Jack Perry is staying with AEW, and it does not sound like WWE was exactly waiting by the phone if he hit the market.
AEW made Perry’s new deal official on the July 8 episode of Dynamite, complete with a video package that looked back at his history with the company. That included his attack on Tony Khan, and the segment ended with Perry and Khan shaking hands after Perry signed his new AEW contract in dramatic fashion.
The bigger wrinkle is what was happening on the WWE side. WrestleVotes noted on Fightful Select that there were little to no discussions in WWE about pursuing Perry if he became a free agent. The feeling from WWE sources was that there was never much appetite to bring him in, because he was not seen as a real fit for the company’s current landscape.
That puts a different spin on the whole situation. Perry’s AEW contract status had picked up attention after Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer stated that Perry still had not signed a new deal and that his contract was coming up soon. Once Dynamite aired, AEW closed that door in front of everybody.
Tony Khan had already made it clear before Forbidden Door that AEW wanted Perry around for the long run. When asked about Perry’s future, Khan said the company’s plan was never for him to leave.
“The plan for AEW and Jack is for Jack to be here for a long time. I have believed that Jack is a great wrestler for many years and I continue to feel that way. I like Jack very much, personally. He has a very bright future in wrestling and a great mind for wrestling.”
Khan also praised Perry’s latest run and said fans had embraced the return of “Jungle Jack.”
“It’s been really gratifying for me and fans to see the return of Jungle Jack and seeing fans embrace Jack and the great matches he’s been having. The plan is for Jack to be in AEW for a long time, so that’s going to happen.”
Now it has happened. Perry has been with AEW since 2019, starting as Jungle Boy before becoming one of the company’s homegrown names. He won tag team gold with Jurassic Express, turned heel, joined The Elite, held the TNT Championship, and became a major part of AEW’s drama after his backstage altercation with CM Punk at All In London in 2023.
That Punk incident still follows the story. Punk was later fired by AEW, Perry was suspended, and AEW eventually aired the footage on Dynamite. Now Punk is WWE’s new Undisputed Champion, while Perry has locked himself back into AEW.
The difference is that WWE apparently never saw Perry as a serious target anyway. AEW wanted him, WWE did not seem to have much interest, and Perry’s next chapter will continue where it started. Perry’s new AEW deal gives the company another chance to keep building him as one of its own. Whether fans love him or hate him, AEW clearly still sees value in Jack Perry.
Do you think WWE made the right call by not chasing Jack Perry, or did AEW just keep someone they could regret missing out on? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know.
