3 Biggest WWE Superstars Triple H won't regret losing to AEW and 2 that he would

Who knows what the WWE and AEW rosters will look like in a few years?
Who knows what the WWE and AEW rosters will look like in a few years? [image via WWE.com]

Whether you're part of the WWE Universe or an AEW Sicko, you're surrounded by star power. Both promotions are stacked with the best talent the world has to offer. Unfortunately, this can cause some wrestlers, regardless of their placement on the card, to fall to the wayside.

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With two major promotions happening stateside, anyone unhappy with their position and the time allotted has an opportunity to jump ship and make some major cash. And there are quite a few WWE stars who could make a real impact on Wednesdays and Saturdays, though some will require more effort from Triple H and the team than others.

We're here to look at some game changers that could make the jump, and if it's a talent Paul Levesque would fight to keep. It's essential to note that no one is here due to a lack of ability, but rather a lack of enthusiasm from WWE. Let's get started with a former champion currently stalled on RAW.

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#3. Won't: Former North American & Speed Champion Dragon Lee

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Dragon Lee is, genuinely, one of the best luchadors on the planet. At just 30 years of age, the former North American Champion has wowed fans in WWE, ROH, NJPW, AAA, and CMLL, winning championship gold in each promotion. He came in and caught fire in NXT back in 2023, dethroning Dominik Mysterio for the North American Title in his first major feud with the promotion. Unfortunately, he has completely stalled on the main roster.

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Despite joining the LWO in 2024, Lee was kept off the WrestleMania XL card, where he was supposed to team with Rey Mysterio, due to a backstage attack. His run on SmackDown and RAW since then has been, frankly, forgettable. It's not really his fault. When given the chance to shine, like the trio's tag match at Worlds Collide, he's proven to wow fans around the globe.

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Unfortunately, Dragon Lee has been overshadowed by recent signings like Penta and Fenix, as well as some AAA stars like Vikingo, who have appeared a few times since WWE acquired the promotion around WrestleMania weekend. Lee still has his whole career ahead of him and could do wonders fighting for the TNT, International, or Continental Titles in AEW. His two brothers, RUSH and Dralistico, are already there with their own version of LIJ, La Facción Ingobernable, so there's already a storyline waiting for him if he crosses the line.

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With WWE seemingly unable to push too many masked superstars at the same time, Triple H probably wouldn't miss Lee. At least, not until he proves himself as a valuable asset. It wouldn't be the first time a talent was overlooked, left, made a name for themselves, and returned stronger and more popular. Though he'd have to have an awkward conversation with Tony Khan first.


#2. Won't: Former United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura

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Shinsuke Nakamura is one of those early NXT signings that had Triple H's scent all over him. When he signed in 2016, Triple H praised The King of Strong Style as a great example of the lifeblood of what made NXT so special.

His NXT run was fantastic, for sure. Sadly, Nakamura hasn't been able to get much going since his first year on the main roster. Sure, he debuted on SmackDown with an epic live entrance that the crowd joined in on. He also had a WWE Championship match within a year of his debut, losing to Jinder Mahal. He even won his first Royal Rumble, last eliminating Roman Reigns in 2018, only to lose to AJ Styles in a WWE Title match at WrestleMania 34.

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WWE seemed to cool on Nakamura right as he was preparing for his world title run. A strange and frankly disappointing heel run then followed, and Nakamura's aura never fully recovered. Sure, whenever the promotion puts the Intercontinental or United States Championships on him, fans get excited. However, his most recent championship reign —a 97-day run with only one televised title defense, which he lost —killed any hope of a comeback to prominence.

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At 45 years old, his best days are behind him, and the odds of WWE figuring out the formula to giving Shinsuke a legitimate world title run are slim, at best. With rumors of him leaving swirling this year, it wouldn't shock anyone to see him walk away. An AEW run, even if short, could give fans some match-ups like Nakamura against Kazuchika Okada, Kenny Omega, and more before he calls it quits. Triple H and WWE clearly have no interest in pushing him heavily, so why not?

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#2. Will: Multi-time WWE Champion Drew McIntyre

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This is going to be a controversial choice, but hear me out.

Back in 2024, around WrestleMania XL, it was confirmed by The Rock himself that Drew McIntyre signed a new deal with WWE. Reportedly, The Scottish Psychopath signed on for three more years, meaning the multi-time world champion remains with the promotion through WrestleMania 43.

That weekend, Drew McIntyre beat Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship only to get cashed in on by Damian Priest. Since then, McIntyre's been fingertips away from the championship on a handful of occasions, including challenging Priest for the belt at Clash at the Castle and Money in the Bank PLEs. His feuds with Seth Rollins and CM Punk were incredible, aside from that one SummerSlam special guest referee bout that we don't talk about.

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Genuinely, McIntyre's been as close to the top of the WWE card as much as he can without actually becoming WWE Champion. Still, he hasn't held a title since WrestleMania XL, and it doesn't seem like he'll be getting one anytime soon. At least, not a world championship. McIntyre's issues, whether kayfabe or legit, have led to him temporarily stepping away from social media on one occasion, and he recently voiced his frustrations about WWE's failed deal with Travis Scott.

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In June of 2014, McIntyre was released after spending two years in the 3MB with Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater. Three years later, he came back a bigger, badder superstar, proving himself in the indies, ICW, and TNA.

If he and WWE were to separate again, it wouldn't be the promotion tossing him aside. It would be Drew McIntyre leaving for greener pastures. And considering he was in one of the best feuds of 2024, he would be a catastrophic loss for WWE's world title scene.

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#1. Won't: Former Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews

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The case of Apollo Crews is a confusing one. When he joined WWE in 2014, the then-26-year-old Uhaa Nation was one of the most exciting signings the promotion had made. Remember, this is an NXT era where Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, the Four Horsewomen, and more were thriving.

He officially signed with WWE in 2015, debuting as Apollo Crews in August at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn... before quickly being called up to RAW on April 4, and finishing his final NXT feud with Elias two days later. That might have been the first sign that something was wrong. Apollo had no time to develop on the black and gold brand. His power and flashy moves helped somewhat, sure, but he was never able to build up his character before he was pulled out of the smaller pond and thrown into the ocean.

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Over the years, Apollo attempted to progress as a singles competitor, even capturing the United States Championship, his first WWE title, five years after signing with the company. After catching COVID, he'd come back to drop the belt to Bobby Lashley just three months after winning it. This was after a two-year failed run with Titus O'Neil and Dana Brooke, the group known as Titus Worldwide, that ended on a whimper.

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Even an Intercontinental Title win over Big E at WrestleMania in a Nigerian Drum Fight didn't lead to much. He's bounced around all three brands since, getting what he could out of an NXT Title feud with Bron Breakker, whom he never managed to dethrone. The last time Crews got any sort of reaction came from a short-lived tag team with Baron Corbin, which ended abruptly last November when Corbin was released. He's currently on the shelf recovering from a torn pectoral.

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If Apollo managed to find himself in AEW in the next few years, it could be the kind of change he needs to get back on track. Would Triple H regret losing him if he did? Not likely.


#1 Will: Multi-time WWE Champion Bayley

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Bayley has to be one of the top few stars that we can see leaving and would instantly make a massive impact in All Elite Wrestling. With both promotions working hard to fight for the best women's division in pro wrestling history, a heavy hitter like Bayley would rock the boat.

Not only would Triple H lose one of the most valuable players in WWE, but it would also lead to one of the greatest stories for AEW: the reunion of the Boss 'n' Hug Connection. Whether Bayley arrives in AEW to join Mercedes Moné or to reignite the feud that started WWE's last decade of women's top-tier competition, The Role Model would be a legitimate game-changer.

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Bayley's only a year out from her last WWE Championship run, so in no way would we say she's been mishandled like Dragon Lee or Shinsuke Nakamura. Bayley recently spoke with Chris Van Vliet, revealing that she had about a year and a half left on her deal as of April.

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On this week's RAW, she seemed depressed and lost, claiming she's, for the first time, at a loss for words regarding her place in WWE. It's possible we could be heading to a Bayley heel turn, which would end her face run a year and a half after it began. The Role Model reminded fans what she could bring to the ring in a two-out-of-three falls match with Lyra Valkyria that was praised by critics and even co-workers like Asuka, who raved about it on her YouTube channel, KanaChanTV.

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Still, we're at a point where The Horsewomen are now the veterans struggling to share TV time with the generation that came after. Becky Lynch and Bayley are stuck in the mid-card fighting for the Intercontinental Championship, while Charlotte Flair has moved into the tag team division with Alexa Bliss.

We might have moved past seeing Bayley on top of the world in WWE. A move to AEW could propel her straight to the peak of the promotion. It could also wound Triple H and the promotion if two of the Four Horsewomen ended up thriving with the competition.

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Edited by Neda Ali
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