Below are a couple of top news stories of the day, featuring Rusev and Jim Cornette.
• Miro was officially granted his AEW release, allowing him to sign with any promotion of his choice.
Formerly known as Rusev in WWE, Miro last appeared in AEW at Worlds End 2023. He was earning a seven-figure salary after initially signing with the company in September 2020 on a deal set to expire in spring 2022. Before that contract ended, he agreed to a four-year extension, which would have kept him with AEW until spring 2026.
According to Fightful Select, there had been discussions about Miro’s creative direction throughout 2024, as he was healthy and ready to return to action. However, Fightful reported that “the situation had gone radio silent for quite some time before the release was official. Miro had not been brought up creatively from what we’ve heard in about six months, and most everyone we spoke to in AEW had not expected to see him again.”
There is speculation that WWE may be interested in re-signing Miro, who originally joined AEW in 2020 after leaving WWE. During his AEW run, he held the TNT Championship.
Miro’s first wrestling appearance since AEW release will take place at Qatar Pro Wrestling’s QPW SuperSlam III event on February 21-22. Below is the graphic:
Also Read: Reason Behind Miro’s Creative Conflict With AEW
• Jim Cornette is often mentioned as a deserving candidate for the WWE Hall of Fame, and with WWE revealing some of the 2025 inductees, speculation has grown about whether he might make a return to the company.
According to Fightful Select, WWE has not had any discussions in recent years about bringing Cornette back. This doesn’t mean the company is against the idea—rather, they believe he is content and thriving with his current endeavors.
Cornette currently runs two highly successful podcasts, The Drive-Thru and The Experience, where he reviews WWE and AEW programming, shares industry insights, and frequently generates significant engagement.
His history with WWF/E dates back to the 90s, when he managed stars like Yokozuna, Vader, and The British Bulldog while also contributing creatively. Coming from Smoky Mountain Wrestling, Cornette preferred a more traditional approach to wrestling, often clashing with WWE’s shift toward entertainment-driven programming. These differences eventually led to tension with Vince McMahon.
Later, Cornette played a key role in WWE’s developmental system, OVW, where he helped shape future superstars like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton. However, issues with management led to his departure in the mid-2000s. His last WWE appearance came in 2017 when he inducted The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express into the Hall of Fame.
Bruce Prichard has previously voiced his support for Cornette’s Hall of Fame induction, stating, “I love Jim. I think Jim’s very deserving of being in the Hall of Fame, and I hope one day that he is.”
While there are no signs of a WWE return for Cornette at this time, fans continue to hope that he will be recognized with an induction in the future.
