Some fuel was added to the speculation this week that Daniel Garcia’s future could be outside AEW.
All Elite Wrestling had a very impressive start to its existence. For its first few years, it was one of the hottest products in the wrestling business and quickly vaulted into being considered the No. 2 company in the world and real competition for WWE.
Related: Major Update Emerges On AEW PPVs Moving To HBO MAX And Likely Start Date
However, after finally ousting founder Vince McMahon from the company, World Wrestling Entertainment has caught fire and is in the midst of a new peak period. Simultaneously, AEW’s product has not captivated fans in the same way and it has shown in recent attendance and television ratings for the company.
With the scales switched, there has been a bit of a growing exodus from AEW to WWE. In recent months former AEW talent Jade Cargill, Ethan Page, and Shawn Spears have all switched sides. There have been rumors that Rey Fenix, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Ricky Stark are also WWE-bound. Plus there has even been speculation that prospects like Hook and Daniel Garcia could test their value in free agency.
Garcia has made headlines recently because of his absence from AEW programming in recent months and reports it’s due to not signing a new contract with his current deal expiring in the next month or so. There have also been rumblings that WWE is very interested in the New York native if he becomes available.
Daniel Garcia and AEW are no closer to new contract as expiration of current deal nears
It seemed like he had signed a new deal when he made a surprise return at All In last month to get revenge against MJF. But he has since disappeared from AEW TV. This week, Wrestling Observer reporter Dave Meltzer added new details to the situation with Garcia. And it seems like AEW is less confident he is re-signing than they were previously.
“As far as what’s going to happen with him, I would say this, I would say that the almost surety or the strong confidence that he was signing, I wouldn’t say it’s as strong but I wouldn’t say that he’s leaving either but it’s not as strong as it was a month ago. He may leave.”
Dave Meltzer
Meltzer added that Daniel Garcia’s disappearance after All In is directly tied to not signing a new contract. It is a common strategy in the wrestling business. And it is CEO Tony Khan’s preferred approach instead of having talent do the honors on the way out for other wrestlers.
