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Details on AEW Signing Paul Wight; Tony Khan Talks 4 Weekly Shows, Zelina Vega
February 26, 2021
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
More Details on AEW Signing Wight
AEW shocked the wrestling world this week when it announced the signing of longtime WWE Superstar "Big Show" Paul Wight.
While the move caught most by surprise, Fightful interviewed a source close to Wight (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), who said they saw a move coming due to some "major life events" Wight had recently gone through.
Those events were Wight selling his house, seeing his WWE contract expire and seeing his Netflix show get canceled.
In the press release announcing Wight's signing, AEW noted that Wight will be the color commentator for an upcoming YouTube show called AEW Dark: Elevation, which will air weekly on Monday nights.
It was also noted in the press release that Wight will compete in some in-ring action for AEW, although it wasn't noted when or how often.
The 49-year-old Wight spent 22 years in WWE after beginning his career in WCW. Wight put together a Hall of Fame-worthy resume in WWE, winning two WWE Championships, two World Heavyweight Championships, eight Tag Team Championships and both the Intercontinental and United States Championships once apiece.
Wight has not been a full-time wrestler in recent years, but he has got in the ring on occasion, including losing a WWE Championship match against Drew McIntyre on the Raw following WrestleMania 36 last year.
In AEW, Wight will be able to try his hand at the announce table and pass on some of the knowledge he has learned to the younger generation.
He could also potentially be an asset in the ring if AEW uses him wisely, such as an attraction match against Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, which is a match that was rumored for years in WWE.
Khan Talks AEW Running 4 Weekly Shows
AEW President Tony Khan divulged Friday that he plans to run four weekly shows in 2021.
Appearing on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), Khan said: "We'll have the two Dark properties and the two TNT properties and I'm really excited about it. I think we're ready for it."
Currently, AEW has two weekly shows. The flagship show is Dynamite, which airs Wednesdays on TNT. AEW Dark airs weekly on Tuesdays on YouTube.
As part of the announcement of Wight's signing, AEW announced that a new YouTube show called AEW Dark: Elevation will begin airing weekly on Mondays.
Like Dark, Dark: Elevation will feature AEW roster members and wrestlers from the independent circuit, and it will feature storylines consistent with both Dark and Dynamite.
The second TNT show is something Khan first brought up last year, but since there hadn't been any news on the project for quite some time, it was unclear if it was still happening.
Nothing has been revealed regarding a name, start date or which day it will air, but Khan made it clear that there are still plans in place for another TNT show to complement Dynamite.
One of AEW's biggest issues is a lack of television time relative to how big its roster is, but adding a second TNT show and a fourth show overall could go a long way toward solving that problem.
Khan Comments on Vega
Zelina Vega (aka Thea Trinidad) is one of the top women's wrestlers available in free agency, and AEW has some interest in potentially signing her.
Appearing on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Upton), Khan said the following regarding AEW's interest in Vega:
"Isn't she in a 90-day non-compete? She was in a non-compete last time I checked. I've been waiting for that. ... I don't talk to people when they have the non-compete. If her's expired, it must have just expired. I've been waiting on her non-compete to expire. I'd have to check the math to see if she expired. When we get through this tournament and through this pay-per-view, I'd be interested to see where she's at."
Vega was released by WWE on Nov. 13, 2020, meaning her 90-day non-compete clause is up and she is free to sign anywhere.
It was later reported Vega was released by WWE for breaching the company's policy against its performers using and monetizing third-party platforms, such as Twitch. Since getting released, Vega has continued to build a huge following on Twitch.
AEW isn't known to have any such policy, which could make it a good fit for Vega should she decide to sign with a different wrestling company.
In WWE, Vega enjoyed a great deal of success as a manager, leading Andrade to NXT Championship and United States Championship wins. She also established herself as one of the best talkers in the company.
Vega was underrated in the ring as well and was starting to gain traction in that regard prior to her release, even challenging Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship.
AEW is significantly far behind WWE in the development and usage of its women's division, but it may be starting to improve in that area thanks to the current AEW Women's Championship Eliminator Tournament.
If AEW is serious about making women's wrestling a huge deal under its umbrella, Vega would undoubtedly be a worthwhile addition.
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