Top 10 AEW Debuts By WWE Wrestlers
#10: Jeff Hardy
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We saw the writing on the wall for a long time, but in March of 2022 it finally happened. While Matt Hardy wasn’t always the best influence on his young charges in the AHFO, it was still a surprise to see them turn against him so willingly when Andrade called for a vote on whether or not to kick him out of the faction. Queue a beatdown so nasty, that even his enemies Sting and Darby Allin couldn’t just sit back and watch. But when even their help wasn’t enough, it was time for his brother Jeff to finally become All Elite. While many laughed about him taking a moment to play up the crowd with a little dance while his brother was getting brutalized, it was still nonetheless an awesome moment to see him make the save to the sounds of the classic Hardy Boyz theme.
#9: Keith Lee
Speaking of under-utilized talent, many felt that Keith Lee had been limited in WWE since his incredible run in NXT. That all changed when he became “All Elite” and allowed us to once again bask in his glory. Facing off against Private Parties Isiah Kassidy, Keith Lee instantly made a huge statement with the most incredible biel throw we’ve ever seen. Even after making quick work of Isiah, the display that Keith Lee put on by taking on Private Party in the post-match proved that once again he was well and truly limitless.
#8: Brodie Lee
Man, talk about missed opportunities. We’ll tragically never know how far the dearly departed Brodie Lee could’ve gone during his AEW career, since the man’s life was cut short at only forty-one years of age. Still, this doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the man’s life and in-ring prowess, since not only was Lee dominant in the WWE as Luke Harper, but the intimidation factor associated with his “Exalted One” persona felt fearsomely legitimate. Beyond this, his dominance as the TNT Champion and long undefeated streak were also super impressive, and offered further credence to Brodie Lee as one of the best.
#7: FTR
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Free. The. Revival. Or, if you prefer, “Fear the Revolt,” “Follow the Rules” or even a certain expletive we’re not going to repeat in this video. It doesn’t really matter how you spell out this tag team’s acronym moniker, what you have, at the end of the day, are certified Top Guys. FTR debuted on “AEW Dynamite” as babyfaces, or “good guys,” but this didn’t last long, as Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler simply work better as devious and devastating tag team specialists. Their smashmouth style hearkens back to the glory days of “tough guy” southern wrestling, and it wasn’t long before their amazing talent was recognized with a tag team title run. Like them or hate them, there’s no ignoring FTR.
#6: Christian Cage
It’s sort of fitting that both Christian Cage and his former tag team partner Edge are currently back between the ropes enjoying new leases on wrestling life. However, while both men returned back to the WWE initially, Christian eventually moseyed on to greener AEW pastures, debuting at “AEW Revolution 2021” with a contract signing that signified that Christian Cage was back. Right off the bat, Cage benefitted from AEW’s collaboration with Impact Wrestling by beating Kenny Omega for that promotion’s World Championship. Additionally, Christian has served in a mentor role of sorts for Jurassic Express, putting all of his skill to use on both the mic and in the ring.
#5: Malakai Black
The former Aleister Black surprised everyone back in the summer of 2021, when appeared in AEW, after being released by the WWE only thirty days prior. This is due to the fact that Black’s former employers include ninety day non-compete clauses for talent they let go…only they made one giant boo-boo. They never updated Black’s contract from his time with NXT, which only had a thirty day non-compete clause. As a result, the occult and heavy metal-influenced wrestler was able to appear on “AEW Dynamite” to much fanfare and acclaim. Now known as Malakai Black, his reputation was still intact, his skill set still razor sharp, and his impact undeniable.
#4: Sting
Just because you go into the WWE Hall of Fame, doesn’t mean you have to hang up your boots. Or, if you do, no one told Sting. That’s because this pro wrestling icon is currently enjoying a renaissance, performing at a level that exceeds his disappointing WWE run from the mid-2010s. It was a homecoming for Sting when he returned to Turner Television for the first time in nearly twenty years. The man was a WCW lifer, a stalwart of the old school wrestling world who nevertheless seems to be turning back the clock with his current AEW run. Seriously, Sting doesn’t really need to be doing any high flying at his age, but we’ll be damned if we’re not happy to see it.
#3: Jon Moxley
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Jon Moxley was one of the earliest WWE names to make AEW his home, joining Chris Jericho as sort of a “seal of quality” for the then-unproven new company. The former Dean Ambrose debuted at AEW’s very first pay-per-view event, assaulting Jericho and Kenny Omega while effectively setting the stage for what would be the first real competition for the WWE in years. Moreover, Moxley was finally free of the shackles that were put on his character by the WWE creative writing team, going all in with a hyper-aggressive style that was more in line with Moxley’s work on the indie scene. Since then, Mox has climbed the mountain and back again, proving to everyone his certified main event status.
#2: Bryan Danielson & Adam Cole
AEW’s “All Out” pay-per-view from 2021 signified the debut of not one, but two massive stars that formerly called the WWE home. Adam Cole’s reunion with his friends in The Elite was followed up by Bryan Danielsson showing up to the ring, a double-team that effectively sent the “All Out” crowd into hysterics. Although the latter would initially work as a babyface, both would see their biggest success as ring antagonists, with Danielsson performing in some brutal matches alongside the likes of Eddie Kingston. Meanwhile, Cole continues to prove how he’s one of the finest storytellers in pro wrestling, as evidenced by his outstanding feud with Orange Cassidy.
#1 CM Punk
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The phrase “wrestling history” gets tossed around a lot, but the night of August 20th, 2021 was something different, something special. It was the night where CM Punk made his triumphant return to the world of professional wrestling to a crowd that was more than willing to welcome him back with open arms. It should be said that Punk did tip his toes in the water with a brief return to the WWE as an analyst for their FOX program, “WWE Backstage.” This didn’t last long, however, and it was Punk’s AEW debut that left grown men in tears, and happy AEW fans leaving an arena with fresh ice cream bars in their hands.
