Former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Jeff Cobb made his WWE debut at Backlash, introduced by Solo Sikoa as the newest member of The Bloodline.
In recent years, WWE has shown an increased willingness to sign major talent from rival promotions like NJPW and AEW.
The question now is – who could be next?
Here are six potential signings who might soon join Jeff Cobb in a WWE ring.
6. Britt Baker
Britt Baker was AEW’s first official women’s signee and, before the arrival of Mercedes Moné last year, the division’s biggest star.
Recently de-emphasised on AEW programming, she has disappeared from television altogether, with well-publicised reports of backstage issues further fuelling speculation about her future.
The example of Cody Rhodes has shown WWE’s willingness to push former AEW stars to the very top of the card – the grass could very well be greener for Baker.
Is Britt Baker the next AEW star to make the leap to WWE?
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5. Callum Newman
Before departing New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Jeff Cobb held the company’s tag team championships alongside fellow United Empire member Callum Newman.
At just 22 years old, British wrestler Newman is still early in his career, but NJPW has shown increasing confidence in his potential.
That faith was on full display when he was placed in the main event of Wrestling Dontaku, challenging Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship – the most prestigious title in Japan.
As he continues to sharpen his skills in Japan, it feels inevitable that Newman will one day make the leap to North America, and potentially WWE.
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4. Mayu Iwatani
Arguably the most influential Japanese women’s star of the past decade, Mayu Iwatani, departed joshi promotion STARDOM last month.
WWE have shown interest in Iwatani for years, dating back as far as 2017 when they signed her contemporary Kairi Sane.
Following her exit, Iwatani made her debut in Marigold – a rival joshi promotion with ties to WWE – and publicly expressed her desire to wrestle IYO SKY in the US, her generational rival from STARDOM.
With both WWE’s long-standing interest and Iwatani’s own ambitions now aligned, it feels increasingly likely we’ll see her in a WWE ring at some point in the future.
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3. Leon Slater
TNA star Leon Slater recently went viral across the wrestling world.
At TNA’s Rebellion pay-per-view, the British standout hit a death-defying Swanton 450 off the top of the structure during the 6-man Ultimate X match.
Unfortunately, the spectacular high-risk aerial manoeuvre nearly ended in disaster when he landed hard on the floor below.
Still, the moment was a clear display of the undeniable athleticism and star potential the 20-year-old possesses – and with WWE’s ongoing relationship with TNA, it would be no surprise to see Slater land in an NXT ring before long.
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2. Bozilla
21-year-old German powerhouse Bozilla only made her in-ring debut three years ago, but she’s already turning heads.
After joining WWE’s partner joshi promotion Marigold last year – debuting in the main event of its inaugural show – her potential as a dominant, monster-style performer was immediately clear.
She spent the past year honing her craft in Japan, competing for Marigold, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and at the critically acclaimed SAREEE-ISM VI – an independent event run by former NXT star Sareee.
Making her US debut over WrestleMania weekend in a hard-hitting clash with AEW’s Megan Bayne at Joey Janela’s Spring Break, it feels increasingly likely that Bozilla could land in NXT sooner rather than later.
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1. Adam Cole
Adam Cole arrived in AEW in 2021 with much fanfare – one of the standout moments on a pay-per-view widely praised as one of the best of all time.
However, his run has been plagued by injuries, resulting in a stop-start trajectory – though he currently holds the TNT Championship and leads the reformed Undisputed Era, now dubbed Paragon.
Given Cole’s stature as one of the most high-profile and well-pushed stars of Triple H’s “Black and Gold” era of NXT it’s worth asking whether he might consider a return for the opportunity to reach the top of the card in the industry’s biggest company.
And should that day come, you can expect arenas full of WWE fans joyfully shouting “Adam Cole, bay-bay!” in unison.
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