5 Superstars who wrestled for WWE and AEW in 2021

In recent years, WWE has found competition in the form of AEW. The new promotion has worked hard to bring in some top names and develop major storylines to pull wrestling fans.

2021 saw several WWE Superstars released by the company. Most were let go due to budget restraints, while some asked to be released. Many of those who left WWE in 2021 ended up bagging an AEW contract, allowing them to compete in both promotions in the same year.

Andrade and Malakai Black were released in 2021 but did not compete for WWE during the year. With that being said, here are five wrestlers who wrestled for WWE and AEW in 2021.

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#5. Ruby Soho left WWE in June and joined AEW in September 2021

AEW star Ruby Soho kicked off her year as part of the WWE roster. She teamed up with Liv Morgan to defeat Natalya and Tamina in a tag team match on the first episode of WWE SmackDown of the year.

Ruby and Liv teamed up against the same pairing at WrestleMania 37. However, Ruby was released from WWE in June 2021 just when her partnership with Liv Morgan was shaping up well again.

After posting several teasers on social media, Ruby made her AEW debut in September as the surprise Joker entrant in the women's Casino Battle Royale match at All Out in Chicago. She won the Casino Battle Royale, earning a future shot at the AEW Women's World Championship.

Inside The Ropes spoke to Ruby about her decision to join AEW. According to Ruby, she'd heard good things about AEW and was ready to make the move:

"I always had a good feeling (about AEW). A lot of my friends worked in AEW and they’ve always said wonderful things. To be honest, I’m waiting for something to go wrong, because it’s too good to be true...It’s so rad and so much fun. I love coming to work...they always had good things to say about it. I’ve always been a fan of the product, but the moment it was for sure 'this is where I’m meant to be' was All Out, when I debuted and I came out to the amazing reception in Chicago. It was after that where I was like 'this is where I’m meant to be. This is home for me for sure.'"

Ruby’s WWE career did not turn out to be as successful as many would have liked it to be. However, she’s made a good start to her AEW career, and she could go on to become the AEW Women’s Champion sooner rather than later.

#4. Bobby Fish went on a solo run for WWE NXT in 2021 before joining AEW

AEW newcomer Bobby Fish joined WWE in 2017 and became part of the Undisputed ERA. However, injuries sidelined Fish for several months in 2019 and 2021.

In June 2021, Fish competed in his final match in WWE against former teammate Roderick Strong. In August, he became the first member of the Undisputed ERA to be let go by WWE.

Fish did not have to wait long as he bagged an AEW contract in October 2021. He challenged Sammy Guevara for the AEW TNT Championship in his debut match but was unsuccessful.

Speaking to PWInsider Elite, Fish revealed that he was ready to start afresh after leaving WWE:

"I think pro wrestling is one of those industries where it’s never goodbye forever. So there’s always faces that you get accustomed to seeing daily, monthly, weekly, and then you’ll go a few years and not see them because you’ve veered in a different direction. But those paths always seem to cross again down the road. So I feel like that’s really what I’ve walked into at AEW and then there’s obviously the new faces as well, but it’s all good. I’m up for all of it, to be honest."

He has the potential and the charisma to become a bigger star in AEW than he was in WWE. It’d be interesting to see him win a singles championship on the promotion someday.

#3. Christian Cage made his wrestling return for WWE in 2021 before joining AEW

Christian Cage revived his career in AEW after retiring in 2014. Christian was a top star in WWE, but injuries got the better of him before his official retirement.

He continued to work hard and made a miraculous return to the ring, much like his best friend Edge. Christian made his in-ring return for WWE in 2021 at the Royal Rumble. It was the only match he competed for the company following his full return.

In March 2021, Christian made his AEW debut to surprise the entire wrestling industry. He defeated Frankie Kazarian in his first match for the promotion. Christian has already competed in dozens of matches for AEW and IMPACT Wrestling in 2021.

In an interview, Christian revealed that he wasn’t nervous during his WWE Royal Rumble return, but was nervous during his AEW debut:

"Let me be honest with you. So, when I did the Royal Rumble, like, what a month ago at this point. I was not nervous at all, and I hadn't wrestled in seven years. When I walked out of that trailer to go out last night, I was nervous."

The former IMPACT Wrestling Champion has already proven that he has a lot left in the tank. He could continue to fight for AEW for a few more years before hanging up his boots.

#2. Adam Cole debuted for AEW less than a month after leaving WWE in 2021

Adam Cole moved from WWE to AEW rather quickly. Cole is one of the most decorated superstars in WWE NXT history, and he competed in many of the biggest matches of the brand.

The Panama City Playboy competed in many matches in WWE in 2021 and fought his final battle against Kyle O’Reilly at NXT TakeOver 36.

Less than a month later, Cole made his AEW debut and defeated Frankie Kazarian in his first match in the promotion. Speaking about his AEW debut, Cole revealed that he decided just days before All Out that he wanted to join the promotion:

"My actual decision was literally only a couple days before [the pay-per-view]. I was awake in bed, it was close to 1 in the morning, and I was imagining being involved in AEW. That thought gave me such an excited feeling. I was so giddy I couldn’t even sleep. I loved the idea of coming to All Elite Wrestling, and that’s when I knew what I needed to do."

Many of Cole’s best friends work for AEW, including his girlfriend Britt Baker who is at the top of the women’s division. His move could turn out to be a great decision for The Panama City Playboy in the long run.

#1. Bryan Danielson joined AEW soon after ending a WWE Universal Championship rivalry in 2021

Bryan Danielson (fka Daniel Bryan in WWE) is one of the top names who’ve signed with AEW in 2021. Unlike many other names on the list, Bryan was a top star in WWE and involved in some of the company’s biggest storylines.

Just before his WWE exit in 2021, Bryan was involved in the Universal Championship scene. He had the top match at WWE WrestleMania 37 against Roman Reigns and Edge for the title.

After taking a loss to Reigns in a Universal Championship match on the April 30th episode of WWE SmackDown, Bryan exited the company. He made his debut for AEW soon after and took on Kenny Omega at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam.

Bryan spoke about his AEW debut in an interview. He revealed that Tony Khan explained to him how he wanted to have both Bryan and Adam Cole debut on the same night:

"So, I think it was pretty cool. Tony Khan mentioned it to me and I thought, like, 'Okay, well, are you sure you don't want to space it out?' and then he kind of explained his reasons for doing it. And I thought, 'You know what? I've never seen anything like that before.'"

The company will try to put the AEW World Championship on Bryan Danielson at least once before he calls it a day. The WWE legend’s star power will help the title and the brand grow.