AEW may have some big former WWE names on the table, but not everyone in the company sounds ready to roll out the red carpet.
During Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez talked about the idea of Sheamus possibly landing in AEW now that his WWE status is up in the air. Sheamus would obviously bring name value, years of TV experience, and a hard-hitting style fans still respect. The problem is AEW’s roster is already packed, and plenty of people can’t even get on television as it is.
Alvarez made it clear that the issue is not Sheamus personally. In fact, he said the people he spoke with had good things to say about him. The concern is more about AEW bringing in another older former WWE star while younger talent and longtime AEW names are already fighting for screen time.
“Now, the one thing I will say, and I want to word this very carefully because I don’t want stupid headlines out of this, but I did talk to a lot of people today in AEW who were like, ‘Are we really going to take this guy?’ And let me make this abundantly clear, okay? Everybody I talked to, like to a person, was like, ‘I really like Sheamus. I really like him.’ But the basic gist of it is like, there are so many people under contract, and there are so many people that already can’t even get on TV, and we’re going to hire another 48-year-old?”
That is where things get tricky. Sheamus can still go in the ring, and nobody on the show was acting like he is washed. The concern is whether AEW really needs to add another established WWE veteran when the company already has a long list of wrestlers waiting for consistent TV time.
The conversation then got even more interesting when Alvarez tied Sheamus to the idea of New Day possibly coming into AEW as well. That would mean even more former WWE names entering the mix, and Alvarez said that is where some people in AEW are not exactly thrilled.
“Yeah. Nobody had anything against Sheamus personally. It was just sort of like, here comes another one, because the New Day is probably coming in, and then Sheamus would be coming in, and that’s three more slots that people who have been there for a long time, or who should be on the way up, or who should be younger, you know, they’re going to be iced out again. And, you know, people weren’t really thrilled about that idea.”
AEW talent may respect Sheamus, and New Day would obviously be a huge get if they ever came in, but the company has been dealing with the same issue for a long time: too many wrestlers, not enough TV time.
Sheamus in AEW could lead to some wild matches, especially against names like Claudio, Bobby Lashley, Jon Moxley, Samoa Joe, or even MJF. New Day showing up would also be a major story. Still, if those signings happen, someone already in AEW is going to lose a spot.
At the end of the day, this is not about whether Sheamus or New Day can still deliver. It is about whether AEW should keep loading up on familiar former WWE names when its own roster is already stacked and waiting for a chance.
What do you think? Should AEW bring in Sheamus and New Day if they are available, or should the company focus on the talent it already has? Let us know in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
