Let's Speculate: The Mystery Signing

as I said in the dynamite thread, I can't see it being a big time name like Punk or, even less realistically, Lesnar. they wouldn't have Paul Wight just announce it outta the blue if it was a major major name.

Kurt Angle seems like a likely pick.

Top Tier
John Cena
Brock Lesnar
CM Punk
Rock "The Dwayne" Johnson
Batista

HOF Level
Kurt Angle
Christian
Chris Hero
Lita

HOF Level but past their prime
RVD
Scott Steiner
Goldberg
Mick Foley

Crowd would boo because they're not a big deal
Ethan Page
Sami Callihan

Wild Card
Okada
a retired athlete (looking at you, Pat McAfee)
VKM

I know who would rank as a HOF-worthy troll...

I’m going with Kurt Angle as the signing

And I’m going with either Nick Gage (confirmed they were bringing him in last summer before he got hurt) or Ole Mancer Mance Warner (it’s know AEW wanted him but MLW wouldn’t let him go)

Maybe it will just be himself, and he will be in a match.

I'm trying not to read too much into the biggest scoop 'Ever' line Wight dropped, I feel he was just trying to sell the news. The Hall of Fame 'worthy' is the key, as you'd assume it would rule them out if they are already in the Hall of Fame.

My gut feeling is it's going to be Kurt Angle. Listen, he's my all time favourite by a Country mile, but I have zero interest seeing him in a ring again. If he somehow miraculously got into ring-shape and could legitimately go again, even then it would only leave me feeling bitter sweet that he didn't really get the true WWE closure he should have gotten. We knew for years he was clamouring for that final swansong in WWE, and it kept getting rejected, and when it did finally happen, it was too late; not to mention the anti-climatic return being thrusted into a Match as part of The Shield. It wouldn't surprise me if it was him though, as you just know that he's still so attached to the industry, and is maybe even in denial himself. How you could only dream of Kurt Angle leading the Bullet Club 4 years ago though; and they may well just use him as a Ric Flair type role in the Elite.

I know a lot of people are saying John Cena due to the Turner links but come on, seriously? Listen, there are simply only 4 guys who would move the needle legitimately, and that's John Cena, CM Punk, The Rock and Brock Lesnar, and I just can't see them wasting that debut on a show with no real live crowd. John Cena or CM Punk suddenly turning up in AEW would be one of the biggest moments in history, period, it just can't happen in these times.

Brock Lesnar is the realest possibility of the big list. He's already worked COVID era shows, and is active in recent times. His rub value in WWE has kind of largely ran it's course after putting over Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre in clean fashion at the last couple of Wrestlemania's, and he's faced more or less everybody there is in WWE to face now. Plus, Paul Heyman is paired up with Roman Reigns. We also know how much of a business man Lesnar is, he doesn't have legit affiliation or affection. If there was a time for him to go, it would probably be now. The only thing convincing me otherwise is the fact Lashley has just won the WWE Title and I can see that being because a Match with Lesnar has been lined up. I just don't see this being a way they announce Brock Lesnar in AEW, it's too big. I salivate at the thought of Kenny Omega vs Brock Lesnar though.

RVD may be a reasonable outside scoop.

Okada would certainly fit the bill, and billing him this way would present him as a big deal to those new AEW fans not fimiliar with NJPW. They'd instantly buy him as a Main Eventer. I think he's one though that would feel truly special if he were to suddenly sign for WWE, not AEW. It's nothing we've not really already seen, since he's already faced the likes of Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho in recent times.

After thinking about the possibilities for awhile I'm really starting to lean towards it being either Kurt Angle or someone from Japan. Any hypothetical "big" hits like Cena, Rock, Punk, etc wouldn't be wasted on a low attendance "I'm here" kind of role, and any hypothetical small hits wouldn't be given this much hype in announcing.

Although, I suppose if they saved the announcement until the last minute of the show after Kenny takes out Moxley, having someone like CM Punk come out for a challenge could be a huge moment for the at home audience and make sense from a marketing perspective.

Going Lawler for $500

Steiner has crossed my mind but didn't want to put that idea into existence lol. A one-off just to get a Jazwares fig, I could tolerate but no gosh dang multi-year deal. Too much downside for little return, in my opinion.