The rumors were true, Christian Cage became All Elite on Sunday at AEW Revolution.
Christian was revealed as the "Hall of Fame worthy" talent who signed a multi-year deal with the company. Christian had retired in 2014 due to concussion injuries but managed to make a return to the ring at Royal Rumble 2021, where he was in the final four.
Instead of remaining with WWE, Christian jumped to AEW. His signing was first teased on the March 3 episode of AEW Dynamite when Paul Wight (Big Show in WWE) announced a "Hall of Fame worthy" talent would be joining AEW.
"I thought it would be a complete secret and I would just show up and be a surprise. On Wednesday [March 3], there was nothing signed. It was a shock to me when I heard [Paul Wight's announcement]. Obviously, Tony [Khan] and I hit it off pretty quick and we felt comfortable enough that we were going to work together," Christian told Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions. "I wasn't sure I was going to go (to AEW after the Rumble) and all the talks I had (with WWE) were very cordial. [Jon Moxley] talked to me and had his opinions and made me think, 'Okay, I'm doing myself a disservice if I don't at least explore my options.' At this final stage of my career, I had a conversation with Tony and it escalated very quickly. Within a week, it was a done deal."
Christian confirmed he signed a long-term deal with AEW, but didn't give specific details.
When asked if it was a difficult decision to jump from WWE to AEW, Christian said, "Of course. Anytime there is a life-altering decision, there is a lot of thought. I didn't have a lot of time to think about this but what I really needed was the best platform for me -- I got a second lease on life here to showcase (myself) but also help. Where could I help the next generation? That's what I felt at AEW. In my initial talks with Tony, the first conversation we had, we talked for two hours. From that initial conversation I was like, 'Man, I didn't think it would go that well.' It came together pretty quickly after that. We hit it off, we had the same feeling as far as where he saw me and what I could bring to the table and how I could help the roster and the show. That was intriguing to me and I like a challenge. It wasn't an easy decision, but it also wasn't a hard decision. There was something intriguing about being able to be hands-on with everything and having that challenge. It felt like the right situation. There's nothing wrong with WWE and how they do things."
Following WWE Royal Rumble, Christian detailed the process of getting cleared for his return. You can find his full comments by clicking here.
During the AEW Revolution post-show media call, Tony Khan revealed Christian called him first to broach the idea of coming to AEW. You can find Khan's full comments by clicking here.
It is unknown when Christian will make his in-ring debut for AEW.
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