AEW Has No Interest In Controversial Ex-WWE Star

Tony Khan won’t bring a divisive ex-WWE star to AEW.

Since AEW launched in 2019, the company has naturally attracted several former WWE stars. While not everyone has found success, Bryan Danielson is the current AEW World Champion, and Swerve Strickland has enjoyed the biggest year of his career with multiple acclaimed matches and a World Title run.

Given wrestlers now have more major promotions to work for, every time someone leaves WWE they are immediately linked with a move to become All Elite.

One such name that has repeatedly been discussed is Matt Riddle, who left WWE in September 2023.

During a recent interview, Matt Riddle was very complimentary about AEW, although he’d had a somewhat awkward first meeting with Tony Khan.

“I talked to Tony (Khan). I don’t know if he likes me. He seemed happy. I wrestled Zach Sabre Jr. in Chicago. He seemed cool about it. I don’t know.

When you meet me, I’m very sarcastic. But when I met him, I was like, ‘Oh, you like that match’? But I said it a different way, and he looked at me all confused. And I was like, ‘Never mind, dude’. I just walked away. So that was my experience with that.”

Matt Riddle Won’t Be Going To AEW

However, according to a new report from Fightful Select, Tony Khan has no interest in signing the star, “especially over the last few years.”

The report noted that AEW talent rarely works works with Riddle on the independent scene, and usually only in Mexico.

While that door might be closed, Riddle has held talks with TNA, and the company is hopeful he can appear. The star has made appearances in MLW and NJPW in recent months, but he’s working without a contract.