AEW Win Bidding War With WWE Over Young Star
It seems AEW ended up in something of a bidding war with WWE for a young second-generation star with Tony Khan apparently coming out on top.
AEW boss Tony Khan revealed in May 2024 that Tommy Billington – the nephew of The Dynamite Kid – would be making his debut in the company against Dax Harwood in Vancouver, BC. Despite having a weekly show called Dynamite, the man who bills himself with his uncle’s familiar name debuted on Collision.
Billington returned to AEW on the 10th of July edition of Collision when it emanated from Calgary, Alberta, Canada where he faced Konosuke Takeshita and it looks like there will be even more of the 23-year-old star in AEW moving forward.
Dynamite Kid Signs For AEW Despite WWE Interest
Speaking on his Instagram stories, Dax Harwood revealed that after his first match in AEW, Tommy Billington was offered a contract but despite his financial woes, he held off on accepting leading to something of a bidding war with WWE:
I hope he doesn’t mind me saying this, but he told me about some of his financial woes. He moved himself all the way to Canada to better his opportunities for wrestling. He told me about his financial woes. I told him that night, ‘After tonight, we’re going to get you a job.’ We had the match. Obviously, he showed out. He was offered a contract on the spot, right there.
He didn’t accept just yet, but he was offered a contract on the spot. The very next day WWE also reached out to someone close to Tommy and asked about getting him there. There was, I don’t want to say a bidding war, but there was a bit of power plays. Tom decided he wanted to come to AEW. I think you’ll see more of Tom Billington in AEW to come.
The English star has been wrestling for several years, mainly on the independent scene in the UK and Canada. He has teamed frequently with his brother Mark as The Billington Bulldogs – a nod to their uncle’s British Bulldogs team he was part of alongside Davey Boy Smith.