On one hand, you have Danhausen, a comedian who had all but disappeared from television during his time with Tony Khan’s promotion. However, after a surprise move to WWE, the man with the painted face has suddenly become a shining star on “SmackDown,” and even emerged as one of the top three merchandise sellers at this year’s WrestleMania.
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Compare that to the fate of Aleister Black, the former AEW Trios Champion who returned to WWE last year. Despite receiving promotional video packages and a budding feud with Randy Orton, the martial artist-turned-wrestler was unceremoniously released from the company last week, along with his wife Zelina Vega.
Of the 17 names that have so far gone from AEW to WWE in the last five years, who are the least and most successful? Here is our assessment of your situation.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Danhausen
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Success rating: N/A (too early to tell)
Sure, Danhausen is on top right now, selling merchandise like nobody’s business and making the crowd scream his catchphrase. But given that he’s only been in WWE for a few months, it still seems too quick to make a firm judgment. Things can change quickly in professional wrestling, particularly in novelty acts.
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Royce Keys (formerly known as Powerhouse Hobbs)
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Success rating: N/A (too early to tell)
Like Danhausen, Royce Keys is getting a big television push, suggesting WWE sees huge potential in him. That said, we still don’t really know what those plans might be, making it too early to call it a success or a failure.
Paige (formerly known as Saraya)
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Success rating: N/A (too early to tell)
Paige’s surprising return was one of the few surprises at WrestleMania 42, although you’d have to be a braver man than me to predict where things will go next. He may already have a belt around his waist (albeit a tag team championship), but he still has a lot to prove, especially given the lukewarm reaction to his AEW run.
Paige (right) and Brie Bella are the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
(WWE via Getty Images)
andrade
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Success rating: 1 out of 5 👑
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In recent years, Andrade’s moves between AEW and WWE have reached comical proportions, racking up four separate moves. While it could be going well in AEW right nowThat doesn’t change the fact that his last WWE run was a colossal failure, especially given the undignified circumstances of his departure.
Blair Davenport (formerly known as Bea Priestley)
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Success rating: 1.5 out of 5 👑
Bea Priestley was one of the first AEW wrestlers to leave the company and was released from her contract when Covid left her stuck in Japan. Due to the pandemic, it took her a year to sign with WWE, where she was sent to the already abandoned NXT UK. Despite being called up for “SmackDown” in 2024, she was rarely booked and was quietly released last year.
Shawn Spears
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WWE return: February 2024
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Success rating: 1.5 out of 5 👑
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Moving from AEW to WWE’s developmental promotion is not a bad thing in itself (as the success of some other names will attest). But ending up stuck as a supporting player in an underwhelming faction, The Culling, isn’t exactly ideal. Everything seems to be a far cry from two years ago, when Shawn Spears was presented as a possible challenger to the NXT Championship.
phoenix king
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Success rating: 2 out of 5 👑👑
It’s one of the enduring mysteries in modern WWE: Why haven’t they reunited the Lucha Brothers as a team? To be fair, it’s probably not a priority for one half of the duo, Penta, who has been flying high as a single star. Not so much for Rey Fénix, who has had a difficult time getting booked on “SmackDown.”
Rey Fénix’s career in WWE is not off to a stellar start.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Lexis King (formerly known as Brian Pillman Jr.)
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Success rating: 2 out of 5 👑👑
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Here’s more proof that teaser video packages aren’t always the best indicator of success in modern WWE. When Brian Pillman Jr. made the move from AEW to NXT in 2023, his arrival was preceded by some delightfully retro trailers. Nearly three years later, the second-generation star is still stuck on Tuesday nights, struggling to capture that initial spark of excitement.
Aleister Black (formerly Malakai Black)
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Success rating: 2 out of 5 👑👑
Things looked rosy for the former House of Black leader when he returned to WWE last spring after weeks of teaser video packages. Despite a solid feud with Damian Priest, the Dutchman never got the push he wanted, leading to him being fired from the company last month.
Aleister Black and his wife, Zelina Vega, found themselves among WWE’s post-WrestleMania cuts.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Rusev (formerly known as Miro)
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Success rating: 2 out of 5 👑👑
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Work had largely dried up with Miro in AEW when he made the decision to return to WWE last year. After being introduced on “Raw after Mania,” the Bulgarian brute dove straight into a feud with his old ally Sheamus, before seemingly disappearing from our screens. That being said, things have been looking a little better lately, with Rusev reinserted into the Intercontinental Title picture.
Ethan’s Page
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Success rating: 3 out of 5 👑👑👑
Ethan Page has always felt like one of those stars who would do better in WWE than in AEW. He’s a talented fighter, sure, but his real advantage comes from his telegenic charisma. True to form, Page has been a super fun heel in NXT, particularly when working with Chelsea Green, and now he seems primed for success on “Monday Night Raw.”
Blake Monroe will make his main roster debut this week.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Blake Monroe (formerly known as Mariah May)
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Success rating: 3 out of 5 👑👑👑
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There were some surprises when the former Mariah May was sent to NXT after her move from AEW to WWE. While we don’t know the full reason for the decision, the British star did decently on Tuesday nights, embarking on a strong run with the NXT North American Championship. Let’s see how he does on “SmackDown” when he makes his debut this week.
Jade Cargill
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Success rating: 3 out of 5 👑👑👑
Of all the names on this list, WWE’s signing of Jade Cargill felt the most like a flex, with Triple H luring the former TBS champion with an offer she couldn’t refuse. Since joining the big leagues, Cargill has confirmed what we all knew: the woman looks a million dollars on screen, although she still feels a few notches below some of the other big names on the roster.
Ricky Saints has started working in WWE.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Ricky Saints (formerly known as Ricky Starks)
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Success rating: 3.5 out of 5 👑👑👑
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We all remember the “Tony fumble” chants that greeted Ricky Saints’ arrival to NXT early last year. Almost 18 months later and the veracity has held up, with Saints cementing his reputation as one of the most watchable talents in NXT (and one of the select few to beat Oba Femi). His first appearance on “SmackDown” showed how much WWE values him, resulting in an exhibition match against Cody Rhodes.
Penta (formerly known as Pentagon Jr.)
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Success rating: 4 out of 5 👑👑👑👑
Forget teaser video packages – the real sign that you’ve made it is when they’re making full episodes of “WWE Unreal” about you. That’s the reality for Penta, who has been crying since he was introduced at WWE’s premiere on Netflix last year, resulting in a strong run with the mid-card Intercontinental title. Could he eventually make a push towards the top card? That is the big question for the fearless fighter.
Cody Rhodes (R) and CM Punk have become two of WWE’s biggest stars.
(WWE via Getty Images)
Cody Rhodes
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Success rating: 5 out of 5 👑👑👑👑👑
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When your return to WWE is preceded by a visit from Vince McMahon (then still in charge of the company) asking you to return, you know the odds are probably in your favor. Still, it’s worth noting how well things have gone for Cody Rhodes since his spectacular return to WWE four years ago, not only ending the proverbial story with an unforgettable finish at WrestleMania XL, but also when John Cena passed the torch to him at last year’s SummerSlam.
That’s all very impressive for a man whose star seemed to have faded during the final months of his time with Tony Khan.
CM Punk
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WWE Return: November 2023
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Success rating: 5 out of 5 👑👑👑👑👑
Watching Punk’s iconic return at Survivor Series 2023, it’s easy to forget what a risk he represented at the time. Whoever was to blame for the events at All In, it was clear from outer space that Punk had burned his bridges in AEW, making him two for two when it came to alienating major wrestling promotions. Then, against all odds, “The Second City Saint” made his triumphant return to his former employer, embarking on what must be the most successful run of his career to date.
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Given that he not only won the WWE World Title, but also achieved his personal goal of main eventing WrestleMania not once, but twice, you have to give Punk the edge when it comes to being the most successful switch from AEW to WWE.