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In 2021, WWE released 85 superstars due to budget cuts. This was WWE's biggest exodus in history. These superstars were either released or chose not to renew their contracts.
Since its launch, AEW has been going head-to-head with WWE. Many former WWE stars have jumped ship to AEW. Tony Khan has been on a hunt for talent. In 2021, Khan managed to bring some big stars to AEW.
Following their release, some stars joined IMPACT or AEW. Let's look at 10 superstars released by WWE in 2021 who joined AEW.
Charlotte Flair to return and wrestle a CURRENT CHAMPION?
#10. WWE's Big Show joins AEW as Paul Wight
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The Big Show was with WWE since 1999. He was one of WWE's biggest athletes. Big Show left WWE in January 2021 due to creative frustrations.
On February 24, Paul Wight announced he signed with AEW as a commentator. He made his in-ring debut against QT Marshall at All Out 2021. He's currently hosting a YouTube show called AEW Dark: Elevation.
#9. Jake Atlas
Jake Atlas signed with WWE in 2019, showcasing his talent as a midcarder after winning several matches. He was released on August 6, 2021. After his release, Atlas appeared for a special showcase match against Tyler Rust. He soon announced his retirement due to mental health issues.
Atlas came out of retirement on December 28 and defeated Serpentico in his AEW debut. A week later, Tony Khan confirmed his signing with AEW. Atlas faced Adam Cole in his first televised match, where was defeated. Jake Atlas is a young talent, and now that he has signed with AEW, it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for him.
#8. Bobby Fish
In WWE, Bobby Fish was a member of the Undisputed Era alongside Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong. He was a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion with Kyle. After the separation of the Undisputed Era, Fish was sidelined for months. Bobby Fish was released from WWE on August 6.
Bobby made his AEW debut in October, where he challenged Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship but fell short. He's currently associated with Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly.
#7. WWE's Christian in AEW to Outwork Everyone
Christian is a former WWE Superstar who has won multiple championships. Christian was one of the biggest underdogs in WWE. His last WWE appearance was at Royal Rumble 2021, where he reunited with his best friend Edge. Later in the year, he was released by WWE.
Christian surprised the wrestling world when he confirmed his signing with AEW and made his in-ring debut on March 31. He also became the IMPACT World Champion after defeating Kenny Omega. He dropped the title to Josh Alexander two months later. Christian is currently allied with Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus.
#6. Kyle O'Reilly
Kyle O'Reilly was a member of WWE's Undisputed Era, disbanded after Adam Cole's betrayal. Later both of them had a trilogy of matches where Kyle was victorious twice and Adam once.
Following the release of his teammates Adam Cole and Bobby Fish, Kyle had a couple of matches in NXT before being released in December. He made his AEW debut on December 22, where he immediately aligned with Adam Cole.
#5. WWE's Ruby Riott
Ruby Riot was the leader of The Riott Squad with Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. The faction broke up in 2019 during WWE Superstar Shake-up. Morgan and Ruby reunited in WWE for a brief program but disbanded again. After separating from Liv, Ruby was an individual player. On June 2, 2021, Ruby was released by WWE.
She debuted as Ruby Soho at AEW All Out 2021 during the Women's Casino Battle Royal. Ruby entered as a surprise Joker and won the Casino Battle Royal. She then challenged Britt Baker for the AEW Women's Championship but failed to win. After signing with AEW, the underrated star is finally getting the spotlight she deserves.
#4. Andrade
Andrade Almas (name used in WWE) was one of the most skillful stars in WWE. His movement and agility caught the eye of the WWE Universe. He won the NXT and United States Championships during his WWE career. He was released in March 2021 by WWE.
Andrade made his debut at AEW Dynamite on June 4, 2021, with his manager Vickie Guerrero. His bouts against Pac and Cody Rhodes have been outstanding.
#3. Alister Black of WWE as Malakai Black
Alister Black is a wrestler with great potential who puts details into his character. During his NXT run, he was booked perfectly, even winning the championship for a brief time. He had less creative freedom on the main roster. Before his WWE release, Black was booked for a major program with Big E but was let go on June 2.
A month later, he made his AEW debut as Malakai Black attacking Arn Anderson. His entrances have been a delight to watch. Black defeated Cody Rhodes multiple times, cementing his legacy in AEW. Now that Malakai Black has creative freedom, he's using his potential to its fullest to develop his character.
#2. Adam Cole
Adam Cole is the former leader of The Undisputed Era and NXT's longest-reigning champion. He was Triple H's top guy and was the face of NXT. He was NXT's second Triple Crown Champion. It was reported that if Adam re-signed with WWE, he would've been promoted to the main roster as Keith Lee's manager. Adam wasn't a fan of this idea and didn't renew his contract.
He made his debut at AEW All Out 2021. After Kenny Omega retained his AEW Championship against Christian, Adam joined Omega and The Young Bucks. Following the arrival of Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish, Adam Cole has been in a dilemma about which side to choose.
#1. WWE's Daniel Bryan as Bryan Danielson
Daniel Bryan was one of the biggest WWE Superstars of the last decade. He has headlined WrestleMania twice. At WrestleMania 38, Bryan faced Roman Reigns and Edge for the Universal Championship. A few weeks later, he challenged Reigns for a rematch with a stipulation of leaving the company. After his loss on SmackDown, Bryan left WWE.
Following Adam Cole's debut at AEW All Out 2021, Bryan Danielson made his debut and confronted The Elite. The American Dragon's arrival sent shock waves all over the wrestling world. Bryan recently faced his first AEW loss against the world champion 'Hangman' Adam Page.
