A new report has claimed that WWE made contract with FTR and Swerve Strickland over returns to the company.
On September 18th it was confirmed that Malakai Black had secured his release from the AEW. The news came after it was reported that an unnamed star had previously requested to be let go, but this request was turned down.
Around the time that the “unnamed wrestler” asked to leave, it was noted that WWE had reached out to multiple AEW contracted stars in an effort to get them make the jump. This prompted Megha Parekh, AEW’s Chief Legal Officer and the promotion’s second in command emailing WWE’s Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon, warning them “not to tamper” with talent.
In a more recent report in the Wrestling Observer on September 23rd, it was suggested that there were multiple wrestlers other than Black who also requested their release. A follow-up report from Fightful Select, has now claimed to reveal the identities of some of those AEW stars contacted by WWE.
The report states that “feelers were sent out” to Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR. In addition, WWE also attempted to re-sign the due while Vince McMahon was still at the helm. It is also “widely known” that the sports entertainment giant also reached out to Swerve Strickland.
In closing, the report also claims that in August WWE reached out to an unnamed AEW original, who would come as a surprise to many.
With regard to Malakai Black the report notes that sources within WWE had mentioned that the star had said he wished he was still with the company. Black is now “effectively done” with AEW, although he can’t go back to WWE for an extended period. Several higher-ups in AEW were under the impression he wanted to return to WWE, with some of the opinion that “if they want to go, let them.”