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Welcome to another edition of AEW News Roundup, where we bring you all the biggest news stories coming from the world of All Elite Wrestling.
Tony Khan's much-awaited announcement might have disappointed some fans, but he ensured the news of his latest signees would delight AEW's faithful.
Meanwhile, Dutch Mantell has advised a soon-to-be free agent to snub All Elite Wrestling and join WWE next year. Without further ado, let's dive into the top three stories of the week.
#3. Ric Flair officially signs with AEW
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Ric Flair is All Elite! Yes, you've read that right. As announced by Tony Khan via a press release, The Nature Boy has signed a multi-year deal with All Elite Wrestling.
The news of the 74-year-old stalwart's signing comes on the heels of his surprise debut on the October 25 episode of Dynamite last week. Flair appeared as Tony Khan's "special gift" for Sting following his retirement announcement.
Tony Khan also announced that Ric Flair's Wooooo! Energy drink will become exclusively to the company:
“Last Wednesday, the ‘Nature Boy’ made his epic return to TBS, more than 35 years since the Flair vs. Sting rivalry first began on the Superstation,” said Khan. “It’s truly an honor to welcome the legend himself - and Wooooo! Energy - to AEW.”
The Icon will not be alone in his retirement tour, as his long-time rival and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will help him to prepare for his final swansong at Revolution 2024. But will The Nature Boy get physically involved? Only time will tell.
#2. AEW President Tony Khan inks a deal with Dralistico
Those hoping to see Los Hermanos Lee reunite shouldn't keep their hopes up. With Dragon Lee already having embarked on a new chapter under the WWE umbrella, Tony Khan has now officially signed his brother Dralistico to AEW.
Last night, Dralistico took to his Twitter handle to share a clip of his contract signing with Tony Khan. As seen in the video, the two men shook hands and hugged each other after reaching the terms of a new agreement.
This comes after rumors indicated that Dralistico has been added to the roster page. His brother, Rush, also signed with All Elite Wrestling several weeks ago.
The two men are part of the La Facción Ingobernable, who recently showed up on Collision to fend off The House of Black, Ricky Starks, and Big Bill.
It will be interesting to see what the company has in store for them as Full Gear fast approaches.
#1. Dutch Mantell wants Will Ospreay to sign with WWE
Will Ospreay has been making waves in the world of pro wrestling lately. With his contract with NJPW expiring in February next year, fans have been wondering where he will sign next if opportunities from top promotions come knocking on his door.
Speaking on Story Time with Dutch Mantell, the wrestling manager advised The Aerial Assassin to sign with WWE over AEW and tone down his wrestling style:
"What I’m worried about is that he may not be able to do the same moves he did before. See, he doesn’t get over by personality, he doesn’t get over by doing interviews, he gets over by actual grinding and gigging and actually working in the ring, and if you get to a point that you can’t do that, it becomes very difficult. So I would advise him that he needs to make up his mind, if he wants to go to WWE, please go now while the clock is not ticking so fast for you," Mantell said.
Recent rumors have suggested that WWE is interested in signing Ospreay when he becomes a free agent. However, one shouldn't be surprised if he signs with AEW as he's been heavily featured on their pay-per-views lately despite being contracted to NJPW.
