10 Wrestlers AEW Saved From Retirement
These wrestlers beat the three-count of retirement, all thanks to AEW!
It's safe to say that the arrival of All Elite Wrestling flipped the wrestling industry upside down like a Ricochet vs Will Ospreay match. It changed the game, providing a strong alternative to WWE for both the viewers and the performers.
With more than one major company to ply your trade in, many wrestlers have found new (Forbidden) doors opening for them. But it's not just young or international talent jumping through the gates; there's also an avenue for those set on retirement to stave it off, forging new chapters in their careers.
Even Adam 'Edge' Copeland, one of the promotion's biggest signings, has been open about the fact that his career was closing in on its finale before his switch to All Elite. Still, The Rated R Superstar is far from being the only one, as AEW has allowed many to wave bye-bye to retirement and step into the ring once again.
The following ten figures are ones viewers never thought they'd hear from again, but got the chance to through All Elite Wrestling. It just goes to show that competition doesn't only breed creativity; it breathes new life into people.
10. Awesome Kong
Many people (this writer included) would argue that Awesome Kong does not get the credit she deserves as a trailblazer in the women's wrestling revolution. She was tearing it up in TNA at a time when WWE was still treating its women with the respect of an alpha bro podcast host, fighting the good fight before the Four Horsewomen changed everything.
Sadly, her career has been one of many stops and starts. Her incredible tenure at TNA ended with a dicey relationship, and her 2010-12 run with WWE (as Kharma) was mired by a long leave of absence and an eventual departure from the company.
Kong was inactive for years following her second departure from TNA in 2016. For a while her role in Netlfix's GLOW was the closest she came to in-ring work. However, that all changed in 2019 when she debuted for AEW at Double or Nothing. Wow!
Sure, her time in AEW didn't reach the level fans would have hoped - the less said about The Nightmare Collective, the better. However, seeing her get one final run in a major company before her retirement in 2021 was, simply put, awesome!
She's now an Impact Hall of Famer, and here's hoping retirement is treating her well.