AEW Finally Release Multiple Stars
AEW is finally releasing two disgruntled wrestlers who are former champions in the company.
Miro has officially parted ways with AEW, according to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson. During his five-year run with AEW, Miro was a former TNT Champion and somebody who was booked like a dominant force for part of his run.
However, Miro was also not used after beating Andrade at the AEW Worlds End PPV in December 2023. It is believed that Miro had asked for his release from the company in the fall of 2024 and that release has finally been granted.
After being let go by WWE (where he was known as Rusev) in April 2020, Miro was signed by Tony Khan’s promotion in September 2020 and there was a lot of anticipation that he would be used better than WWE used him. It did happen at first, but eventually, he was not a major factor in the company.
It is believed that there will be a lot of interest in Miro in the open market now that he is no longer under AEW contract. It’s not known if WWE would bring him back as Rusev or if he would want to explore other options.
Ricky Starks’ AEW Run Likely Has Ended
Another wrestler who AEW hasn’t used for several months is former Tag Team Champion Ricky Starks. Despite being popular with the fans, Tony Khan effectively benched Starks since the March 30th episode of Collision.
PWInsider reports that Starks has been removed from the AEW roster page of their website, which usually means somebody has left the company. Mike Johnson of PWInsider has since added that Starks is “100% free and clear to go anywhere else he wishes to perform” so that could mean he will show up on WWE television very soon if they are interested in signing him.
It was reported in January 2025 that Ricky Starks asked for his release from AEW and it wasn’t known if he would be granted that release at the time. Like Miro, Starks worked for AEW since 2020 and has been both a singles wrestler as well as a tag team wrestler.
In his time away from AEW, Starks has been wrestling at some indy shows and won the DEFY World Championship on February 7th.
Malakai Black has also been removed from AEW’s roster page, so he could be returning to WWE as Aleister Black soon. Black’s wife Zelina Vega works for WWE.
Rey Fenix is another AEW wrestler who has claimed he has received “inhumane treatment” by AEW since he has not been released by the company and is sitting at home waiting for his contract to run out. It is believed that Fenix intends to join his brother Penta in WWE.