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Pro wrestlers have contracts that vary in length, just like other professional sports, including the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Some are multi-year deals like WWE tries to have its talent sign, while others can be on a year-to-year basis. Companies like Ring of Honor often have short-term deals with their stars while also locking in certain key talent to longer contracts. Performers like Jay Lethal and Matt Taven have been with the promotion for many years, seeing a plethora of stars come and go.
While most of the big names in the industry usually become free agents at the end of a calendar year, it doesn't mean that there are still names that are currently unsigned. WWE dubbed those stars not drafted as "free agents", but there are pro wrestlers not signed to WWE that can join any promotion they want, including the UFC.
One reason why there haven't been a lot of huge signings so far for most of 2020 is obviously because of the global pandemic. Promotions often save big debuts for huge moments, like WWE often does after WrestleMania and SummerSlam. All Elite Wrestling has used shock debuts at PPVs (Jon Moxley, Brian Cage, Santana and Ortiz) or during episodes of Dynamite this year. Both Matt Cardona (formerly Zack Ryder in WWE) and Miro (formerly Rusev in WWE) debuted in AEW with a minimal crowd.
Those debuts would have had more of an impact had there been a capacity crowd, but there are currently some big names that are not signed to a big promotion. Here are five free agents that may draw the interest of WWE and AEW, especially once bigger crowds return to events.
#5 WWE and AEW could try to sign Priscilla Kelly
Priscilla Kelly has had a cup of tea with both WWE and AEW. She was a part of the Mae Young Classic tournament a few years ago, facing Deonna Purrazzo. Earlier this year, she faced Britt Baker on Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager at Sea.
She has experience with both companies but wasn't signed to a long-term contract. In terms of need, AEW clearly needs upgrades in its women's division. Even when it gets a lot of their female talent back from injuries and travel restrictions, the division still needs about three or four more well-known female Superstars.
Britt Baker is heading towards becoming the AEW Women's Champ, meaning that a lot of faces will be needed to oppose her. AEW did recently add Ivelisse and Tay Conti, but that still isn't enough. Kelly seems like she'd fit into the Dark Order or any other dark faction. She could also just go it alone.
In WWE, she'd have a little more trouble standing out but has a well-defined gimmick as Hell's Favorite Harlot. NXT has one of the best women's division in all of wrestling and adding a name like Kelly would only bolster that fact. She could be perfectly happy on the independent scene, but it wouldn't be surprising to see her land in either promotion at some point.
#4 WWE and AEW could try to sign Kelly Klein
Like Priscilla Kelly, Kelly Klein is currently without a major promotion like AEW or WWE to call home. She was the focal point of Ring of Honor's Women of Honor division, holding the title and defending it against all comers.
Once the group called Allure came on the scene, Klein became the target of Velvet Sky, Angelina Love, and Mandy Leon. Things got even tougher as Klein and ROH had a falling out over contract and medical issues. The company stripped her of the title and she departed. They announced a tournament to crown a new Champion in April, but the global pandemic put a halt to that.
Klein is a bigger, stronger female Superstar and is extremely athletic. She's about as tall as Charlotte Flair but is much stronger. Klein called herself the Gatekeeper as anyone and everyone in ROH had to go through her in order to move up. WWE has some former powerlifters in its ranks (Bianca Belair, Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose), but Klein is physically bigger than those women and would be a challenge for anyone.
Like Priscilla Kelly, AEW should do everything they can to sign Klein. The Gatekeeper is someone that could rival Nyla Rose or bully the rest of the roster. In WWE or NXT, she'd fit in brawling with Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez or tussling with Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler on RAW. She's a former three-time Women of Honor Champion and is more than deserving to be signed by either WWE or AEW.
#3 WWE and AEW could try to sign James Storm
'Cowboy' James Storm had a few matches in WWE for NXT back in 2015. He ended up re-signing with IMPACT Wrestling before departing and joining the newly revamped NWA. He won the NWA Tag Team Championships alongside Eli Drake but hasn't been able to compete for NWA due to the pandemic.
The former TNA Champion revealed that he was close to debuting for WWE earlier this year, but it was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was even recently seen training with former WWE RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey and her husband, Travis Browne. Could both Rousey and Storm be planning for a shock debut in WWE at some point in the near future?
Storm obviously has ties to WWE since he competed in NXT and his former tag team partner in Beer Money, Robert Roode, is currently a member of SmackDown. He'd likely be booked in the mid-card as some former TNA/IMPACT stars have had good runs in WWE (Roode, AJ Styles). Others like EC3 and Eric Young, however, have not.
The Cowboy would also be valuable to AEW because he is a trusted name and well-known veteran throughout the industry. Would he make the leap to the new promotion or would it make more sense to go where he has some friends?
#2 WWE and AEW could try to sign Tessa Blanchard
I'll start this slide out by saying I'm not addressing any attitude or behavior issues Tessa Blanchard may or may not have. She's had a few matches for WWE with NXT and IMPACT Wrestling showed immense faith in her talents by making her its first female World Champion. That's not something they did lightly, and it was a huge sign of respect that Sami Callihan was willing to drop the title to her.
She kicked off her reign with some good defenses, but once the global pandemic hit, she opted to stay safe at home in Mexico alongside her partner, Daga. As the summer approached, it became apparent that Blanchard needed to appear at this year's Slammiversary to defend her title. Things didn't work out, and IMPACT stripped her of her title and released her from the company.
Once she was done with the promotion, many believed that she would eventually end up in either WWE or AEW. WWE allegedly sent "feelers" out to her and her representation. But due to limited or no crowd presence, it didn't make too much sense for a big name to sign and debut to limited crowd noise.
Like Klein and Kelly, AEW would instantly boost its women's division by adding Blanchard since she'd likely be booked as a bigger deal in AEW than WWE. Her father is in AEW and if she did sign with WWE and have that inevitable feud with Charlotte Flair, Flair would obviously go over as she usually does. Wherever she goes, Blanchard would instantly put either division on notice. While neither AEW or WWE would book her like IMPACT did as its primary Champion, she'd still be a top star in either promotion.
#1 WWE and AEW could try to sign Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar usually signs short-term deals for big-time cash. It's what he has done for years with WWE and UFC and it has made him a very rich man. His contract expired earlier this summer as he has not appeared on any WWE programming since WrestleMania 36.
The Beast is usually only used a few times a year for big PPVS like WrestleMania, SummerSlam or the Royal Rumble. He's also been a fixture at the Saudi Arabia shows due to his name recognition.
The landscape of WWE has certainly changed a great deal due to WrestleMania, the pandemic and the recent WWE Draft. Lesnar could be eyeing a short-term return to the Octagon and the UFC if the price and opponent are right.
It was reported that despite being a free agent, he wouldn't likely sign with any other wrestling promotion but WWE. He might go to the UFC, but WWE would likely have the best chance and likelihood at signing the Beast to a deal. AEW could pursue him, but they'd be better served growing the younger stars they've featured heavily like Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, and Orange Cassidy.
When crowds return and WrestleMania/Royal Rumble season heats up, we might see the Beast back in action in a WWE ring.
