With reports that there are several professional wrestling legends eyeing retirement, perhaps some from WWE might hop to AEW.
From some who could be looking to retire in the near future to others that could end up making a big impact on AEW before hanging up their boots, there are some interesting options for current WWE stars that could end up retiring in AEW.
Here are six WWE stars that could be set to retire in AEW.
6. Tommaso Ciampa
With reports that Tommaso Ciampa is set to depart WWE at the end of his current contract, he seems to be a WWE star that could join AEW and have a long career ahead of a retirement down the road.
Able to wrestle in a more gritty and technical style that fits right in with others in AEW, Ciampa certainly brings a veteran level of experience but with a lot of upside.
While it isn’t a given that any former WWE star is picked up by AEW in 2026, it would make total sense for Tony Khan to recruit Ciampa given both his in-ring abilities and capacity for future work.
With plenty of stories left to tell in his career, hopefully Tommaso Ciampa is able to shine in his next role in the ring.
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5. Shinsuke Nakamura
A current WWE star that seemingly faces a bit of an unknown direction in his future is Shinsuke Nakamura.
Perhaps not interested in retiring straight away from WWE, there could be the proper conditions to see Shinsuke Nakamura sign with AEW.
Able to join the company and likely direct his own retirement tour, he would also have access to facing some of the widest array of talent from across the globe for his farewell — something that is not as possible in WWE.
Locking up with both current AEW talent, former foes from WWE now in AEW as well as icons from NJPW, it might make total sense to see a short stay in AEW ahead of retirement for Nakamura.
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4. Charlotte Flair
Interestingly, with limited on-going creative plans for Charlotte Flair in WWE it could make sense for her to explore somewhere else entirely before retirement.
While the move to AEW seems highly unlikely, there could always be surprises in store as the years roll on.
With AEW’s women’s division potentially set to boom yet again in the coming years with the convergence of both up and coming talent and existing veterans, it could be that the allure of the All Elite Women’s roster could be a motivating factor.
Since there are several top names in AEW including MJF and Adam Copeland that have a flexible schedule which allows for them to explore their Hollywood goals in addition to their professional wrestling performances, perhaps there is a path forward for Charlotte Flair in AEW before she hangs up her boots.
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3. AJ Styles
Since Chris Jericho is presumed to be on the verge of debuting in WWE, it could be an equally big move to see AJ Styles end up signing with AEW.
While it certainly seems as though Styles could retire after his current WWE contract, there is always a chance that he could end his career in AEW instead.
Able to join an expansive cast already on the AEW roster to renew former rivalries, there could be some fun farewell tour match-ups that wouldn’t be possible in WWE.
Able to compete against those in AEW, ROH, NJPW, CMLL and more — AJ Styles’ retirement tour could end up spanning the globe.
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2. Bayley
Another top talent from the WWE women’s division that could defect to AEW in the coming years may be Bayley.
Possibly following Mercedes Mone into AEW, it could be a brand new era of her career to see Bayley arrive in AEW ahead of any future retirement.
Able to have access to potentially more opportunity to self-direct, Bayley could become a foundational member of the next era of the AEW women’s division in front of the cameras and behind the scenes.
Bringing her passion for the industry to her unique take on storytelling and in-ring work, Bayley could absolutely find herself spending a long spell revolutionizing AEW before retiring.
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1. CM Punk
Although they certainly split on contemptuous terms in September 2023, CM Punk is no stranger to finding himself pulling off the previously thought to be impossible.
While it seems incredibly unlikely that CM Punk would ever make a return to AEW — hell has been known to freeze over.
Depending on what happens in the next five to ten years in WWE and AEW, perhaps there could be a path forward for CM Punk and Tony Khan.
While it seems quite unlikely, in professional wrestling it seems that anything can truly happen so perhaps by the time Punk wants to wrap up his career — the time to return will be just right.
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