AEW Rumors: Company Reportedly Expresses Interest In Adding Top Star To Roster
As documented by Bodyslam.net, AEW is reportedly interested in signing Mance Warner. The company has been chasing the Major League Wrestling star’s signature for months, but his contract situation has prevented him from joining Tony Khan’s company.
As the report highlighted, Warner was backstage at the promotion’s Revolution pay-per-view earlier this year. He has supposedly been invited to hang out behind the scenes at several company-produced events, though his agreement with MLW meant that he couldn’t participate in any matches or storylines.
However, the fact he was at the shows suggests that he has a positive relationship with the promotion, and that he may be interested in joining its roster down the line.
The report also indicated that his current contract situation has put him into a “sticky situation.” In the past, the wrestler revealed that he doesn’t know if his deal allows him to compete for other companies. According to Warner, he doesn’t have an agent to handle that type of business on his behalf.
While he might be bound to MLW for now, his current promotion does at least have a positive working relationship with AEW. Brian Pillman Jr. has been a regular on Dynamite and Dark in recent months, even though he’s still technically contracted to MLW.
Both promotions are known for sharing talent with other companies, so it’s possible that they’d be able to reach an agreement in regard to Warner. As of this writing, his current employers haven’t responded to Bodyslam’s request for a comment on the matter.
As the article noted, Warner filed for the trademarks “Mance Warner” and “Southern Psycho” in August. This fueled speculation that he may have been claiming full ownership of his monikers before making the move elsewhere.
Warner is a reputable name on the independent circuit. He’s a former CZW Heavyweight Champion and he ranked at No. 175 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s list of the 500 best wrestlers of 2020.
He’s also built up a strong fan base due to his hardcore brawling style and fondness for light beers. Some AEW fans might be familiar with his feud with Jimmy Havoc, who was a member of the roster until his recent release.
As noted by Wrestling Inc, some fans have compared him to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to his southern accent and beer-drinking persona. He responded positively to the comparison.
Warner isn’t the only top independent star likely to join Khan’s sports entertainment corporation. As The Inquisitr recently noted, the company is reportedly competing with WWE to sign another top talent.
