5 AEW stars who could follow Penta to WWE in 2025

The WWE Universe is excited about the future of the newest superstar, Penta. After a video teaser was shown during the Netflix premiere of RAW on January 6th, Penta made his debut the following week, defeating Chad Gable in an instant classic.

AEW has a roster full of talented wrestlers. Some would argue that the company is overstocked with talent. With that said, there will probably be more AEW stars who jump ship, chasing dreams of becoming a WWE Superstar. Today, we look at some AEW stars who could explore options beyond Tony Khan's sphere.

This is our list of five AEW stars who could follow Penta to WWE in 2025.

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#5 - Former AEW TNT champion Wardlow

Wardlow got his start as an independent wrestler in the Midwest, working for smaller promotions like American Revolution Wrestling and International Wrestling Cartel. Stars like Britt Baker and WCW legend Glacier started encouraging Cody Rhodes to take a look at Wardlow, which is ultimately how he got his big break in AEW.

During his time with AEW, Wardlow has shown a ton of potential. Standing 6'3" and tipping the scales at a shredded 270 pounds, you would think Wardlow would have been a main event star by now. Unfortunately, Tony Khan and company have slept on this potential monster, and maybe it's time for a change. The possibilities are limitless if WWE wants to take a chance on a guy who has the look and the in-ring presence to be a major star.

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#4 - Former FTW Champion Hook

Taz was one of the most feared wrestlers of the 1990s. At only 5'9", he proved that dynamite comes in small packages. Taz was a dominant fixture in ECW's meteoric rise, and he also carried that attitude into WWE. While his in-ring days are long gone, his son, known as Hook, is a rising star.

Hook got his start in late 2020 as a member of Team Taz. He went on to become a fan-favorite en route to becoming a three-time FTW champion. In recent months, it seems that AEW doesn't have much of a creative plan for Hook. With that said, it could be time for both parties to move on and let Hook explore other career options.

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#3 - Former NXT Champion Malakai Black could be returning to WWE soon

There have been numerous reports and rumors that Malakai Black has no intentions of continuing his career with AEW. After spending the past few years with the company, Black is probably heading back to WWE soon.

Aleister Black made his original WWE debut in 2016 and became a part of the NXT UK roster. He would go on to win the NXT title at the 2018 Takeover: WarGames event. Black eventually got drafted to the main roster in 2019 before being released in 2021. He is expected to receive a big push when he returns to WWE, but there has been no official word regarding when he will make his comeback.

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#2 - Penta's Lucha Brothers partner Rey Fenix

One of the obvious choices for this list is Penta's younger brother, Rey Fenix. They came up through the ranks together, working in Mexico, Japan, and throughout the States. The Lucha Bros signed with AEW in 2019, becoming one of the company's top tag teams.

Many believe Rey Fenix and Penta will soon reunite in WWE as The Lucha Brothers. However, both have proved they can stand on their own as singles competitors. After the tremendous reception Penta received at his RAW debut, we can only assume now that Rey won't be too far behind.

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#1 - Former AEW World Tag Team Champion Ricky Starks

For the past year, Ricky Starks has been one of the most talked about inactive wrestlers in the world. For the most part, Starks has been silent regarding his future, but he broke his silence following his match at House of Glory's recent pay-per-view in Chicago.

"If you thought I was somebody less than a year ago, you are sadly mistaken...With the last dying breath in this New Orleans heart, I tell you this - I'm gonna stay absolute til I d-i-e."

Ricky Starks made his AEW debut in 2020 as a member of Team Taz. Since signing with the company, Starks has been all over the place creatively. While he's still under contract, he has not been in action for several months. There have been a lot of rumors regarding him potentially signing with WWE. There hasn't been any sort of official word, but many believe it's only a matter of time until he becomes a WWE Superstar.