7 WWE, AEW Stars Stuck in the Wrong Place

WWE and AEW are the two biggest promotions in the world, so whenever someone leaves one of these promotions, fans immediately speculate about whether they will show up in the other one.

We've seen stars like Edge, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill and Blake Monroe make the jump, and we have even seen some stars like Andrade El Idolo and Aleister Black do it more than once.

While both companies offer the same basic product, their presentation and priorities are very different, so some people tend to fit better with one than the other.

WWE and All Elite Wrestling both boast massive rosters, but some performers seem like they would be a better fit working for the opposition, so let's look at a few names who might benefit from jumping ship and why.

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae

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Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae might be two of the most misused performers in all of WWE right now.

Not only are they both gifted in-ring performers, but they can also both bring so much more to the table than WWE is letting them.

If the real-life couple were to go to AEW, they would instantly be welcomed by the same audience that has embraced Tommaso Ciampa.

They wouldn't need to reunite DIY for both to be successful, but a lot of fans would be happy to see them renew their rivalry with FTR.

LeRae would be a fantastic addition to the women's roster there, too. If anyone in WWE feels tailor-made to succeed in AEW, it's them.

Hook

Hook became popular early in his AEW run by being the silent, chip-eating son of Taz. He seemed like a bright prospect, but the last couple of years have not been as successful as many fans had hoped.

Some of it comes down to timing and booking. The Opps have kind of fallen apart without Samoa Joe, and Hook hasn't done anything of substance since announcing his plans to expand the group.

WWE loves second-generation talents, especially if their parents were successful, so Hook is the kind of talent that management would love to recruit.

A stint in NXT before heading to the main roster would be the best way to introduce him and establish a unique character. Once he sands off the rough edges, he would be great in WWE.

Shinsuke Nakamura

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Shinsuke Nakamura is a talented performer who is just spinning his wheels in WWE at this point.

It's clear management regards him as a great wrestler, but his character has been used so poorly in recent years that a lot of his mystique has faded.

Not only would going to AEW give him a chance to revitalize himself, but he would be able to revisit some of his feuds from NJPW thanks to the company having a working relationship with the Japanese promotion.

On top of some familiar faces, Nakamura would have numerous new talents he could work with for the first time. A match between him and Konosuke Takeshita would be guaranteed to create a lot of buzz.

Lance Archer

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In the last 12 months, Lance Archer has only won two matches in AEW, and both were tag bouts. In every other match, singles and tag, he has come up short.

While The Murderhawk Monster has been featured relatively regularly during his time in AEW as a member of The Don Callis Family, he hasn't had a proper push.

It often feels like AEW doesn't know how to use powerhouse performers like Archer, so they end up being relegated to roles as muscle for other talents.

Archer had a brief run in WWE in 2009, but he has grown a lot since then. If he were to return now, he would be booked much better, especially if he keeps the same gimmick.

Private Party

Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen have been with AEW since almost the beginning, but ever since they lost the AEW tag titles in January 2025, it feels like they have been forgotten about by management.

They have only had two televised matches in more than a year since that happened, so it might be time to look for opportunities elsewhere.

WWE can always use more depth in its tag team division, and Private Party would fit in nicely with other teams like Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxiom and The Street Profits.

Quen and Kassidy are too talented to be sitting on the sidelines, so hopefully, something changes for them soon.

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Which members of the WWE and AEW roster do you think would thrive in the other promotion?