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When Bobby Lashley officially left WWE to test the open market of wrestling free agency, most fans had more or less the same assumption: the “All Mighty” was AEW bound.
On paper, it made sense, right? Lashley could stay in WWE and continue to work a limited schedule or return to TNA and go on a multi-year undefeated run, but his former manager, MVP, already joined AEW, as did his former The Hurt Business member Shelton Benjamin. Considering the talent already employed by Tony Khan, the chance for a new faction built with pre-existing performers like Powerhouse Hobbs felt downright tantalizing.
And yet, here we are, almost at November and Lashley is nowhere to be found in AEW, TNA, or WWE… except for one place: the podcast circuit.
That's right, while he's presumably free to do whatever he wants as a free agent, Lashley has been talking a lot about WWE, AEW, and beyond, including a discussion he had with MVP about TK, which he relayed on The Lame Guys podcast.
“You think they have enough money for me? [Laughs] MVP is great. The one thing I know with Tony Khan, and this is one thing I've seen that's really cool,” Lashley noted via Fightful. “The fans need to understand this because sometimes the fans come out and say, ‘They're just getting old WWE guys.' With any show, you need your guys that are established to help establish some guys that aren't. MVP coming over brings a lot of notoriety and a fanbase and a level starting that they can use. Some of the guys there are fantastic wrestlers, they just need to be in the ring with certain (talent). If you put a fantastic wrestler in the ring with another fantastic wrestler and just try to sell the match, it's hard because people are like, ‘Oh, well, they just did some cool stuff.' Once you start mixing in different people like Daniel Bryan [Bryan Danielson], Edge [Adam Copeland], Christian, Samoa Joe, those guys get a good rub off of them.
Interesting stuff, right? Well wait, it gets even better, as it sure sounds like Lashley would be joining AEW for the right reasons if he signed with the promotion.
Bobby Lashley understands the role of an older veteran in AEW
While some fans are worried that adding a star like Lashley could place AEW in a precarious spot, as they've signed multiple ex-WWE guys who don't like to lose matches and have seen their bookings limited as a result, it sure sounds like the “All Mighty” appreciate the role of an older vet in the promotion, which is better than most.
“What Tony Khan is doing, I'm still friends with MVP and I talk with him about going over there, I said, ‘How is it over there?' The one thing people say when they are over there is ‘Tony Khan is a really good dude.' He is genuinely saying to people over there, ‘You deserve to still carry on,'” Lashley recalled. “Edge was being pushed down and he was like, ‘I took time off, I was able to get cleared. I wanted to come here. I still have something left in the tank. I want to have fun and go do it. I don't want it to be stressful, I want to be able to do it.' Tony Khan came in and said, ‘You deserve to, you're a legend in this business. You can help us out, we can help you out and supplement your income for the next few years.' That's what they did. That's what MVP is doing also. He got pulled off TV early, had been off TV, and got back on. I saw the promo he cut, it was an awesome promo. He told a good story. He can carry on, make some money for them, and escalate some of their guys.”
Will Lashley actually hold true to that declaration, that if he joined AEW, he would make money, enjoy his TV time, and help to put over some new stars? If that's the case, his fit in AEW feels like a glove, as that is exactly what the promotion needs.
