Jon Moxley and 4 AEW stars who've closed the door on a possible WWE return

AEW has not only become a true alternative to the WWE since its inception, but it's a thriving promotion in its own right. A number of former WWE Superstars have carved out successful runs in the company since joining Tony Khan.

Despite the increase in quality of WWE programming with Triple H in charge of creative, there are certain individuals who very likely won’t be making a comeback to WWE. Whether it's due to past issues with the sports entertainment giant or the fact that they are simply winding down their careers, here are five AEW stars who've closed the door on a possible WWE return.

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#5. Taya Valkyrie

Taya Valkyrie was a well-known performer in the pro wrestling industry even before her brief stint in NXT back in 2021. She was a household name in Mexico and had highly successful runs in Lucha Underground and IMPACT Wrestling.

However, when she finally signed with the black and gold brand at the age of 37, she was rebranded as Franky Monet and had to reestablish herself all over again in the developmental brand.

In an interview on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Valkyrie reflected on her WWE run which barely lasted a year and shot down plans on an eventual return:

"I didn’t really think about it too much. I just knew that if it was meant to be, it was meant to be. And also, I was kind of indifferent. I didn’t know if I wanted to subject myself to being in a space like that again. And I mean, it worked out. I couldn’t be happier about it." [H/T: Chris Van Vliet]

Given her lack of opportunities and wealth of experience, Taya is much better suited to the AEW women's division, where she can become a viable title contender. Despite not winning the TBS Championship during her feud with Jade Cargill, Taya has kept herself visible on television and will soon challenge Britt Baker on the next episode of Dynamite.

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#4. WWE Hall of Famer Sting

Sting has entered the final year of his AEW contract and has publicly stated that he plans to retire at the end of his current run. This will most certainly rule out a return to WWE as he was forced to retire from in-ring competition almost eight years ago after a freak accident involving Seth Rollins in 2015.

The Icon's WWE run was highly disappointing as he lost both of his matches and never got a chance to have the dream match with The Undertaker which everyone was clamoring for.

Sting previously admitted that the only match he wanted in WWE was with The Deadman. When that was not forthcoming, Sting would accept the WWE Hall of Fame induction and call time on his career.

That was before AEW President Tony Khan managed to convince him to join his promotion in 2020. Since then, the 64-year-old has defied his age and expectations by putting on highly physical matches, usually with Darby Allin by his side.

While there has not been an exact date for Sting's retirement, Tony Khan has fans assured that whenever Sting decides to hang up his boots, he will be given a send-off fitting of a legend.

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#3. Former WWE Champion Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson reached the pinnacle of his wrestling career in WWE when he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 30. The Yes! Man spent nearly a decade in the company where he became one of the biggest underdog champions of all time. In fact, most fans assumed he would wind down his career there, given that he is also married to WWE Hall of Famer, Brie Bella.

However, the American Dragon shocked the wrestling world when he joined All Elite Wrestling in 2021. He has been on a stellar run ever since, challenging for the AEW World Championship a number of times, forming the Blackpool Combat Club and even defeating Okada in a dream match at Forbidden Door II.

The 42-year-old confirmed that he has no intentions of ever returning to WWE during a recent Q&A he conducted, which was shared on Reddit. Additionally, he also revealed that his current deal with AEW will be his last.

Danielson explained that he wanted to spend more time being a father as the reason for potentially hanging up his boots in 2024. AEW generally provides a lighter schedule than WWE, so it makes sense that he would choose to finish up his wrestling career under Tony Khan's umbrella.

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#2. Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho is a bonafide legend at this point in his career and has nothing left to prove by going back to WWE. Since finishing up with the company in 2017, he went on to have a successful run in NJPW and was the first major AEW acquisition from WWE when the company first started.

The Jericho Appreciation Society leader has continued to re-invent himself in the Jacksonville-based promotion and even re-signed with All Elite Wrestling this year, ending speculation of a possible WWE return.

In an interview with the Daily Star, Chris Jericho said:

"AEW is the place to be. It really is. I’ve been in WWE. I know how it works. They work that way, I don’t care if Vince is there, Hunter is there, or whoever is there. They have a way of doing things, and I was there for 20 years and was pretty good at it. I like the way we do things at AEW better… so I don’t know why I wouldn’t want to finish my career in AEW."

Le Champion reiterated that he has "zero" interest in ever returning to WWE.

"I never thought that I wouldn’t finish my career with WWE, but things happened, and I was just like ‘I want to go to Japan and do this match [with NJPW]’ and it opened up a whole new world for me... Business is business and there’s always ups and downs, but I have zero interest in ever going back to WWE. That’s not out of bitterness or anger. I love Vince and I love Hunter and all the people there."

Jericho has been an integral part of All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning and it seems like the final chapter of his in-ring career will take place in the promotion.

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#1. Blackpool Combat Club leader Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley recently signed a new five-year deal with AEW, tying him down exclusively to the promotion and its international partners like NJPW until 2027.

He was one of the biggest defectors from WWE back in 2019 and it's safe to say that his career has skyrocketed since then. Mox was a pillar for the company as the world champion during the pandemic and has been positioned as one of its top stars.

With so much invested into All Elite Wrestling, it doesn't seem like we will be getting that Shield reunion any time soon. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, he said:

"I don’t plan on going anywhere else. It’s the best job in the world, and I’m very lucky to have it. In AEW, all I worry about is wrestling... For me, it’s a perfect fit... A year ago, I wasn’t in the same headspace. I was all f*cked up. I hated traveling. I was living in Vegas, felt like I was always in an airport, flying coast to coast, and I was sick of leaving my family. I thought about freelancing when my deal was up," Jon Moxley said. [H/T Sports Illustrated]

Despite his reservations, Moxley has continued to fly the AEW flag high and will continue to do so in the years ahead.