10 Times WWE REJECTED Million Dollar Ideas
4. Daniel Bryan Vs Adam Cole II...
...and every other combination featuring this specific peer group.
"Million dollar" might scan as hyperbole considering how realistic it was that the pair would or could ever get a major ticket-selling WWE main event slot instead of working ad infinitum on Monday Night Raw, but by letting both go to AEW to potentially have this exact match on a pay-per-view or significant television special, Vince McMahon is making it clearer than ever what he does and doesn't want.
Kevin Owens recent re-signing with WWE (alongside rumours that Sami Zayn will do the same), is proof that this talent flow is not entirely in one direction at present, but recent NXT 2.0 escapees Kyle O'Reilly and Johnny Gargano reflect the rule rather than the exception at present.
With WWE releasing over 160 talents over the past two years and more likely to follow in the years to come, the reimagining of the main roster will almost certainly result in AEW's looking like a land of what-might-have-been. A large, large section of a once-satisfied fanbase will almost certainly prefer to that to the giants too.