Powerhouse Pro-Wrestler Brian Cage, known for his impressive skills in the wrestling ring, embarked on a journey through various promotions before finding a home in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH). Cage became a familiar face on AEW television before venturing into Tony Khan’s ROH. However, his decision to eschew signing with WWE raised eyebrows and prompted curiosity among fans.
In a recent conversation on the ‘Unleashed’ show, Cage shed light on his choice to join AEW over WWE, citing the respectful and caring treatment of talents by Tony Khan, AEW’s president and also the owner of ROH.
Unlike the perception of talents as disposable assets in WWE’s history, Cage emphasized feeling valued as an “actual human being” under Khan’s leadership. While acknowledging efforts by figures like Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque to instigate changes within WWE, Cage found the stability and security offered by AEW contracts more appealing, especially given his recent expansion of family responsibilities.
“My contract was coming up last year with AEW and I was going back-and-forth with WWE and AEW with my agent. You know, trying to see where we should fit and there’s pros and cons to both and a big reason, I mean, there’s a lot of reasons but, a reason big to stay with AEW was the fact that there was a lot more certainty so to speak.
It’s not necessarily a guaranteed contract but more, for lack of a better term, the contract was essentially guaranteed compared to WWE’s which is, I mean, I could be signed there today, gone tomorrow, you know what I mean?
So, I thought about it and I got a lengthy, lengthy term with AEW as well so I’m like, alright, you know what? We [Brian Cage & Melissa Santos] just had another kid too. My son’s about four-and-a-half months old now and I have two other kids but, I was just thinking for, not just professionally but personally, I’m like, for the security, for the length of the contract and comfortability as well. We’re already there, things, you’re used to it.”
The decision to remain with AEW and ROH proved fruitful for Cage, who enjoyed reasonable success in both promotions. His tenure saw him clinch the ROH World 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice alongside Toa Liona and Kaun. However, their most recent reign met its end at the hands of Bullet Club Gold, comprising Jay White, Colten Gunn, and Austin Gunn, on a gripping episode of Dynamite.
“I was like, yeah, if it’s not broke, maybe don’t fix it and I was like, ‘Yeah, maybe it’s just best to stay here and stay put and make the best out of it’. Going back to Tony Khan being such a fan and such a good person and everything else, it plays a big role into that and the way he takes care of his talent and treats his talent and thinks about his talent as actual human beings whereas, you know, not to talk negative crap on WWE and obviously Triple H in charge over there now is making a lot of changes but, for the longest time, it’s kind of looked at as you’re almost just cattle in WWE and once they don’t need you, they’re like, alright, see you later, get the hell out of here, we don’t need you or, they don’t really care as much whereas like, AEW definitely seems like they’re more, like, group and family and if something was to happen.
I mean, we’ve had a couple people pass while under contract and Tony still paid off their contract to their family and has taken care of them and stuff which is pretty unheard of so, there’s just a couple examples of how he really cares about the people on his roster.”
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