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More details behind Kevin Knight signing with AEW

Added 2025-03-30 19:15:01 +0000 UTC

Kevin Knight is officially All Elite, after having interest across the wrestling world.

Fightful Select reported in early January that Kevin Knight's deal had expired the week of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, resulting in his title loss on the show. We were told during that period that New Japan Pro Wrestling was very interested in retaining Knight, but that many expected him to look to land in a company in the United States.

Knight met with Tony Khan and Rocky Romero early in February around the time he worked an ROH taping where he wrestled AR Fox to a time limit draw. Around that time he was also looking to speak with WWE.

PWinsider had noted that he had an "invited WWE tryout." We've not confirmed that as of yet, or if the terminology implies a private WWE tryout or if he attended. When Fightful inquired with Performance Center sources, one longtime staff member said "I'm not sure what more they needed to see. He wrestled in New Japan, CMLL, AEW, Ring of Honor, MLW and TNA. There are looks at this guy on every other stage but ours. Glad we were at least trying though." We can confirm WWE had interest, and we were told he would have likely started in NXT had he been signed.

We spoke to sources in TNA and other companies, but they believed that he wasn't returning unless he signed with WWE. Knight wrestled seven matches there between January and March last year. Knight also worked four MLW dates between September and November.

EDIT: That's not a Patreon error, that's a me error. It's been fixed. My bad guys, a typo -- SRS