With Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque now in charge of WWE talent relations and creative, many – Matt Hardy included – believe some AEW-contracted stars may leave for WWE.
‘The Game’ was appointed to his new roles on 22 and 25 July, respectively, taking over from Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis following their respective departures from the company. Already, there has been a notable change in direction, with numerous released NXT Superstars returning to WWE.
Matt Hardy, a current AEW star and WWE legend, has commented on the matter on his Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, believing that WWE may see an influx of All Elite Wrestling performers coming into the company:
“This deal with Triple H taking over WWE is a game-changer. On top of that, it also opens up the door for so many people to go back. There’s so many more people who have a better relationship with Triple H than they did Vince. Triple H has already been so much more accessible from the people that I’ve talked to there with the current experience. So it’s great. It’s a very good thing. I also think it’s going to make the competition of the industry healthier.”
As Matt Hardy continued, he explained how, much like AEW head honcho Tony Khan, Triple H is “tuned into” the current landscape of pro wrestling:
“Triple H is much more tuned in to 2022 pro wrestling, much like Tony Khan is. So I think now you have two guys who really have the fingers on the pulse of pro wrestling. So I think that’s going to benefit everyone.”
Already, Karrion Kross, Dakota Kai, and Dexter Lumis have been rehired by WWE, with IYO SKY also being promoted to the main roster. Most recently, Hit Row – sans Swerve Strickland and now known as The OG3 – were brought back to the company, returning on Friday’s SmackDown.
There’s no word on who, exactly, could leave AEW for WWE, though the likes of Adam Cole and Malakai Black – two names synonymous with the Triple H era of NXT – are signed to AEW for the next few years.