Practically every wrestler at some point in their career could benefit by moving to another promotion. Whether it comes from the star achieving all they possibly can in one company, or simply because the talent
isn’t being given enough opportunities at their current home, a change of scenery can often breath new life into a sagging career.
We’ll take a look at wrestlers from both WWE and AEW who could boost their careers by switching to another team. Below are the 5 WWE stars we identified as needing a change:
LA Knight
A vary large and vocal portion of WWE’s fanbase have long called for LA Knight to be given the opportunity to be the top star of the company. However, for reasons known only to them, WWE’s decision-makers seem reluctant to put the 43-year-old in big spots.
After a short and forgettable WWE run that began in 2014, Knight proved he can the face of a company when he won the TNA championship (as Eli Drake). A return to WWE saw him saddled with the Max Dupri talent agent gimmick before he finally broke out by re-adopting the LA Knight name and winning gold with the U.S. championship in 2024. He dropped that belt months later at WrestleMania 41 and hit another dry spell.
While he is currently sidelined with an injury, Knight could leverage his continued fan support into greater success in AEW.
Bayley
There’s no doubt Bayley continues to be loved by wrestling fans, and she still enjoys plenty of television time thanks to her alliance with Lyra Valkyria in an ongoing feud against the Judgment Day.
That being said, Bayley appears to be far removed from the women’s main event level. Considering she had a long run as one of the faces of WWE’s female roster, she could carry her long list of accolades over to Tony Khan’s company and easily find herself competing for top gold.
Bayley would also find herself in familiar company in AEW in the form of Mercedes Moné, who was not only a fellow member of the Four Horsewomen with Bayley in NXT, but also a real-life friend behind-the-scenes.
Finn Balor
After becoming the first-ever WWE Universal Champion in 2016, Finn Bálor was forced to relinquish the title one day later due to a shoulder injury. While he’s held the Intercontinental Championship and U.S. Championship, the Irish superstar hasn’t claimed either of the company’s top belts since 2016.
His current run in the Judgment Day faction has arguably brought him his most success in the WWE, including multiple tag team titles. However, there is a sense that he may have reached the ceiling with the group, whereas stablemate Dominik Mysterio is a star on the rise.
A jump to AEW could not only revitalize the 44-year-old Bálor’s career, but could also provide American fans with the opportunity to see two former Bullet Club leaders face off if he entered into a feud with Kenny Omega.
Sami Zayn
Like other WWE stars on this list, Zayn continues to be a huge fan favorite who also may have reached the limit of his success in the company. While he has held other titles in WWE, he has come up short in bouts for the top gold.
At 41-years-old, Zayn can still compete for at least a few more years at an elite level, and his willingness to take chances in the ring would undoubtedly win over the AEW faithful.
Omos
The 7-foot-3 Omos is a classic case of an impressive athlete being underutilized on the main roster. A tag team run in 2020-2021 with the veteran AJ Styles was seemingly meant to give the Nigerian behemoth some in-ring guidance, but it eventually sputtered out.
Omos was then paired up with manager MVP but his career stalled. Soon, he became more known among fans for his long absences from the ring.
While he has since reemerged in AAA, where he has properly shined as a monster heel, Omos could really go over with AEW fans in a similar fashion.
Honorable Mention: Candice LeRae
A long-time star on the independent scene, Candice LaRae has mainly acted a henchwoman for the likes of Nia Jax and her husband Johnny Gargano’s alliance with Tommaso Ciampa. An argument could also be made for Shinsuke Nakamura moving to AEW, but the Japanese superstar looks content to wind down his career (at least in America) with sporadic appearances for WWE.
Check out the companion piece to this story on AEW wrestlers who should consider signing with WWE, right here.
