5 WWE stars who have burned bridges with AEW

WWE enjoyed something of a monopoly over the wrestling business for a very long time. However, the inception of AEW in 2019 changed the landscape of the industry in many ways. It gave wrestlers a new platform to hone their craft without putting severe creative limitations on them like WWE did.

However, not every top wrestler on the scene is on good terms with the Jacksonville-based promotion. In the past six years, several wrestlers have left All Elite Wrestling on a sour note, severing their ties with Tony Khan in the process.

A number of top stars had a controversial exit from the Jacksonville-based promotion, which hurt their relations with the AEW President. Interestingly, a few current WWE stars have also made some questionable remarks on TK that may have crushed the possibility of them signing with AEW in the future.

In this article, let's look at five WWE stars who have burned bridges with All Elite Wrestling.

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#5. Ricky Saints' AEW run ended on bad terms

Ricky Saints (FKA Ricky Starks) last appeared in AEW in March 2024. The Absolute One remained on the sidelines for the next 11 months before he was granted his release from the Jacksonville-based promotion.

Ricky Saints' departure remains one of the most controversial exits in AEW history. During his long absence, the Stroke Daddy kept fans informed about how he was not injured and that a lack of creative plans had kept him off television.

The former FTW Champion vented his frustrations about his usage in All Elite Wrestling in interviews. While he kept wrestling on the independent circuit, Saints was never brought back to television by Tony Khan.

The two sides ultimately parted ways earlier this year when All Elite Wrestling granted Saints' request for his release.

The Absolute One was once one of the brightest stars in the Jacksonville-based promotion. However, his relationship with Tony Khan turned sour after the two failed to keep aside their creative differences.

Since the Stroke Daddy made his WWE NXT debut, the crowd has often been seen chanting "Tony Fumbled" during Ricky's matches. During a recent backstage segment, Shawn Spears had also reminded Saints that WWE was his last hope for becoming a superstar, as he had already burned all the other bridges.

#4. and #3. The Lucha Bros had a controversial exit from AEW

The Lucha Bros (Penta and Rey Fenix) were one of the most celebrated tag teams in the history of AEW. The duo ruled the promotion's tag team division for five years, delivering several remarkable in-ring classics.

Having been with the Tony Khan-led company since the very beginning, the dynamic luchadors decided to move on from the promotion last year. The news of Penta and Fenix leaving AEW to join WWE broke out in the summer of 2024. In a shocking turn of events, TK decided to add injury time to Rey Fenix's contract, extending his stay in the Jacksonville-based promotion.

The decision caused a huge uproar in the wrestling world, as The Lucha Bros criticized the All Elite Wrestling President for keeping Fenix in AEW against his will. The former AEW International Champion called the treatment "inhumane," expressing his dissatisfaction at not being allowed to wrestle for the company of his choice.

While Penta debuted in WWE in January 2025, his brother had to wait a little longer before TK let him go. After much consideration, Khan decided to release Rey Fenix in March 2025, putting an end to a long conflict between The Lucha Bros and All Elite Wrestling.

After being integral parts of the AEW programming for nearly five years, the WWE duo would not be too happy with how their run in the promotion ended.

#2. WWE NXT's Je'Von Evans went off on Tony Khan and Ricochet

In a recent interaction with an X/Twitter user, Ricochet claimed that he could squash NXT's Je'Von Evans. The One and Only likely made these remarks to get more heat on his heel character.

Ricochet's comments caught the attention of the athletic star, who went on a rant against the former WWE United States Champion on X/Twitter. Interestingly, Evans also took a shot at Tony Khan during his verbal back-and-forth with the Highlight of the Night.

The Young OG stated he was in a far better spot than Ricochet, as he was getting the opportunity to hone his craft in the Performance Center under the able leadership of Shawn Michaels.

The 21-year-old star also took a dig at All Elite Wrestling's audience numbers, mentioning how Ricochet is stuck wrestling in front of 2,000 fans every week. During this exchange, Je'Von Evans called Tony Khan "a crackhead," a comment which did not sit well with the majority of the AEW fanbase.

While his banter with The One and Only was quite entertaining, it was shocking to see Je'Von Evans go after the president of All Elite Wrestling. After Evans' controversial remarks against TK, the young star is unlikely to be seen in All Elite Wrestling anytime soon.

Although the NXT star later deleted the tweet, the damage might have already been done.

#1. CM Punk might never return to AEW

AEW stunned the world in 2021 when it brought CM Punk back to pro wrestling. The Best in the World remained in the promotion for the next two years and created several impressive records.

Unfortunately, The Voice of the Voiceless entered a backstage feud with Hangman Page and The Elite in 2022, which kicked off an year-long episode of chaos in All Elite Wrestling. After his infamous brawl with Jack Perry at All In, Punk was fired from the Tony Khan-led company in August 2023.

The Straight Edge Superstar's respect for TK diminished after the All Elite Wrestling President failed to put an end to the Punk vs. Elite backstage rivalry. Following a chaotic exit from AEW, CM Punk tore apart the company's management on Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour podcast.

While he was a proven draw for All Elite Wrestling, CM Punk's controversial exit brought a lot of shame to the Jacksonville-based promotion. Considering his creative issues with Tony Khan, The Best in the World is very unlikely to show up in the promotion ever again.