Ex-WWE Star Set To Debut On AEW Dynamite

This former WWE man gets a title shot on Wednesday's episode of AEW Dynamite.

by Jamie Kennedy
KUSHIDA Darby Allin Sting AEW Dynamite
AEW

Former WWE and current New Japan star KUSHIDA will challenge Darby Allin for AEW's TNT Title on next week's episode of flagship show Dynamite.

That's just one of two title bouts currently scheduled for the show (Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal for the All-Atlantic belt has also been announced), but the KUSHIDA news is definitely bigger. The one time NXT Cruiserweight titleholder will be taking his bow in All Elite here, after all.

KUSHIDA left WWE in April 2022 after letting his contract tick down. He's since returned home to New Japan, but has made a few appearances for IMPACT Wrestling too. Now, he's bringing his skills to AEW for what is believed to be a one-off showing vs. Darby.

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On that, there's no word yet whether or not Tony Khan is interested in inking something more permanent with the Japanese star. He's probably happy to bring KUSHIDA in for a cameo role vs. Allin, then move Darbs onto other things quickly.

There has been some simmering tension between Allin and his mentor Sting in recent weeks. Perhaps that's leading to something down the road.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.