5 times AEW signed a released WWE Superstar

In the space of three years, AEW has gone from non-existent to being one of the two biggest companies in professional wrestling. As the company expanded, Tony Khan started to sign a whole litany of stars who used to ply their trade in WWE.

His cause was aided by the fact that Vince McMahon and co. went on a firing spree throughout the pandemic. WWE released more than 80 wrestlers and employees in 2021 alone. These talents range from main-eventers to up-and-comers in NXT.

All Elite Wrestling has been quick to pick up a bunch of these former WWE Superstars to varying degrees of success. While talents such as Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and Adam Cole joined upon the expiry of their WWE contracts, others were unfortunately let go before they were approached by Tony Khan.

Here are 5 times AEW has signed a released WWE Superstar:

---

#5. Keith Lee debuts on AEW Dynamite to qualify for the Face of the Revolution ladder match

Keith Lee was the perfect example of WWE under-utilising a promising talent as soon as they went up to the main roster. He was unstoppable in NXT, winning both the NXT and North American Championships. He had a series of classic matches with the likes of Dominik Dijakovic and Adam Cole.

It was such a shame that Vince McMahon would strip away everything that was good about Keith Lee when he went up to RAW. He was forced to wear a singlet when he wrestled and was saddled with the "Bearcat" gimmick. Keith's original character was ruined by the time WWE decided to release him.

Luckily, Tony Khan recognized the intagible qualities that Keith possessed and more or less left his presentation untouched when he debuted on Dynamite a few weeks back. He dominated Isiah Kassidy for a spot in the Face of the Revolution ladder match at the Revolution pay-per-view, impressing everyone with his awe-inspiring strength and athleticism.

On Twitter, he said the following, which were his first words after his debut:

"We got a lot of work to do still. But I more than appreciate the warm welcome back. The person with the sign that had the same silhouette that's on the front of my hoodie.... thank you. Touched my soul. And with sad family times hopefully behind me....let's grind. #ForwardMarch."

It truly was an impressive outing and fans are excited to see how the Limitless one performs in his pay per-view debut.

---

#4. Malakai Black made an impact on his AEW debut, taking out Cody Rhodes

Malakai Black was another former WWE Superstar who had a disappointing main roster run. He didn't have much of a chance to make a proper impression as he would spend weeks cutting backstage promos and waiting for an opponent to challenge him.

Later on, he was completely left off television. WWE would start promoting vignettes, signaling his imminent return that featured decent production value, perhaps hinting at a renewed push. Unfortunately, he was released a week after his return when he interrupted then Intercontinental Champion Big E.

Black joined AEW a few weeks after his WWE release and immediately set his sights on Cody Rhodes and the Nightmare Family. The former Aleister Black hit the Black Mass on both Cody Rhodes and Arn Anderson. He would go on to defeat the American Nightmare comprehensively on two occasions and has now formed his own stable,

It's been an excellent return to form for the Dutchman and he is primed to be a featured performer in All Elite Wrestling going forward.

---

#3. Ruby Soho debuts at AEW All Out 2021

Ruby Soho achieved moderate success in WWE as the leader of the Riott Squad alongside Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. She always seemed like a midcarder at best and never won a Championship during her time with the company. The former Ruby Riott was released by the company in 2021, only a few months after her return to television.

Soho would make her welcome debut at All Elite Wrestling when she came out as the final entrant in the Casino Battle Royale at All Out. She would go on to win the match to earn a shot at the AEW Women's World Championship. However, Ruby wasn't able to defeat Britt Baker for the title at the Grand Slam show.

She also managed to reach the finals of the TBS Championship tournament but lost at the final hurdle to Jade Cargill. Regardless, Ruby Soho's inclusion has given AEW much-needed depth in the women's division.

---

#2. Miro becomes a dominant Champion in AEW

Miro enjoyed a strong initial push in WWE as Rusev, winning the US Championship before losing it in a match at WrestleMania 31 against John Cena. But his career would gradually stagnate to the point of being released in 2020. Although he was popular with the fans, it felt like the company was never truly behind the Bulgarian Brute.

Miro has gone through a huge evolution in his on-screen character since his debut in AEW in 2020. After having huge expectations from the talented superstar, his early days weren't the best, but he continued to grow. The former WWE star captured the TNT championship as well with his well-received 'Redeemer' gimmick.

While he's been away from television for quite some time, he is destined to make an immediate impact upon his return.

---

#1. Buddy Matthews appears on AEW Dynamite and joins the House of Black

In WWE, the former Buddy Murphy was known as "The Best Kept Secret" and for good reason. He could tear it up in the ring and had one of the best physiques in the company. The former Disciple was one of the star attractions of the Cruiserweight division, winning the title in his home country of Australia.

As he went up the main roster, he was put in a promising spot as part of Seth Rollins' stable feuding with the Mysterios. But it was inexplicably cut short and Buddy would be released from the company in the middle of 2021.

Buddy Matthews would finally resurface in AEW as the latest member of another faction, the House of Black. He would make a surprise debut following the clash between The Kings of the Black Throne and Death Triangle's Penta and PAC, revealing his true allegiance as he attacked the fallen victors.