5 AEW wrestlers who could join WWE in 2022

AEW's roster has grown in leaps and bounds since the company's inception in 2019. Since 2021, the likes of Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Adam Cole and Ruby Soho have joined their ranks after the initial blockbuster signings of Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho.

However, there will also come a time when some members of Tony Khan's promotion might consider a move to WWE instead. It could be due to a lack of opportunities or wanting to move upon the expiry of their contracts. Don't be surprised to see some of them angle for a move to WWE in the near future. Here, we predict five AEW wrestlers whose contracts run out this year that might immediately jump ship to WWE.

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#5. AEW to WWE - Lance Archer

Lance Archer recently made his return to Dynamite and was immediately positioned as a world title contender opposite current champion 'Hangman' Adam Page. It's certainly a curious move as the Murderhawk Monster has been treated like a main event star much prior to his injury that took him out of action for a couple of months.

While Archer has had some success in New Japan winning their US championship, he's yet to hold gold in Tony Khan's promotion. With news coming out that he is signed to only a 2-year deal which expires in February, this could be a ploy by the company to get him to sign a new deal.

At 44 years old, Archer is reaching the twilight of his career. He might fancy one last run in WWE to make up for his previous uneventful stint there. Now an experienced veteran, he could be an asset to Vince McMahon, who currently lacks big, heavyweight wrestlers on the roster.

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#4. AEW to WWE - Joey Janela

AEW wrestler Joey Janela has also commented regarding his contract status with the company. In a recent interview with Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, Janela mentioned that his current contract expires in May 2022.

Janela was pushed quite heavily at the inception of the company's run back in 2019, having marquee matches with Jon Moxley and Cody Rhodes. But as more prominent wrestlers made their way to Tony Khan's promotion, he seemed to have slid down the card. Reportedly, the owner is not willing to extend every wrestler's contract and Janela might be one of them.

While Janela has mostly wrestled with Dark or Elevation throughout 2021, the wrestler has expressed interest in renewing his contract if given the opportunity. If not he might want to consider trying out for NXT.

Despite being a veteran of the independents, Janela is only in his early 30s and is young enough to flourish in WWE's developmental system if he is willing to tone down his hardcore ways. There might yet be a spot for the Bad Boy of professional wrestling.

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#3. AEW to WWE - Lio Rush

Lio Rush recently revealed on Twitter that his AEW contract is expiring soon, and he will become a free agent once more. This comes on the heels of his recent controversial tweet in which criticized Tony Khan's response to Big Swole's lack of diversity remarks. He even asked his boss to issue an apology to the released star.

It seems like his actions have not gone down well with the company's top brass as he hasn't appeared on television ever since. It's frustrating for fans who enjoy his high-flying talents and charisma. Last year, he debuted in AEW only to briefly announce his retirement.

Rush has had a stint in WWE previously as the NXT Cruiserweight champion and Bobby Lashley's mouthpiece. If he can build back bridges with Vince McMahon, he might prove to be a useful asset whether as a manager or wrestler.

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#2. AEW to WWE - Brian Cage

AEW's booking of Brian Cage has been disappointing. The former IMPACT star joined the company with a lot of hype and seemed destined to be a top main eventer. Alas, while his alliance with Team Taz and run as FTW champion was relatively successful, it seemed like he could not reach the next level.

After dropping his belt to Ricky Starks and being ousted from his own faction, The Machine is in limbo. Cage's booking hasn't always been the strongest, with his wife even taking to social media to complain about it.

It is easy to imagine Vince McMahon taking a liking to someone like Cage. He could easily thrive in the world of WWE, whether that be on the main roster or NXT with his superstar physique and athletic move-set.

With his physicality and experience, Cage could just be the exact type of wrestler that WWE would consider signing to bolster their ranks.

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#1. AEW to WWE - Cody Rhodes

In a surprising turn of events, Cody Rhodes is currently reported to be a free agent and is working without a contract. While he still features prominently on AEW television and has a ladder match scheduled for this week's Beach Break event, his future remains murky.

Rhodes is of course still an EVP with the company and has been one of the building blocks of the promotion. It would be especially shocking if he were to make the switch back to WWE after the amount of bridges he has burnt there.

During the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's SmackTalk, Dutch Mantell spoke regarding the current contract situation with Cody Rhodes. Mantell believes that Rhodes is working under a verbal contract right now with Tony Khan and not a signed contract.

"I think it's just something [Cody's contract situation] to get eyes and thoughts on AEW. I don't think that, I mean, he's [Cody Rhodes] one of the founders of AEW, just Tony Khan coming along and having the money, putting behind it."

"But I think they're just working it for what they can get out of it and it will turn into an angle too. I think he has a contract and it maybe just a verbal contract with Tony Khan right now, there may not be a signed one, so that does mean that he's working without a contract," said Dutch Mantell.

Cody's chances of appearing in this weekend's Royal Rumble might be slim to none but weirder things have happened in pro wrestling. Perhaps he has unfinished business in the WWE and wants to prove himself as a main eventer. A surprise appearance in the match would set the wrestling internet ablaze and that's why this is a news story that we should keep an eye on.