Why “Speedball” Mike Bailey’s AEW Debut Took Longer Than Expected

After months of speculation, Speedball Mike Bailey is officially All Elite—but his arrival didn’t happen as quickly as fans expected.

While AEW confirmed Bailey’s signing with a video package on the February 22, 2025, episode of Collision, behind the scenes, his debut was tied up in visa-related delays.

Bailey finished up with TNA Wrestling in late October, but because his contract technically ran through the end of 2024, he wasn’t free to work elsewhere until January 1. During that time, both AEW and WWE had interest, with Bailey working through an agent to figure out his next move. Ultimately, AEW locked him in with a multi-year deal, finalizing things at the start of the year.

But even with the contract signed, Bailey still couldn’t step into an AEW ring. Sources confirm via Fightful Select that visa issues were the hold-up, with everything caught up in the approval process. Now that those hurdles are cleared, AEW isn’t wasting any time—Bailey’s debut is officially set in motion.

After all the waiting, the stage is finally set for Speedball to make his mark. Will he come in guns blazing, or will the months on the sidelines leave him playing catch-up? Drop your thoughts in the comments!