10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Aleister Black
8. He Was A Cult Star Before WWE
It's important to note that WWE changed their approach to signing talent long before AEW was even on anyone's radar. Indy stand out Tommy End signed on the dotted line in 2016, and that made several who had seen him (particularly in the European market for wXw and ICW) rejoice.
End's closest pals and biggest fans knew he had the uniqueness to stand out from the rest of the crowd in WWE, and there was a ton of excitement once NXT was revealed as his entry point. Again being honest though, the name Tommy End had gained significant traction before the "WWE Superstar" tag was attached.
In other words, the soon-to-be Aleister Black didn't need WWE.
End would've done just fine on the independent circuit had the McMahon clan not come calling. Eventually, due to his stellar performances and popularity amongst hardcore fans, he would've inevitably shown up in one of the other heavyweight North American companies, or possibly made his way over to New Japan.