Earlier this week, we learned that The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks' Matt and Nick Jackson, and "Hangman" Adam Page) has signed multi-year contract extensions with AEW.
They'll now remain part of the promotion they helped found for the foreseeable future, and outside of Page, all signs point to them ending their in-ring careers there. Many AEW fans will be happy about that, but a lot of people hoped some, if not all of them, would follow Cody Rhodes in making the leap to WWE.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE was very interested in signing Omega and he was, for a time, #1 on the sports entertainment giant's "most wanted list."
Ultimately, the fact Omega missed so much time last year due to injury is what stopped WWE from being able to speak with him sooner.
According to Meltzer, WWE planned to push Omega as a top Superstar "who would have been used as a top guy, in the mix with the likes of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and Brock Lesnar level guys."
We're not sure how far talks between the two sides went - and whether they ever even really began - but it sounds like WWE might have given up its pursuit of the former AEW World Champion. Why? Well, they feel Rollins is their best in-ring wrestler and has more to give in that role than Omega (whose career may well be winding down due to persistent injuries).
"I was careful to weigh out all options and was open-minded to all possibilities," Omega recently told Sports Illustrated when asked if he considered signing with WWE. "I’m here to help whomever I can while I’m still around."
"AEW not only allows me to continue doing what I do at a high level, but allows the freedom to pursue some other passions I have in life–which, after nearly 25 years in the ring, have become more and more important to me."
Do you think Omega would have been a good fit for WWE?