2022 event in a three-way match.
It's also worth noting that Samoa Joe is the reigning ROH Television Champion as of this writing. However, Joe lost his TNT Championship to Darby Allin on the first Dynamite of 2023.
#3. Former AEW Women's Champion Toni Storm
Toni Storm made her surprise debut as a participant in the Owen Hart Foundation Women's Tournament in March 2022. Storm made it to the tournament's semi-finals before losing to Britt Baker.
The former WWE Superstar won the AEW Women's Championship at the All Out pay-per-view in September 2022, when she defeated Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Jamie Hayter in a classic four-way match.
Before signing with AEW, Toni Storm spent several years with WWE. Her crowning achievement with WWE came when she won the NXT UK Women's Championship. She held the title for 230 days before losing it to Kay Lee Ray at the NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff event in 2019.
Strom made her initial pro wrestling debut on the New Zealand independent scene before making her way to the UK, where she earned a name for herself by working for promotions like Progress Wrestling. She caught the attention of WWE and was signed in mid-2017 when she made her WWE debut at the Mae Young Classic.
#2. Ring of Honor Champion Claudio Castagnoli
One of the biggest creative fumbles in recent memory was the way WWE handled or mishandled Cesaro. Before signing with WWE, Claudio Castagnoli was one of independent wrestling's biggest stars. Claudio was a huge star with promotions such as PWG, Chikara, and CZW, just to name a few. His success caught the attention of WWE officials and ultimately resulted in Claudio being signed by the company and becoming Cesaro.
At the Forbidden Door pay-per-view in June 2022, Claudio made his official debut when he defeated Zack Sabre Jr. From there, the Swiss Superman became a member of The Blackpool Combat Club.
When AEW acquired ROH, Claudio was a perfect fit for the revamped company. Considering his history as a Ring of Honor alumni, Castagnoli was instantly a top-tier ROH superstar when Tony Khan took over the promotion.
Castagnoli is currently the Ring of Honor World Champion. He captured the title for the second time in his career at the Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view in December 2022, when he defeated then-champ Chris Jericho.
#1. Former WWE Divas Champion Saraya
On September 21, 2022, over 12,000 wrestling fans piled into Arthur Ashe Stadium to witness history as AEW presented their annual event known as Grand Slam. The event was highlighted by Saraya's debut.
Formerly known by WWE fans as "Paige," Saraya was one of WWE's premier Superstars. Paige was at the forefront of the WWE Women's Revolution as she led the charge in elevating women's wrestling to a level playing field as their male counterparts.
The Anti Diva was the inaugural NXT Women's Champion, and she became a two-time WWE Divas Champion on the main roster. Paige retired from in-ring completion in December 2017 due to a neck injury.
On July 7, 2022, Paige took to Twitter to announce that she had officially left WWE. While many fans speculated that she might be done wrestling altogether, there was still the belief that she may try her luck with AEW.
After making her All Elite Wrestling debut, Saraya went on to announce that she was medically cleared to compete. At Full Gear 2022, the Anti Diva wrestled her first match in five years.
Since arriving, Saraya has surged to the top of the women's roster and appears to have her eyes on the Women's Championship, which could very well become a reality for her in 2023.
How did Ric Flair spend $1500 at a pizza place? More details here
