Alright, buckle up, because the wrestling world just got a major jolt. Nearly a dozen former WWE stars, 11 to be exact, are officially free agents as of now! Their 90-day non-compete clauses, stemming from those April releases after WrestleMania’s “spring cleaning” layoffs, are finally up. This isn’t just a handful of names hitting the market, this is a whole crop of talent, including a decorated tag team and some seriously talented women’s wrestlers, all ready to sign anywhere else.
The Big Names Hitting the Market: Who’s Up For Grabs?
The list of newly minted free agents is stacked with some familiar faces. We’re talking Aleister Black, Bo Dallas, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, and Joe Gacy. But the real buzz is around a few key players. Zelina Vega, who got released by WWE for a second time, already filed a trademark for “Xelina,” so you know she’s ready to make moves. She’s expected to be one of the most sought-after names here. Then there’s Kairi Sane. This woman is one of the best in-ring performers in the entire world, period. She was actually released right in the middle of a big storyline with Asuka and Iyo Sky. Even though there were whispers she might show up at WWE Backlash to finish things, that never happened. Now, Sane is a prime target for promotions like TNA and AEW, both of whom could absolutely use a star of her caliber.
The Tag Team Division Is About to Explode
Get ready, because the tag team landscape could be in for a serious shake-up. The Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, are now free agents, and these guys are one of the greatest tag teams of all time! Can you imagine them in AEW’s tag division, mixing it up with teams like The Young Bucks or Christian Cage and Adam Copeland? That would be appointment viewing! A return to TNA also makes a ton of sense for them, given their past success there, though the whole WWE and TNA cross-promotion thing could complicate it. This isn’t just about who’s available now, either. Accomplished stars like The New Day, with Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, arguably the greatest tag team in WWE history, and multi-time world champion Sheamus are going to be available on the free agent market soon too. That trio is gonna be highly desirable for AEW, TNA, and other major promotions.
The market for ex-WWE talent is just getting more saturated under TKO’s leadership, as WWE clearly has no problem letting go of big names or asking top stars to take significant pay cuts. While some of the other released stars might find it tough to land in a major promotion, thanks to things like WWE’s relationship with TNA, NJPW’s recent struggles, or AEW’s already bloated roster, for guys like Black, Sane, and MCMG, the doors are wide open. TNA, NJPW, and AEW are looking more and more like hot destinations for these stars, even as WWE keeps chugging along with its current roster and a slew of recent NXT call-ups. Keep an eye on where these 11 land, because the ripple effects are gonna be huge!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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