Update On Nick Wayne's AEW Status

When the 16-year-old prospect expects to truly start with All Elite Wrestling revealed.

Nick Wayne
AEW

Nick Wayne became the youngest wrestler to ink an official contract with All Elite Wrestling in February, as the 16-year-old independent prospect was ceremonially handed one by former TNT Champion Darby Allin at a DEFY Wrestling show in Seattle, Washington.

Though he remains active on the indie circuit, Wayne is yet to appear on AEW television in any capacity. This is unlikely to change until he hits 18 years old.

Wayne recently confirmed as much in a new interview with Andrew Thompson. The rising star stated that by 18, he wants his look, in-ring ability, and everything else to be good to go (h/t Wrestling Inc.):-

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“Just from now until I’m 18 years old, we’ve got about a year and a half left, I’m just working my hardest as I can right now. So the day I turn 18 I’m ready to go. I look the part, my talent in the ring is crisp, you know. Just working to be the best version of myself.”

Attracting considerable buzz over the past year or so, particularly in the wake of his November 2021 match with Joey Janela, Wayne has emerged as one of the independents' most talked-about prospects. The son of Pacific Northwest territorial veteran Buddy Wayne has kept a busy calendar since then, wrestling the likes of Swerve Strickland, ACH, and Mike Bailey in 2022 alone.

For now, those independent stages (including GCW, where he is a regular) are where fans curious about Nick's growth will have to catch him.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.