Ex-WWE Star or Other? Predicting the AEW Mystery Free Agent Debuting on Dynamite (2024)

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan again sparked intrigue across the wrestling world last week by revealing anew "forbidden door"will debut Wednesday night on Dynamite and battle Private Party's Isiah Kassidy in a Face of the Revolution ladder match qualifier.

"I have created some debate about what it means to open the 'Forbidden Door,' and that's what we are going to do on this show. The fans are going to get a great night of wrestling, and I hope everyone is surprised—and comes back for the matches this sets up," he said in hyping what could be a transformative night for his promotion.

With so many big-name free agents on the market, who might be the latest acquisition? Who might elevate their career to "elite" status?

There are a number of former world champions who might inject the AEW product with some additional star power on Wednesday's show.

When WWE released Bray Wyatt on July 31, it shook the industry. Here was a guy who was as creative, inventive, intriguing and compelling as any wrestler fans had witnessed in decades. He took the initiative to concoct his own stories and build his own characters, often to acclaim.

A lack of understanding of the on-screen persona and the stubbornness of those at the highest levels of power led to the demise of those characters and eventually Wyatt's departure.

What a get he would be for AEW, where wrestlers have more freedom to display their creative ideas. We have seen as much with Malakai Black, who has been rejuvenated by the House of Black.

Imagine what Wyatt would be able to do without having his vision constantly manipulated. Think about what it would mean for the top of the card, too.

We have seen him do battle with Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and CM Punk. He would step in and have ready-made stories with those guys and a plethora of new ones available to him.

Think about what it would do for "Hangman" Adam Page to have to overcome a mental war with him if he wished to continue on as AEW world champion.

The opportunities are endless and much of that can be attributed to the ever-thinking, ever-creative mind of the third-generation star, whose visions may have a chance to play out under a new banner, should he choose to make that jump.

As someone with interests outside of wrestling, though, now may not be the time for The Eater of Worlds to reappear in a squared circle.

Jeff Hardy is one of the most enduring, beloved stars in professional wrestling from the last two decades. A bona fide main event competitor with a championship resume, his connection with the audience is what has kept him so popular over the years.

He remained consistently over with the fans, and his release from WWE in December stunned the wrestling world. Recently, his brother, Matt, revealed on his Mattitude Monday Twitch stream that the WWE-issued drug test was clean.

If that was the case, AEW has had a sure-fire Hall of Famer and one of the top stars in the industry handed to it, ready to create magic as either a single or tag team contributor.Just not yet.

The Charismatic Enigma was released in December, which means the 90-day non-compete clause has yet to run out, limiting what he can do. Tuesday, Matt teased that Khan may have bought out Jeff's contract, but there is no conceivable way WWE would have allowed that to happen.

The former WWE and Impact world champion will arrive in AEW, probably win a few more championships and captivate fans as only he does. But not for another month, at least.

You can likely eliminate him from the list of suspected debuts occurring Wednesday night, if only because of the legal logistics.

Samoa Joe is one of the more interesting names available to AEW at this point.

One of the most celebrated in-ring performers of his era, he was mismanaged and underutilized by WWE. Sure, injuries factored into his lackluster run but he was never fully presented like the world-beating badass he is prior to his arrival.

There was a mystique and aura around Joe that WWE failed to capture. One last great run with AEW, and a reunion with the men who helped define an entire promotion, could change that.

Along with CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, Joe served as a forefather of Ring of Honor. Together, they helped put that promotion on the map and bring eyes to the fledgling indie. They transformed it into a hotbed for professional wrestling and made stars of themselves in the process.

Now older, they have the opportunity to come together once more and have those same in-ring bangers.

"It's going to be a big reveal on Dynamite. It sets up this week's Rampage and puts a lot of irons in our fire. We have created an environment in AEW where people routinely expect great wrestling matches, and we have the wrestlers to live up to those high expectations," Khan said.

The longest-reigning Ring of Honor world champion could well be the guy Khan has as Wednesday's big surprise, but contractual status, whether there is a no-compete clause in his contract and for how long it lasts, remain a mystery.

There is one man out there, though, who has had the wrestling world buzzing since his departure from WWE and his arrival just feels like the most likely to occur.

When historians look back at this era of wrestling, they will likely document the number of WWE's missed opportunities. They are the names who could have formed the foundation of the company for years to come but were instead let go to pursue success elsewhere.

One such star is Keith Lee.

A former defensive tackle for Texas A&M, he wasted little time showcasing his athleticism in pro wrestling. He has the frame of a heavyweight with the desire to work a faster and more athletic style. He can throw his body around the ring one moment and drive opponents into the mat the next with an offensive skill set matched by few.

Yet, for whatever reason, his abilities were not enough for WWE. Despite a historic run in NXT that saw him capture the brand's top two titles simultaneously and a hot main roster debut that saw him defeat Randy Orton, Lee returned from a health scare in 2021 and was saddled with a ridiculous "Bearcat" nickname and repackaged.

Then, weeks after his reintroduction, he was released from his contract.

Now, Lee is looking to make an impact on a major stage and show those in his former place of employment that they made a bad mistake in letting him go.

The 37-year-old appears to be the most likely revelation by Khan Wednesday night. The timing is perfect, he has a wealth of talent and will help to create new matches and stories for fans to invest ahead of the Revolution pay-per-view on March 6.

Lee's impending arrival will take the wrestling world by storm and provide him with the opportunity to prove his star power in a way he was never going to be allowed in his previous employment.

Prediction: Keith Lee makes an emphatic return to pro wrestling TV Wednesday night on Dynamite