In 2023, Will Ospreay officially signed with All Elite Wrestling, arriving at the Full Gear pay-per-view event ahead of the expiration of his NJPW contract in early 2024.

Ospreay has gone on to become one of the top stars in AEW, all without stepping foot in a WWE ring at any point in his career, and it seems as though that isn’t something we can expect to see in the future either.

Will Ospreay Admits He Was ‘Never A WWE Guy’

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, Ospreay noted that WWE ‘wasn’t for him’ growing up, and that he has ‘never been a WWE guy’.

He said:

“It just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like it, I didn’t like the presentation behind it, and I still have those feelings now.

“I found TNA, and I feel like that was a style that spoke to me. The X-Division was huge for me. Then seeing that and finding Pro Wrestling NOAH, Dragon Gate and New Japan were the things that inspired me and made me want to be a pro wrestler. They’re the things that drove me, WWE has never really drove me.

“When you first get into the industry and first start learning it, even in the schools. We had a guy that got signed to WWE in the schools, he would never end up going in the end because of heart conditions, but they would always tell you ‘WWE is the route’, and I’m in the background like ‘I’d like to wrestle in a six sided ring, go over to Japan and learn strong style’.

“That’s just me, I’ve just never been a WWE guy. Respect it, I just don’t like it.”

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Fozzy’s “Judas” has become an iconic part of Chris Jericho’s presentation since his WWE exit and NJPW return in 2017, ahead of the formation of AEW in 2019.

Speaking with Popternative, Jericho explained how he landed on Judas being his entrance theme, noting:

“When we started Fozzy in 2000, the idea was to not piggyback it on WWE, and to try and make our own way. It was harder for us because I was the singer of the band, it was like ‘Oh, he’s a wrestler, how could it be?’

“I knew we’d have to work twice as hard to get the respect because of that. Then once we got the respect and I left WWE, I knew I couldnt use Break The Walls Down in New Japan, so I thought ‘Well, why don’t I use Judas?’ It’s got the same type of groove to it and the same type of intensity, which is what you need for a great ring song.

“It worked, so when AEW started, I thought ‘Why don’t I continue to use my own song to enter the ring to?’ I think it’s one of the first times where somebody actually sang their own ring music.

“That’s kind of what it was, a natural progression of, I needed a song, Judas had recently come out, it had the right vibe and attitude that I needed, then the fans took it from there.”

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The August 18, 2021 Dynamite episode was a testament to how impactful Judas has become for Chris Jericho’s presentation, with MJF requesting for Jericho to enter to silence ahead of their match.

This plan backfired for MJF, with the AEW crowd singing Chris Jericho to the ring.

Jericho sang himself to the ring at the 2023 and 2024 All In London events, performing in Wembley Stadium.

While Chris Jericho hasn’t officially been confirmed for a match at the August 30 event, we could soon see him hit the three-peat of Wembley Stadium performances.

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Earlier today, it was confirmed that Grand Slam France would be taking place on October 6, marking the first time AEW had run in the country.

With Grand Slam France featuring a taping of AEW Dynamite and Collision, that’s not the only special that will take place in October.

AEW has now confirmed that Fright Night Dynamite is returning on October 28, sharing the announcement in a post on Twitter that reads:

New AEW events announced!

• #AEWCollision – Highland Heights, KY: Sat. Oct 3

• #AEWDynamite – Cleveland, OH: Wed. Oct 14

• #AEWCollision – Winston-Salem, NC: Sat. Oct 24

• #AEWDynamite + #AEWCollision Fright Night – St. Louis, MO: Wed. Oct 28

The first Fright Night Dynamite aired on October 30, 2024, and saw the return of Adam Cole and the AEW debut of Bobby Lashley.

Last year’s show took place on October 29 and saw Samoa Joe defeat Bobby Lashley, Ricochet and Hook to determine the AEW World Championship number one contender.

The Theme Of The Show

The AEW calendar has many themed episodes of Dynamite and Collision in its schedule, with this year having seen Maximum Carnage, Spring BreakThru, Summer Blockbuster, Beach Break and Grand Slam Mexico already taking place.

While 2019 would see a Halloween episode and the Thanksgiving Eve episode of Dynamite, things would ramp up in the following year with 14 such events, starting with Homecoming and finishing with Brodie Lee Celebration of Life.

2021 would see a staggering twenty themed episodes across the year, with 2022 seeing that number drop to 18. More recently, numbers dropped in 2023 to just 12, while the following year had 13 and 2025 ended with 16.

Some of these specials have become part of the fabric of AEW, with Fyter Fest, Blood & Guts, Winter is Coming, Dynamite on 34th Street, and Grand Slam being among those. If the theme is well-defined and with a purpose, the specials will no doubt have a place in the heart of fans.

It can, however, seem to some that the specials are just named for the sake of names. It makes sense for AEW Dynamite to celebrate milestone episodes, for example, less so to have a string of specials as was seen with Winter is Coming on December 10 last year, followed by Holiday Bash the next week and Dynamite on 34th Street the week after, despite the season and fondness of the shows.

Specials for the sake of a special, in essence, run the risk of taking away from the show being… well, special.

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Darby Allin was one of the earliest stars to be signed to an AEW contract, being considered one of the Four Pillars alongside MJF, Sammy Guevara and Jungle Jack Perry.

Signed with the company since April 2019, Allin would look back on the early days of the promotion when comparing it to how things look in 2026.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Allin was asked if the company felt like the same place it did in 2019, noting that the bar is now set much higher when it comes to success.

“I think the bar got set way higher now because you have to remember, it’s year one on TV. We were throwing a lot of stuff at the wall, seeing what stuck because we’re brand new, and a lot of guys like myself never had any TV experience. So we got to see what worked.

“But now the talent is so high, and everybody needs to step up. You aren’t going to be on TV unless you’re literally the best of the best. So, I feel it just shows everybody that no one can coast, no one can just chill, and that’s the beauty of it.

“Because I never wanted to be in a company that felt like me and all my friends have a TV company. I don’t care if I don’t know you. I don’t care if I don’t like you. As long as you care about AEW and you want to produce some of the best, then I want you on my team.”

Allin would go on to look back at the early days and how some unnamed people treated AEW, suggesting there was a sense of “taking it for granted”, stating:

“I’m not going to say a lot of people—it felt like maybe some people were taking it for granted. Year one, they were treating it like spring break, like, “Oh, this is so fun. I got a job for life. I’m just hanging out with my boys.” They weren’t going there with a mission. But I’m like, “I have to show the wrestling world what AEW is capable of,” because this changed the whole landscape.

“When I first got in, I never thought it was possible to have another game in town like this. I thought at the time, “This kind of sucks.” And then AEW started, and I thought, “I’ll do anything to be part of that company. Anything.” And that’s where I knew I needed to finish.

“So, I saw the importance of AEW from the beginning, but I don’t think a lot of people did.”

The AEW star would also reflect on a lesson that he learned from Sting that he only understood after the WWE Hall of Famer retired.

Taking It For Granted

It’s not beyond imagination that, in its early days, some stars took AEW for granted, particularly given that the professional wrestling space hadn’t had a completely new company come into existence and secure prominent TV time in an age.

Tony Khan having no background in professional wrestling no doubt added to the impression that he was just a man with money that was ripe for the taking. Allin doesn’t name those who felt that “they were treating it like spring break”, but it was clearly a concern for a relatively young star who was new to that environment, and it’s something that has obviously stuck with him over the years.

Khan has demonstrated that, over the past few years, he’s not just in this for the short haul, having a vision for AEW that has seen him attract new and veteran stars with a shared interest in those goals. While he may oversee many aspects of the company, he’s comfortable in sharing elements that responsibility with the likes of Jon Moxley.

There’s bound to still be those who think that it’s going to be an easy ride, but with the stars currently signed to AEW, it’s apparent that, as Allin says, “as long as you care about AEW and you want to produce some of the best, then I want you on my team.”

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Signing with AEW in December 2020, Sting would go on to form a partnership with Darby Allin that would eventually see the pair hold the World Tag Team Championship.

AEW Revolution in March 2024 would see Sting wrestle his final match, once again teaming with Allin, retaining the World Tag Team Championship against The Young Bucks.

During a recent interview with Forbes, Allin was asked if there was a lesson he had been taught by Sting that he didn’t full understand until after the star retired, responding:

“Yeah, how to carry yourself out of the ring.

“We’re talking about a guy who’s done everything there is to do in the industry, and when you talk to him, he’s the most humble, chill guy. He doesn’t big league anybody, and that’s kind of what I realized later on because there’s so many egos where it’s like, “Oh, I can’t show any weakness.” He’s so chill and so happy all the time.

“That’s what I hold on to most now that his career ended—how he conducts himself when the 15-minute ride is over. That’s what kind of inspired me the most.”

It’s a lesson that Allin would indicate that he’s paying forward to future stars in AEW, saying:

“Absolutely. I tell everybody, keep this in check, keep your mind in check because if the mind goes, the body follows. And it’s scary, man, how an ego can turn someone into something so different. It’s crazy. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it many times.

“I’m like, man, I remember 10 years ago, we were just chilling and blah, blah, blah. Now I can’t even have a conversation with you. Like, you need to stop, dude. People have to be humble. They have to be grateful for what they have. There’s so much more in life, and so I’d love to just inspire people, like, just to be present and be grateful for everything that we have.”

Allin would also share his thoughts on the debut of Mick Foley, reflecting on how the WWE Hall of Famer inspired his early career.

When The Shine Comes Off The Star

Allin reflecting on the importance of the lesson he learned from Sting is a pertinent one from stars in a number of entertainment industries, if not across the board.

The persona anyone carries in a working space is unlikely to be the same one they have in their real lives. Being aware that there’s a difference is a key way of not falling for your own hype.

Allin doesn’t name the stars who he has seen undergo an ego change, but it’s easy to see how it might happen, particularly for someone who may go from wrestling in smaller venues to television in a matter of weeks.

In comments made back in 2023, Zach Gowen would reflect that an “inability to be professional” led to his WWE release, and he wouldn’t be the first or last star to be unable to adapt to the responsibilities of the role.

Arguably, the modern landscape of professional wrestling and the developments in mental health awareness provide a far greater base for any young star being signed, with hopes that structures exist to nurture that talent instead of letting them figure it out on their own.

For many of these stars, however, it takes one moment to scar a career, particularly if it is caught and shared on social media.

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Takahashi – now “Kyoki” in WWE – has shared the ring with numerous top stars from all over the world.

We recently listed WWE stars who previously faced Kyoki, but there are also some notable competitors currently in AEW who can be regarded as some of the Japanese star’s greatest rivals.

Here are six current AEW stars who Kyoki (Hiromu Takahashi) shared the ring with prior to his WWE debut.

Young Bucks

Matt and Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks are two stars who kept crossing paths with Kyoki, even after their full-time NJPW runs.

The Young Bucks notably won the vacant IWGP Tag Team Championship at Wrestle Dynasty in January 2025, in a three-way match also featuring Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb, and Tetsuya Naito & “Hiromu Takahashi”.

Naito and Takahashi went on to defeat Matt and Nick Jackson for the gold at that February’s The New Beginning in Osaka show.

Kyoki and the Young Bucks most recently faced off in eight-man tag-team action on AEW TV, with the Bucks, Josh Alexander and Kyle Fletcher coming up short against “Takahashi”, Hologram, Tomohiro Ishii and Brody King.

Ricochet

Both former stars of the NJPW junior heavyweight division, Kyoki and Ricochet clashed on a number of occasions between 2013 and 2017.

Ricochet won both of the duo’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament encounters, defeating “Hiromu Takahashi” in block action in both 2013 and 2017.

Kyoki was victorious in their only championship match together however, defeating Ricochet to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title at NJPW Wrestling Toyonokuni 2017.

Both stars have come a long way since these matches, and fans would love to see a rematch down the line.

Kazuchika Okada

While Kazuchika Okada and Kyoki mostly shared the ring as teammates, the duo have squared off in singles action.

Okada and “Hiromu Takahashi” teamed together numerous times between August 2016 and October 2023 as part of the CHAOs stable.

Their one singles encounter took place in the 2020 New Japan Cup tournament, with the Rainmaker picking up the victory in their semifinal bout.

With Okada now thriving in AEW, the duo appear to be set to have parallel careers, after spending so long together as stablemates.

Kyle Fletcher

While Kyoki competed at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions of Forbidden Door, only one of these appearances saw him compete for an AEW title.

“Hiromu Takahashi” faced off against Kyle Fletcher at the August 24, 2025 event in London, England, with the TNT Championship on the line.

Fletcher was ultimately victorious, pinning Kyoki after 15 minutes of action.

While he was unsuccessful in the match, Kyoki will always be able to say that he challenged for AEW championship gold.

Will Ospreay

Many fans consider Will Ospreay to be Kyoki’s greatest career rival, regardless of company or promotion.

Ospreay and “Hiromu Takahashi” have wrestled numerous classic matches against one another since first locking horns in the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors tournament.

While they last shared the ring in tag-team action during the Road To Destruction 2023 tour, Ospreay and Kyoki’s last one-on-one encounter saw the Japanese star win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title at Wrestle Kingdom 14, in a match which Dave Meltzer awarded 5.5 stars.

While a future match now seems unlikely, many fans are hoping that we will eventually see Kyoki share the ring with Ospreay one last time.

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Mick Foley made his AEW debut at Double or Nothing Buy In, being on the receiving end of a low blow from MJF during the pre-show, with Darby Allin being on hand to send his opponent running.

Allin would share his thoughts on seeing Foley make his AEW debut during a recent interview with Forbes, reflecting on the influence of the star on his own career after being asked if he considers himself a trailblazer for future stars, saying:

“Time will tell with that one. I really believe time will tell with that one because I helped Mick Foley a couple weeks ago, and he didn’t know he inspired my career so heavily. I’m like, why would you not know?

“And then the thing is, I think about kids years down the road coming, “Hey, dog, I remember watching you when I was six.” So time will tell with that one.

“However, I’d like to think that maybe people were inspired that you don’t have to compromise anything and you can make it on national TV.”

The AEW star would take a deeper look at his experience with Foley, acknowledging that he was able to appreciate it as a fan, stating:

“Yes, you have to stop and smell the roses. You have to because everybody’s so fixated on what’s next to stay relevant. But I do a thing every day where I talk about what I’m grateful for every single day of my life. Along with all my breathwork and meditating, I’m very in the moment.

“So to be in the moment there with Mick Foley, it’s so inspiring because there’s not a lot of guys growing up when I was a kid watching wrestling that I viewed myself like, “Oh, I’d like to hang out with that guy. I see myself being buddies with that guy.” But for some reason, I always saw that with Mick Foley. I don’t know what it was. Maybe it was just the many moments and interviews. He seemed easy to talk to. I don’t get that from a lot of wrestlers.

“So, to be in the ring at Double or Nothing and share that, I’m like, yeah, this is surreal. I didn’t know what he was going to say. I had no idea what he was about to say. So I’m sitting there listening. I’m like, “Oh yeah, that’s right. That’s fun. That’s cool.” He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.”

Allin heads to All In: London on August 30 to challenge Kevin Knight for the TNT Championship in Falls Count Anywhere match at Wembley Stadium.

The Importance Of The Lasting Legacy

Associated with Sting for a period in AEW, and now interacting with Mick Foley, it’s clear that Darby Allin has respect for the stars who have influenced his career.

It’s also apparent that Tony Khan has the same degree of respect for certain legacy names, bringing them into AEW in a variety of roles since the inception of the company.

Whether it’s Chris Jericho or Mick Foley, Khan is clearly well away of the power of these names, not just as “former WWE stars” but as stars in their own right.

His roster is replete with names familiar to fans of WWE, with more no doubt set to join over the coming years, and it’s an unavoidable consequence of the balancing act between retaining a segment of the fanbase through recognizable names and creating stars of his own by signing independent names.

With many former WWE stars available to him, Khan’s selective approach means he doesn’t sweep up everyone that’s available, just the ones that he can see benefiting his creative vision with limited television time.

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AEW will hold their first Grand Slam: France event from Adidas Arena in Paris on Tuesday, October 6 for a Dynamite and Collision TV taping.

With this historic event for the promotion, there could be some mouth watering matchups on hand for the fans in France.

Here are seven potential matches for the AEW Grand Slam: France card.

AEW Women’s World Championship: Mercedes Monè (c) vs. Kris Statlander

At AEW All In: London 2026, Mercedes Monè will challenge Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women’s World Championship.

Despite failing to win the title on multiple occasions, this feels like the best chance for Monè to finally capture the gold.

After potentially winning the gold at Wembley Stadium, there could be any number of challengers coming for “The CEO.”

Monè defending the AEW Women’s World Championship against her former rival Kris Statlander would be a tough test for the new champion early into her run at Grand Slam: France.

AEW International Championship Two Out Of Three Falls Match: Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita

At AEW Dynamite: Beach Break 2026, Kyle Fletcher defeated Konosuke Takeshita to win the AEW International Championship.

Now heading into All In London 2026, Fletcher will defend the title against Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada in a three-way at Wembley Stadium.

This might prove to be a daunting task for “The Protostar,” but he may walk into this bout as the favorite to still be champion after All In.

Fletcher going on to conclude his rivalry with “The Alpha” would be fitting in a two-out-of-three-falls match at AEW Grand Slam: France this October.

AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championships No DQ Match: The Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter & Alex Windsor) (c) vs. Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Kross)

Another rivalry that will come to a head at AEW All In London 2026 will see Divine Dominion defend the AEW Women’s World Tag Team Titles against The Brawling Birds.

With two undefeated duos, this one is a tough one to predict considering both of their successes.

Considering the home field advantage for the challengers, it would make sense to see Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor walk out of Wembley with the gold.

Then coming into AEW Grand Slam: France, the company could blow off this feud by having The Brawling Birds defend the titles against Divine Dominion in a No DQ Match.

AEW TNT Championship: Darby Allin (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

To the surprise of many fans, it was revealed that Ilja Dragunov had officially left WWE after his contract expired.

After spending the past seven years with the promotion, it feels like Dragunov has been set free and could make a significant impact in another company.

Immediately upon this news breaking, fans immediately speculated “The Mad Dragon” heading to All Elite Wrestling.

With the current title bout scheduled for AEW All In London 2026, Darby Allin might walk out of Wembley Stadium as a three-time TNT Champion and go on to defend the gold against Dragunov at AEW Grand Slam: France.

Death Riders (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, Wheeler Yuta & Daniel Garcia) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Jay White, Juice Robinson, Ace Austin & The Gunns) in Anarchy In The Arena

Recently, fans have seen tensions between The Death Riders and Bang Bang Gang heat up.

On the August 19 episode of AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley defeated Jay White to advance to the Continental Challenge Cup Tournament Semifinals.

While Bang Bang Gang have been focused on The Dogs, The Death Riders’ connection to Gabe Kidd, David Finlay and Clark Connors have led to several battles with White and company.

When AEW comes to France, it could be time for the company to deliver their first Anarchy In The Arena of the year when Death Riders and Bang Bang Gang look to blow off their war.

AEW World Trios Championships: Swerve Strickland & The New Day (Kofi & Austin Creed) (c) vs. The Demand (Ricochet & Gates of Agony)

At AEW All In London 2026, “Hangman” Adam Page and Brodido have issued a challenge to any trio to meet them under the Wembley arch at dawn in an open gauntlet of sorts for the AEW World Trios Championships.

This has led to the return of Swerve Strickland and his sights being firmly on the gold.

Challenging the Trios Champs, this led to fans speculating The New Day coming in to team with Swerve.

With rumors of Kofi and Austin Creed heading to AEW, fans could see Swerve and New Day defend the AEW World Trios Titles against a group like The Demand come Grand Slam: France this October.0

AEW World Championship: Will Ospreay (c) vs. Andrade El Idolo

Since returning to All Elite Wrestling at the start of 2026, Andrade El Idolo has made it clear that he wants the AEW World Title.

While he has beaten the likes of Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland, El Idolo has not been given a shot at the top prize in the company.

At AEW All In London 2026, Omega will defend the AEW World Championship against Will Ospreay, while Andrade will compete in the Casino Gauntlet for a shot at the gold.

This could all lead to Andrade challenging the new champion Ospreay in a battle of United Empire members for the AEW World Title at Grand Slam: France.

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With AEW All In London taking place on August 30, it should come as little surprise that the company continues to seek international expansion opportunities.

As revealed by the Sports Business Journal, AEW will be running their first live event in Paris this October, with the Adidas Arena playing home to Grand Slam: France.

The event takes place on October 6 and includes tapings of AEW Dynamite and Collision, with tickets going on sale this Friday.

Speaking on the decision to run in Paris, Tony Khan suggested that the timing was perfect, considering the interest in All In London from fans in France, saying:

“There are so many great wrestling fans in France, and a lot of fans from France have made the trek to London to see AEW, and we believe there’s a lot of excitement around All Elite Wrestling in Paris, and it just felt like this would be the perfect time to launch with a huge event.”

It appears that Khan’s interest in running shows in the French capital may be a long term one, going on to state that he is seeking to “continue to make Paris a major live event site.”

The Sports Business Journal notes that the Adidas Arena has a capacity of 8,000 seats, with the previous Grand Slam Mexico drawing over 13,000 fans.

Will Ospreay is also noted as saying that he hopes to see Paris as part of “part of a broader, long-term European strategy”, according to the report.

AEW Grand Slam Goes International

Introduced in 2021, the first four Grand Slam events took place at the Arthur Ashe Stadium and could be seen as “just another date”, despite their branding, being formed from Dynamite and Rampage until 2023, and then Dynamite and Collision in 2024.

Starting in 2025, however, Grand Slam went global, with the February event in that year taking place at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Australia also saw a return, this time at Qudos Bank Arena, in February of this year.

That international reach also saw two events in Mexico, with June 2025 marking the first Grand Slam at the iconic Arena Mexico, the same location as this year’s event back in August.

Earlier this year, Tony Khan set out his goals for the future of AEW, noting that he has “plans to grow the business in a major way, domestically and internationally.” Testing international territories with Grand Slam is certainly a wise move, with the potential to create pay-per-views for some of these destinations.

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The praise came after Fightful shared a short clip of Myka Lockwood’s finishing move on Twitter, demonstrated on WWE NXT, with a fan commeting “looks familiar” and including Swerve Strickland delivering the ‘Home Invasion’ on Will Ospreay.

Answering the suggestion of familiarity between the two moves, Strickland would initially tweet a simple “Influence” in response.

The AEW star would take a deeper look at the move in question, unearthing a tweet by Myka Lockwood from back in April 2025, where she reveals the origins of the move, sharing:

“Someone showed me this move from @theirondemon Shane Mercer, and I just had to do it! I will destroy everyone with it and to honor him I think I’ll call it…

“The Mercy Kill.

“Shane, thanks for coming up with the coolest move ever!💪”

In response to this, Strickland would comment on the complexity of Lockwood’s exectution, praising the WWE NXT star, sharing:

“The hand clutch setup is the @theirondemon version which is MUCH harder to do than my powerbomb version. Which she pulled off both excellent.”

Shane Merce would also offer his insight into the move and the way Strickland and Lockwood deliver it, responding to the AEW star with a tweet that reads:

“💯. Clutch version is momentum-based, which not everyone taking can rotate fast enough. Swerves is more versatile overall to hit. Her adapting for both is 👏”

Swerve Strickland made a return to AEW Dynamite earlier this month, confronting his rival, Hangman Adam Page, and Brodido (Brody King & Bandido, the current World Trios Champions.

Inspiration Goes A Long Way

While it’s not impossible to innovate a wrestling move in the current decade, much of what is seen in the ring has a long history, some of which is no doubt lost in time.

For some stars, however, a move that has been used for decades before becomes synonymous with a later talent. Quite often, this comes through a modification of the move, changing it just enough to make it something else, while still being a nod to what came before.

Looking at Randy Orton’s RKO, the origins are clearly seen in the Cutter, with many fans likely associating the move with the Diamond Cutter used by Diamond Dallas Page, as opposed to its predecessor, the Ace Crusher. For quite some time, Sting and Bret Hart both used Riko Chosu’s sasori-gatame, with it being known as the Scorpion Deathlock and Sharpshooter respectively. Sting used the move before Hart, yet it has become firmly associated with both stars.

Taking a move and adapting it, or using a past version of a move when a modified version already exists, is not new and will continue to be a theme for any star as they build their in-ring skill.

For Strickland to recognize the quality of Lockwood’s execution is a nod of respect to the NXT star who is coming up through the ranks in the way that he once did.

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Back in September 2025, it was noted that Kiera Hogan had been removed from the AEW roster page, which signified her departure from the company after joining the company back in 2021.

Hogan was written off TNA television back in August 2021 ahead of her arrival in AEW, with Kiera spending most of he last few years in AEW as part of the ROH roster following Jade Cargill’s departure to WWE in 2023 bringing an end to the Baddies stable.

Kiera Hogan Returns To TNA, Wins Knockouts Tag Team Championship

At tonight’s TNA Lockdown pay-per-view, it was noted that Rosemary would be unable to compete in her and Allie’s Knockout’s Tag Team Championship match against the Elegance Brand, with Allie needing a replacement partner for the match.

It was then revealed that Allie’s replacement partner was the returning Kiera Hogan, making her first TNA appearance in five years.

Kiera and Allie would go on to win the match, with the two now officially recognised as the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions.

Following the match, it was confirmed that Kiera Hogan has officially been signed by TNA Wrestling.

Rebuilding TNA’s Knockouts Division

There have been a number of major departures from TNA Wrestling over the past few months, with the company’s Knockouts division also taking a major hit, with names like Tessa Blanchard, Killer Kelly, Dani Luna and Mara Sade all leaving the company.

However, with absence comes opportunity, and there are a number of talented women’s free agents and rising stars that TNA could look to build the future of the division around.

The seeds have already started with Xia Brookside and Elayna Black competing for the TNA Knockouts World Championship on tonight’s show, as well as the first Knockouts TV Champion being either Jada Stone or M by Elegance.

There are also a number of recently departed WWE stars that TNA could look at to add depth to it’s division, with names like Kay Lee Ray, Zoey Serrano (Zoey Stark), Charlie (Dakota Kai) and Nikki Storm (Nikki Cross) all potential great additions to add some star power to the top of the Knockouts division upon their arrival in TNA Wrestling.

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As seen with Ricochet and Nigel McGuinness in 2024, the match is a perfect place to introduce some surprises as wrestlers enter one by one in a similar manner to a Royal Rumble match.

With several interesting names on the free agent market, here are five former WWE stars who could potentially enter the AEW All In London 2026 Casino Gauntlet Match.

Ilja Dragunov

Ilja Dragunov exited WWE at the end of his contract in August 2026.

On August 20 it was confirmed that former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov had departed the company, following the expiration of his contract.

Immediately upon hearing the news, most fans will have thought about the possibility of ‘The Mad Dragon’ moving to All Elite Wrestling.

The Russian star is among the best wrestlers in the world and would be about as a ‘no brainer’ signing as it gets for Tony Khan. The timing of Dragunov’s exit would make his arrival in AEW all the more buzz worthy, even if he doesn’t win the Gauntlet Match.

Dragunov has a host of dream matches ahead of him in AEW, as well as the company’s partners in NJPW and CMLL, so many will be hoping we see this new chapter in his career begin inside Wembley Stadium on August 30.

Davey Boy Smith Jr

Davey Boy Smith Jr made a brief return to WWE in 2021, but he never appeared on TV before being released that same year.

While there is no shortage of names recently let go by WWE who AEW could look towards for a Casino Gauntlet debut, the company could also look a bit more outside the box in order to deliver a surprise moment.

Davey Boy Smith Jr – the son of WWE Hall of Famer British Bulldog – is someone who was previously rumored to be a potential surprise appearance at the original All In London back in 2023, however, this never came to pass.

While he himself is Canadian, Davey Boy Smith Jr obviously has ties to England through his legendary father, as well as Wembley Stadium specifically, as that is where British Bulldog famously defeated Bret Hart in the main event of SummerSlam 1992 for the Intercontinental Championship.

Even if it’s just a one-off cameo, Davey Boy Smith Jr appearing at All In London would make for a full-circle moment for he and his family.

Sheamus

Sheamus hasn’t wrestled since the November 17, 2025 episode of WWE Raw

As well as Ilja Dragunov, Sheamus was another notable WWE star who exited the company following the expiration of his contract this Summer.

The near 20-year WWE veteran had achieved almost everything there is to achieve during his spell in the company, and at the age of 48, it’s hard to say for sure whether AEW will be interested in bringing him into the company.

‘The Celtic Warrior’ certainly can still go, and AEW has not been shy in picking up veteran former WWE stars in recent years (Adam Copeland and The Hurt Syndicate come to mind), however, Sheamus may potentially be one WWE old-timer too many for some AEW fans to stomach given the breadth of talent on the roster currently.

Regardless of the arguments it may cause, Sheamus in AEW would be refreshing after seeing him in WWE for so long, and the Casino Gauntlet Match may be the perfect way to bring him into the fold.

Joseph Sawyer (Joe Gacy)

Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis held the WWE Tag Team Championships for 196 days

While we’re yet to find out what the future holds in wrestling for his Wyatt Sicks stablemates Bo Dallas and Erick Rowan, Joseph Swayer (fka Joe Gacy) has wasted absolutely zero time getting right back to work on the independent scene following his WWE release in April.

In what was his first match in the promotion in six years, Sawyer won the GCW World Championship at GCW Homecoming on August 15, defeating Atticus Cogar.

Continuing his run of momentum, AEW could look to bring Sawyer in for a special appearance at All In London.

Adding something different to the AEW roster from a character standpoint, while also bringing two decades of in-ring experience, Sawyer would be a worthwhile addition.

Malakai Black

Aleister Black’s second WWE run lasted only one year before he was released from his contract.

One of the biggest talking points after WWE’s April wave of talent cuts was the future of Malakai Black (fka Alesiter Black).

The Dutch star had, only a year prior, departed AEW in favor of a return to WWE, And during his time in AEW he seemingly burnt some bridges, calling into question whether AEW would take him back.

As seen with Andrade El Idolo – who also departed AEW for WWE only for the grass not to be greener on the other side – there is a way back for talent if Tony Khan is on board with the idea.

Andrade’s latest run in AEW has already arguably surpassed his first, and perhaps the same could be true for Black if he shows up as a surprise entrant in this year’s Casino Gauntlet Match.

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