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All Elite Wrestling Provides A Viable Alternative For WWE Stars Who Want Quality Contracts

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Credit: WWE.com

All Elite Wrestling is, no pun intended, all in on changing the pro wrestling world, and that could bode well for current WWE stars who are seeking more favorable contracts.

According to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, the upstart AEW promotion, funded by billionaire Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, is offering prospective talents contracts that are "comparable to what people make in WWE." The creative mastermind behind AEW is Cody Rhodes, who will serve as both executive producer and in-ring talent for the company, and he has made it clear that a major goal of AEW is to change the way wrestlers are paid.

Rhodes' wife Brandi, also a wrestler and AEW's Chief Brand Officer, revealed on social media that AEW will have an equal pay scale for male and female talent, noting that "aentry level woman won’t make less than an entry level man because of her gender." Closing the gender pay gap appears to be of utmost priority for AEW, and company president Tony Khan (h/t SEScoops) also noted that certain employees, wrestlers included, will be provided with healthcare and other benefits depending upon their specific roles in the company. Cody, meanwhile, promised that wrestlers who are injured while performing for AEW will have their medical expenses covered by the company.

In other words, AEW, though it's yet to run an official show under the AEW banner, is making great strides toward fixing a lot of the problems that have plagued the pro wrestling industry, which categorizes pro wrestlers as "independent contractors" much to the chagrin of fans and pro wrestlers alike. All Elite Wrestling is doing everything in its power to become a viable alternative to WWE and a potential landing spot for stars who are either dissatisfied creatively in WWE or are looking for more favorable contracts that AEW might be able to give them, especially given the possibility that AEW could land a blockbuster TV deal.

Now, WWE is at an interesting crossroads, with the contracts of multiple notable stars expiring soon, including those of AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, who would presumably be tremendous fits on AEW's already talented roster.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Ringside News) noted that Styles has a "lot of leverage right now" due to AEW's ability to offer him a lucrative deal with fewer dates:

AJ Styles’ deal is up pretty soon and they know him. They’re good friends with AJ and it’s really up to AJ but it does give him… I will say this AJ’s got a Hell of a lot of leverage right now because AJ’s a key guy and All Elite would offer him… I mean a great deal for sure and an easier schedule for sure.

One of the biggest holdups during WWE's recent contract negotiations with stars like Rey Mysterio and Daniel Bryan was their desire to work a part-time schedule. Although Mysterio eventually inked a deal with WWE, it was reportedly delayed due to "an issue with the dates Mysterio is willing to work," while Bryan, who signed a new contract last year, made it clear that he wanted to work a reduced number of dates in order to stick with the company.

Many AEW performers, including Chris Jericho, will be working under non-exclusive contracts for the company that will allow them to work for other high-profile companies, like New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as the world's top indie promotions. The potential freedom allowed by AEW could make the upstart promotion an incredibly attractive destination for disenchanted WWE stars or older veterans who want a decreased workload as well as the ability to pick and choose when and where they perform.

Cody said that Jericho will not be prevented from continuing his popular wrestling cruise and that fellow AEW star Joey Janela will be able to continue running his "Spring Break" indie shows. Brandi added that AEW will maintain fluid relationships with others throughout the industry, potentially opening the opportunity for AEW stars to work for other organizations as well, perhaps representing the company in the process:

The idea for us is to be friendly with a lot of people. We definitely don't want to shut doors – there's no reason too. We like a lot of people."

There is a boatload of WWE stars who have privately expressed interest in joining AEW in the future, likely a result of a wide variety of circumstances, including frustration with their spots, AEW's promise of quality pay and the independence that comes along with being a self-promoted indie performer. Today's pro wrestling landscape is much different than it was just a few years ago, and there are plenty of opportunities for top-tier talent to make a good living as a wrestler outside of WWE, especially if that star has a proven track record of success in WWE.

According to Fightful.com, the contracts of Styles, Nakamura, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows will all expire in the near future, and they are four stars who would more than likely be on AEW's radars as stars with name value and proven track records of success in both WWE and NJPW. Jericho recently said that his AEW contract is the best of his career, implying that it is more lucrative than his previous WWE deals, which is all the more reason why AEW is suddenly a real threat to swoop in and take some of WWE's biggest and brightest superstars.

Just a few months ago, that would have been unheard of, but reports of AEW's high pay, potential reduced workload for its superstars and the freedom to pursue other outside endeavors has suddenly made AEW the biggest competition WWE has had since WCW folded in 2001.

That could explain why The Revival, Dolph Ziggler and Mike and Maria Kanellis reportedly want to leave WWE and why 0ther current WWE stars could be breaking down the doors to get in to AEW.

Blake Oestriecher is an elementary school teacher by day and a sports writer by night. He’s a contributor to @ForbesSports, where he primarily covers WWE. You can follow him on Twitter @BOestriecher.