Figured I would start a general thread rather than mention who may be coming or leaving since this will get very active next month.

Leo rush is done with AEW on Feb 14th.  

While not confirmed both Matt and Jeff said they would like to reform the Hardy Boyz in AEW, so likely Jeff is a lock.

In a month or so Stunt, Brian Cage and Joey Janela's contracts are up.  Brian Cage is said to be active backstage.  Likely Stunt will be released.  Joey will likely be kept but more of a backstage role formalizing the GCW - AEW relationship.  

Brian Cage's contract is set to expire also.

I had a feeling Lio will be gone again.

Time for some spring cleaning!

Jan 22, 2022 20:19:32 GMT NATH45 said:

Brian Cage's contract is set to expire also.

Yeah just updated the other people who may be going, with him Marko and Janela.

Cage likely will be going backstage along with Joey.  Marko is out though.

The NXT releases should start to appear very soon for the first wave.  No clue how many AEW will take, but it is time to sort cycling new blood in and old blood out. 

Road Dogg is going backstage for sure.  Danger I believe retired again.  Regal I think is retiring.   

The Champ is def coming.  Punk and Danielson will be pushing hard as fuck for Joe.

" how dare Vince let talent go during a pandemic, these men have families! "

I got my dig at AEW in. I'm good.

I’d be shocked if Joey Janela leaves entirely. I’d expect a new contract that lets him work other promotions. He’s an AEW OG and a big part of Dark and getting other talent over. Great worker. And he’s got into great shape.

Marko Stunt is probably not coming back. If anything he’ll get paid on a per appearance basis. He’s barely been used outside of being Jurassic Express’ hype man, and they seem to have moved on from that by having them managed by Christian. Also Stunt seems to be more focused on his music career.

Brian Cage I can take or leave. If they re-sign him, cool, he’s an agile big man that can be decent in the mid card. If they don’t, I haven’t missed him since he’s been off TV, so whatever. He’ll still get bookings so it isn’t like he’ll be screwed.

I think we’ll see a lot more contracts ending without renewals, but that also doesn’t mean they won’t be re-signed eventually or paid per appearance. That might actually benefit both the wrestler and AEW going forward if they’re going to keep locking up bigger talent and work with other companies. Maybe all this Forbidden Door stuff is on hold until more contracts expire/get re-worked. Who knows.

Cage has been backstage at every show they say, so he is likely still doing stuff, just not wrestling. And yeah, losing a contract just means you move to paid per appearance. Not like most feds where it is all or nothing, you either work here weekly or not at all.

I believe Peter Avalon is somewhere on the list too and probably could be let go. Janela is the only one I see as just completely gone. Marko can still get on tv as part of JE even though they don't need him. Cage was on tv constantly when he isn't injuried so he probably will be fine. If you are solely a Dark wrestler you aren't needed. Now if you are new then it is fine to build some experience there. But he isn't and they haven't had him on tv in forever.

Oh forgot about Leo. Well teaches the rest just because you seem like a nice guy don't forget who signs your checks. Supposedly they are friendly with each other on twitter but Tony and Swole were too for a while.

Jan 22, 2022 23:53:46 GMT c said:

Cage has been backstage at every show they say, so he is likely still doing stuff, just not wrestling. And yeah, losing a contract just means you move to paid per appearance. Not like most feds where it is all or nothing, you either work here weekly or not at all.

Losing a contract means you're not actually employed by the company. Let's not spin it.

Jan 22, 2022 20:36:44 GMT NATH45 said:

" how dare Vince let talent go during a pandemic, these men have families! "

I got my dig at AEW in. I'm good.

Needs to happen at least once in every AEW thread.

Jan 23, 2022 2:17:34 GMT NATH45 said:

Jan 22, 2022 23:53:46 GMT c said:

Cage has been backstage at every show they say, so he is likely still doing stuff, just not wrestling. And yeah, losing a contract just means you move to paid per appearance. Not like most feds where it is all or nothing, you either work here weekly or not at all.

Losing a contract means you're not actually employed by the company. Let's not spin it.

Like you were by implying that Tony is releasing people during lockdowns?  US has been open now a year and a half.  Indy feds are running, cons are running, people can find other work now.  Not so much when he made the comments about Vince firing people when most countries would not even let them return.

Now it's time for the easiest part of any coach's job, the cuts.

Aaron Solo
Alan Angels
Angelico
Anthony Ogogo
Brian Cage
Brian Pillman Jr
Colt Cabana
Isaiah Kassidy
Jack Evans
Jake Hager
Joey Janela
Kip Sabian
Lio Rush
Marko Stunt
Marq Quen
Matt Hardy
Peter Avalon
Lio Rush
Luther
QT Marshall
Serpentico
Shawn Spears
Sonny Kiss

Can all be cut/re-assigned.

Brendon Cutler
Michael Nakazawa
Jeff Parker
Matt Lee
Evil Uno
Stu Grayson
Chuck Taylor
Trent Baretta
Frankie Kazarian
Chris Jericho
Brandi Rhodes

If I had my way, would be gone as well. I could have my arm twisted on Kazarian as a gate-keeper veteran on Dark.

I don't necessarily dislike those talents but a few of them are green or it's clear that they're just taking up space on Dark. Go out and make a name for yourselves on the independents.

You could have saved space by just saying all the HFO. Unless you think Butcher and Blade should stay. Butcher has had health issues and has his band. And Blade alone probably isn't needed. Shame private party seemed like they would be something more.

Brandon and Brandi are safe unless their EVP backer leaves. Same as Micheal though unlike the other two I don't know what he does.

All members of dark order will be their for life unless they get in a scandel.

I actually like Private Party as well but feel ever since they got caught up in the HFO their stock has plummeted and they need an excursion. Go away for 6 months to a year, go out there and steal a few shows and we'll bring you back in with a push.

Butcher and the Blade have never been used properly. The Butcher really got in better shape as well and with the break-up with his band, I'd be keen to give them a program and see what comes of it.

That second group I know have no remote chance of being released in the immediate future, but obviously if I had a chance I'd keep them off television. I'm not a fan of Cody either, but he's got the attention of the wrestling world right now so if he actually develops his character in a believable and entertaining way I'd keep him. I still feel like when he does turn heel, it'll just be sports entertainment Cody turned all the way up wasting precious television time while his bestie barely gets 30 seconds of screen time.

Jan 23, 2022 14:20:58 GMT X-zero said:

You could have saved space by just saying all the HFO. Unless you think Butcher and Blade should stay. Butcher has had health issues and has his band. And Blade alone probably isn't needed. Shame private party seemed like they would be something more.

Brandon and Brandi are safe unless their EVP backer leaves. Same as Micheal though unlike the other two I don't know what he does.

All members of dark order will be their for life unless they get in a scandel.

Butcher's band self-destructed last weekend.  And Tony not gonna cut Matt with Jeff coming in.

2.0. are great heel foils. I doubt they are going anywhere.

2.0 are not leaving. The roster loves them because they are unashamed wrestling fans that like to have fun.  I mean their gimmick is basically them speaking in their American accents and Matt being loud.  

Great interview with them about their AEW debut.

This was one of my favorite moments from 2.0. After wrestling for months as The Badd Boyz, identical twin bikers who wore denim, Chad and Brad Badd, and occasionally as 2.0 still, Director of Fun sets up 2.0 vs The Badd Boyz loser leaves CHIKARA match. Badd Boyz come out and 2.0 are counted out as they never show up. They then do this gimmick revealing that the Badd Boyz were really Shane Matthews and Jagged Parker all along. And since 2.0 can never work in CHIKARA again, it is time for an upgrade and they become 3.0.



These guys are just too damn good to just toss away.

Jan 23, 2022 23:56:46 GMT c said:

This was one of my favorite moments from 2.0. After wrestling for months as The Badd Boyz, identical twin bikers who wore denim, Chad and Brad Badd, and occasionally as 2.0 still, Director of Fun sets up 2.0 vs The Badd Boyz loser leaves CHIKARA match. Badd Boyz come out and 2.0 are counted out as they never show up. They then do this gimmick revealing that the Badd Boyz were really Shane Matthews and Jagged Parker all along. And since 2.0 can never work in CHIKARA again, it is time for an upgrade and they become 3.0.



These guys are just too damn good to just toss away.

I loved this segment. It made 3.0. serious serious contenders for the C.D.P. Which fans totally brought into.

It was a very smart reboot. Worked perfectly for CHIKARA.

Crazy how we've seen the guys I followed on the indies become the vets of today alongside aging legends. Boom in an instant 10 years passed me by.

Jan 23, 2022 23:25:20 GMT c said:

2.0 are not leaving. The roster loves them because they are unashamed wrestling fans that like to have fun.  I mean their gimmick is basically them speaking in their American accents and Matt being loud.  

Great interview with them about their AEW debut.

Never got it with EverRise Live whenever I saw them in NXT, felt like developmental tag team fodder. Think they are boys with The Young Bucks & Kingston so they will stay though. 

Jan 23, 2022 23:25:20 GMT c said:

2.0 are not leaving. The roster loves them because they are unashamed wrestling fans that like to have fun.  I mean their gimmick is basically them speaking in their American accents and Matt being loud.  

Great interview with them about their AEW debut.

Only now, did I realise they're French Canadian.

That was their role basically. Jobbers. They said their understanding of NXT was unless you were the project of someone you were not given any creative direction. Until a writer and agent gets behind an idea you are left out of the loop. They finally got HHH and HBK into them when they did 205 live, and plans were in motion in NXT to have them as jobbers who people started to really feel for, but as it started to move on TV they were released.  The main problem in NXT is they were told WWE did not do comedy and they are comedy wrestlers really.  

To see why they matter CHIKARA is where to see them. They are a group best on the mic and doing fun matches. But they can wrestle. Their FIST title match was a solid match.  Cibernetico Rises CHIKARA vs RoH is better but not on youtube.



Their best match has to be this one though as this is the defining match of CHIKARA's fun side.

Jan 24, 2022 1:12:47 GMT NATH45 said:

Only now, did I realise they're French Canadian.

I love how them yelling is part of their American accent.   

Ya know how good guys who reach a certain level don't need the rub and can lose and maintain their heat? It sucks as a fan since they don't "need" it, but that's 2.0. I think that's why I liked the indies for that era of chikara. It was koolaid, but I liked the idea (sorta Russo with direction) that not everyone was meant to be world title contenders and they needed balance in the card. To get noticed at that level you need a connection. You always need room for boys because then you have a Roman situation. Sure he's great, so is Brock but the rest hasn't mattered in decades. I didn't feel that during their time alongside the rest of that class who make up most of the wwe nxt vets and aew.

Red bull and pepperoni sticks. I miss Jalapeno Slim Jims.

I think the list was just who Big Pete who could be safely let go. AEW roster is too big currently and more and more high valued people are hitting the market unless you want to make Dynamite 3 hours and Rampage 2 hours. Eventually you have to make some cuts. So what if Tony gave you (as in who ever is reading this) the job of firing people. You need need to get rid of let's say 15 people who are signed not dark jobbers. Who do you let go?

Edit: This was actually hard not to go past 15 here. And I even put personal feelings aside to do this because some I actually like here. And I didn't cut some I dislike because they have some uses.

Peter Avalon
Marko Stunt
Chuck Taylor
QT
Luther
Serpentico
Scorpio Sky
Dark Order 5 & 10
Tony Nese
Trent?
Leva
Emi Sakura
Rebel
Yuka

The thing with Jeff Lee and Matt Parker is that you already have a team that does their shtick and has a connection with the audience in John Silver and Alex Reynolds - they're not needed and they're only in this position because of 'jobs for the boys'.

I keep talking about the need to make some releases to open up television time on Dynamite, there you go.