This is a list of former wrestling talent who worked in All Elite Wrestling.
Bea Priestley (2019-2020)
- Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: She's notoriously unpleasant.
- Arch-Enemy: She had a legitimate beef with Britt Baker after she injured the latter.
- Commuting on a Bus: She rarely appears due to being a part-time member of the roster. Released in August 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic restricting travel for UK talent.
- Evil Brit: A notorious Heel who is a native of New Yorkshire, England.
Sadie Gibbs (2019-2020)
- Commuting on a Bus: She rarely appears due to being a part-time member of the roster. Like Bea, she was released in August 2020 when Covid prevented her from reaching America for shows.
- Ms. Fanservice: She's also a fitness model in addition to her wrestling career.
Jimmy Havoc (2019-2020)
- Odd Friendship: With Kip Sabian.
- Put on a Bus: Havoc was released in August 2020 alongside Sadie Gibbs and Bea Priestly, although in his case it was in response to allegations that he'd assaulted a fan as well as allegations of domestic abuse and rape made as part of the #SpeakingOut movement.
Matt Cardona (2020)
The former Broski from the LI, Cardona came to AEW to team with his real-life close friend Cody, debuting to save him from an assault by The Dark Order. He only signed with the promotion for a 2-month initial run and departed for the indies again at the end of it, keeping the door open to return at a later date.Brodie Lee (2020)
The previously unknown Exalted One of The Dark Order before finally revealing his identity on AEW. Won the TNT Championship from Cody in August 2020 and dropped the belt back to him again in October in a brutal Dog Collar match. Sadly, that proved to be his last match, as he passed away in late-December 2020 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare progressive respiratory illness.- Due to the Dead: Because of the immense respect everyone in AEW had for Jon Huber, he is still listed as an active member of the AEW roster
even after his death, with his win/loss record permanently frozen on his 11-3 2020 record, and will probably remain there for as long as the promotion remains active. - Finishing Move: Discus Clothesline
- Hair-Trigger Temper: He was eerily calm, but was easily set off by small things, usually involving his underlings' incompetence.
- Large and in Charge: He was the leader and physically largest member of the Dark Order.
- Light Is Not Good: He wore a white robe with purple and gold accents, in contrast of the rest of the Dark Order's black/purple/green color scheme.
- After becoming the TNT Champion he adopted a white trench coat with silver lining and spikes across the shoulders.
- Take That!: A lot of his character was influenced by a certain chairman of another wrestling company. However, people familiar with Chikara saw at least as much of that promotion's Mike Quackenbush in Mister Brodie Lee as they saw of Vince McMahon, particularly the "you WILL wear a mask and you WILL use the gimmick I give you" bit. Perhaps not ironically, Evil Uno, Stu Grayson, Alex Reynoldsnote , John Silvernote , and Lee himself all did time in Chikara.
- The Man Behind the Man: He was the one behind The Dark Order's creation, using Evil Uno to recruit new followers.
- Red Baron: Was referred to as "The Exalted One" by Evil Uno and his followers.
- They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!: He demanded to be addressed as "Mister Brodie Lee", announcers included.
Ivelisse Vélez (2020-2021)
A Puerto Rican wrestler and half of the tag team that won the AEW Women's Tag team Cup. She was released in April 2021 amid allegations of backstage issues and a match against Thunder Rosa where both women shot on each other.Shanna (2019-2021)
A veteran wrestler from Europe finally in the American spotlight. After debuting for the company in 2019, her contract expired in May 2021 and was not renewed.- Arch-Enemy: After being attacked by Nyla Rose backstage, Shanna has Rose in her sights, and the feeling is clearly mutual.
- Red Baron: Known as "Portugal's Perfect Athlete".
- Wearing a Flag on Your Head: She is often draped◊ in the colors of the French flag. She also wears a cord with the flags of France and Portugal around her waist.
- Whole Costume Reference: Is also known to be wearing ring gear that resembles Goku's gi.
Awesome Kong (2019-2021)
A legendary Wrestling Monster, Awesome Kong debuted for AEW as a surprise entrant into what had initially been a women's triple threat match at the first Double or Nothing event, making it a fatal four-way. After initially appearing as part of the ill-fated Nightmare Collective, she transitioned into a backstage position after the plug was pulled on the angle, as well as taking time off to shoot the third season of GLOW (2017). Her contract expired in May 2021 and was not renewed, and she would retire from wrestling later that year.Mel (2019-2021)
A veteran wrestler who was one of the first members of the Nightmare Collective. She was taken off the official AEW roster in August 2021 after months of inactivity.- Bald of Evil: Got her head shaved when she joined the Nightmare Collective.
- Put on a Bus: Hasn't been seen much since the Nightmare Collective disbanded.
Big Swole (2019-2021)
One of the signings from the independent scene after a fantastic night on AEW Dark. On November 30, 2021, she announced that she would not be renewing her AEW contract.- Arch-Enemy: She had formed a rivalry with Diamante.
- Determinator: Swole had to overcome many difficulties to get where she is, and this is reflected in her sheer willpower in the ring.
- Dreadlock Warrior: Styled in an undercut.
- Finishing Move: Dirty dancing
- Meaningful Name: She's jacked.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Only called by the name of Big Swole.
- Unskilled, but Strong: Commentators highlighted her insane athleticism making up for her relative lack of experience and classical training.
- Whole Costume Reference: Has ring gear that resembles Storm's 90s outfit and the Yellow Mighty Morphin Power Ranger.
- Wrestling Family: She's married to Cedric Alexander. This was referenced in an exchange between her and Britt Baker where Swole taunted Britt about the fact that at least she was married to her WWE-bound partner, unlike Britt.
Lio Rush (2021-2022)
The Man of The Hour arrived at the Double or Nothing 2021 during the Casino Battle Royale match as the "Joker". However, Rush later announced his retirement from professional wrestling on June 8, 2021, after sustaining an injury from his match at Double or Nothing... until it was announced on September 29, 2021 that he is officially All Elite...before officially leaving in February 2022.- 10-Minute Retirement: Announced after his Double or Nothing debut that he would be retiring from wrestling, which lasted just under four months. And even before coming to AEW, he was wrestling several matches in New Japan Strong.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Outside of Matt Cardona, Rush has one of the shortest signed stints in AEW.
Cody Rhodes (2019-2022)
One of the founders of the company. As the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes, Cody has a big legacy to carry on, as well as establishing a name for himself outside of his family name. Following the expiration of his contract, he announced in February 2022 that he would be leaving AEW.- Badass in a Nice Suit: He's well-known for his impeccably tailored suits, which contribute to his clean-cut image. A suit and tie is his default look when he's not in the ring.
- Big Good: His role in the story in a nutshell. As a co-founder and Executive Vice President of AEW, he relishes his role as a leader in addition to being a powerhouse in the ring, and is currently the only EVP who has (so far) resisted every temptation to turn heel, instead preferring to play the role of a morally upstanding hero who inspires other wrestlers to greatness. His rivalry with Malakai Black particularly plays this up: Malakai is implicitly portrayed as the embodiment of evil corrupting AEW, while Cody implicitly embodies the goodness keeping him at bay.
- But Now I Must Go: After his contract expired, he unexpectedly announced in February 2022 that he would be leaving AEW. It remains to be seen how long he'll be gone.
- Captain Patriotic: Invoked. In 2021, Cody started making his ring entrances wearing a highly stylized red, white, and blue costume with a cape and gold epaulets, strongly evoking Captain America (with a bit of George Washington thrown in for good measure). Doesn't get much more heroic than that. He even named his daughter "Liberty"!
- Curb-Stomp Battle: His first TNT title reign was brought to an end in less than 5 minutes by Mr. Brodie Lee.
- Determinator: Not that he wasn't before, but a standout example is him taking 10 lashes and still managing to get to his feet at the end of it. That is until MJF intervened.
- As if the ten lashes weren't enough, Cody showed everyone how far he was willing to go to get to MJF. Facing Wardlow in a steel cage match as per the stipulations set by MJF, Cody dealt in a bloody battle. In order to finish Wardlow off, he scaled the twenty foot tall cage and, without hesitation, leapt off the top with a moonsault onto Wardlow.
- Everyone Has Standards: Make no mistake, Cody is a very badass wrestler, but even he was unerved when a bat shit Jon Moxley storms in the ring with a barbed wired bat, wanting to settle things with Omega, while Cody just watched from the sidelines.
- Finishing Move: "Cross Rhodes" (rolling cutter).
- Foil: To Kenny Omega. Both founding members of the Elite who serve as Executive VPs of AEW when they're not in the ring, both of them are known for their nerdy streak, and both of them were introduced as charismatic and upstanding faces. But Cody is a Happily Married family man who regularly works with his wife and his brother, he eventually leaves the Elite to start his own group "The Nightmare Family", he takes pride in serving as a mentor to younger wrestlers, and he's generally pretty serious in the ring. Kenny, by contrast, is a perennial bachelor who's remained consistently in charge of the Elite throughout his time in AEW, he's gotten noticeably more selfish and brutal since his heel turn, and he's known for his quirky personality.
- Friend to All Children: Cody is nothing if not friendly towards the younger fans. His notable examples include allowing a boy dressed as Orange Cassidy to pin him on air in the ring, and recently giving a child a $100 bill to prove he had a briefcase of money.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: A sizable contingent of the fandom really wants Cody to turn heel, despite his continual insistence that he won't (some fans find it hard to identify with him due to his fame and status, and some of them just feel that he plays the role of a villain better). Some fans also take issue with a few of his victories over newer talent, with his wins over Anthony Ogogo and Malakai Black (who already had two wins over Cody before then) being particularly criticized. Partly due to this, booing can be occasionally heard from the stands during Cody's promos and entrances, despite the narrative presenting him as a hero. But Cody is aware of this to an extent, and has made an effort to incorporate it into his character. He notably addressed it in one promo after his victory over Malakai, telling the audience that he'll always do what he feels is right—even when he doesn't get praised for it.
- Heroes Love Dogs: Cody and Brandi have a pair of dogs. One of them, a husky named Pharaoh, has even shown up to some events with them.
- Honor Before Reason: Vowed that if he lost his match with Jericho then he would never get another opportunity to win the World Championship, as he feels that becoming a champion while being part of management could become a conflict of interest. Indeed, after Cody had lost despite MJF throwing in the towel for him, he’s kept his promise ever since?
- Oh, Crap!: On the night heading to Full Gear, he had this when Moxley stormed in the ring with a barbed wired bat. Thankfully for Cody, Moxley wasn't targeting him.
- Only One Name: WWE owns the Cody Rhodes name, and while he could use the name in the indies, national TV is another story, hence why he is always called "The American Nightmare" Cody. Given that Rhodes was added to his last name in real life before he turned 18, he could very well challenge for it, and many still off-handedly call him Cody Rhodes even on TV. In 2020, he began looking to secure the trademark for his own ring name and after the go-home episode of Dynamite before Full Gear 2020 had gone off the air he announced to the live crowd that he'd successfully done so; however also announced that he does not intend to use it in his wrestling career as he's grown used to being introduced as "The American Nightmare Cody", saving his full name for other 3rd party ventures.
- Red Baron: The American Nightmare. A play off his father's "American Dream" moniker, as well as a reference to his brother Dustin, who used the same nickname.
- Signature Move: Figure-Four Leglock, Disaster Kick, Cody Cutter (Top-rope springboard cutter)
- Wrestling Family: His father is Dusty Rhodes, his brother is Dustin Rhodes, and his wife Brandi is also a wrestler.
- Writing Around Trademarks: For a while, AEW wasn't allowed to call him "Cody Rhodes" due to WWE owning the trademark on the name, officially just calling him "Cody". They were, however, able to get away with calling one of his signature holds "The Cross-Rhodes" (as long as nobody ever saw it written down), and they were able to acknowledge that Brandi Rhodes was his wife and that Dustin Rhodes was his brother.
Brandi Rhodes (2019-2022)
Cody's wife, the former head of the Nightmare Collective before realigning with Cody during his feud with MJF. She would leave the company along with her husband in February 2022.- Action Girl: Brandi isn't afraid to get physically involved. Whether a Face or a Heel, if she's managing you, you can expect her to try to get some licks in on the opposition.
- Accidental Pun: Brandi as the Chief Brand Officer is definitely not intended to be a Punny Name.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Brandi talks a big game but ends up being nothing more than a smug bully who only got anywhere because of Kong. When forced to do her own dirty work, she breaks down like a coward and gets beaten easily.
- Black Boss Lady: She is the company's CBO (Chief brand officer).
- Dirty Coward: She acts smug and confident when Awesome Kong and Mel are at her back, but when forced to face Kris Statlander alone, she breaks down and begs for mercy. No longer the case after her Heel–Face Turn.
- Heel–Face Turn: on the 2/5/20 edition of Dynamite, when Cody was taking his ten lashings from MJF, Brandi came out to ringside to be emotional support for her husband. Not long after, she posted a video on her Twitter where she burned her Nightmare Collective attire, signaling the end of her involvement with the group.
- Impossibly-Low Neckline: She's taken to wearing some impressive Elvira-like dresses as manager for a number of wrestlers.
- Love Redeems: Seeing her husband getting repeatedly lashed prompts her Heel–Face Turn.
- Ms. Fanservice: Brandi had a modeling career before entering wrestling, and isn't afraid to flaunt her looks.
- Shoe Slap: When Pentagon threatened to injure her husband’s so badly he would never be able to hold his daughter, Brandi responded angrily in a tweet: “Pentagon better shut up about my kid before I smack him with a shoe.”
Joey Janela (2019-2022)
From Hazlet, New Jersey and a mainstay of GCW, he's the bad, bad boy.- The Hedonist: Has been on a binger after losing the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing.
- Face–Heel Turn: After teaming with Sonny Kiss for several dark matches, he kicked him in the face to reassert himself as the bad boy.
- Garbage Wrestler: He's best known for taking reckless amounts of damage during deathmatches.
Marko Stunt (2019-2022)
Jake Atlas (2021-2022)
- Finishing Move: The Stonewall DDT, named after the Stonewall Inn.
Alan "V" Angels (2020-2022)
An enhancement wrestler who enlisted himself into The Dark Order after continuous losses.- Butt-Monkey: Has become the Dark Order's whipping boy ever since Silver and Reynolds went over with the fans.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Fights against Lance Archer and Kenny Omega in losing efforts prior to his reveal as 5.
- Lightning Bruiser: Is very small in physique but still manages to maintain good offense in matches.
- Red Baron: "The Southpaw Serial Killer" as Alan Angels, and "The Dark Angel" of The Dark Order as 5.
- You Are Number Five: When he first joined The Dark Order he was only known as 5 and rarely showed his face. Ever since dropping the mask he goes by his full name while keeping the 5 as his nickname.
Tully Blanchard (2019-2022)
Another member of The Four Horsemen, Tully opposed the Nightmare Family (including his old compatriot Arn Anderson) as the manager to Cody's friend-turned-rival Shawn Spears, and later to the freshly heel-turning FTR, ultimately joining The Pinnacle. Unfortunately, a string of loses by FTR would lead to Tully getting fired by them after AEW Revolution 2022. He shifted to Ring of Honor, where he led a newly-formed faction called "Tully Blanchard Enterprises" consisting of "The Gates of Agony" (Kaun and Toa Liona) alongside Brian Cage and Jonathan Gresham. During Death Before Dishonor, Prince Nana returned to Ring of Honor and bought out Tully Blanchard Enterprises, absorbing it into his faction, "The Embassy".- Retired Badass: Actually came out of retirement to team with FTR in a 3-on-3 tag match against Jurassic Express, his first nationally televised match in 30 yearsnote . Not only did his team win, but he scored the finishing move (a Spike Piledriver on Luchasaurus, who needed both members of FTR to hold him up for Tully) and pin, and during the match hit his iconic slingshot suplex on Marko Stunt.
- Sensei for Scoundrels: Teaching Shawn Spears everything he knows about the ways of the Heel, including bequeathing to him a single black glove (capable of being "loaded" for cheap knockouts).
Bobby Fish (2021-2022)
One half of the former tag team reDRagon as well as one of four members that comprised of The Undisputed Era, following an impressive match against Sammy Guevarra for the TNT Championship in October 2021, it was revealed afterward that Bobby Fish was now All Elite.- Continuity Nod: Was introduced to The Young Bucks (and formally to the audience after an appearance or three) as an "old friend" of Adam Cole's, an obvious reference to their time together in WWE NXT and The Undisputed Era.
- Scary Teeth: He wore a mouthpiece that resembled shark teeth.
William Regal (2022)
A veteran of the wrestling industry, Regal made his debut at AEW Revolution 2022 to break up a post-match brawl between Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley. He would be a major mouthpiece of The Blackpool Combat Club.- Card-Carrying Villain: He's repeatedly referred to himself as a "Ordinary Proper Villain" who doesn't mind fighting dirty, going so far as to say that he doesn't use brass knuckles because he needs to, he does it because he enjoys it, however the "proper" part is demonstrated by his anger at MJF laying his hands on Tony Schiavone, who is a commentator, not a fighter.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Ran away from home at age 16 to go into a carnival, where he was regularly beaten up and left bloodied by grown men in his pursuit of becoming a pro wrestler. He even used it as an example of how MJF had it really easy compared to Regal.
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: William's first order of business in AEW was to slap some sense into Bryan and Jon for their post-match antics at AEW Revolution, even ordering the two of them to shake on it.
- Insistent Terminology: Mixed with Running Gag, Regal doesn't address commentator Excalibur by his name, but rather as the "man with the mask".
Vickie Guerrero (2019-2023)
The famous widow of the late great Eddie Guerrero, Vickie knows as much about the wrestling business as any woman and at AEW Fight For the Fallen 2020, she revealed her services had been employed by Nyla Rose as her manager.- Early-Bird Cameo: Vickie had made several appearances in AEW beforehand, including a guest stint on commentary and appearances in a number of comedic segments, but her employment as Nyla's manager marks her official debut as a full member of the promotion.
- Large Ham: Oh yes - she's still every bit the loud, abrasive harpy she was in WWE, making her a massive heat magnet.
- No Indoor Voice: "EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUSE MEE!!!!!!!!!!"
Leva Bates (2019-2023)
Wrestling reporter Dave Meltzer once said that only one kind of gimmick couldn't get over in professional wrestling, and that was that of a librarian. Cody Rhodes and company saw this as a unique opportunity, and Leva Bates jumped at the chance to do just that.- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Leva will do this when outnumbered or clearly outmatched, as she did in matches with Nyla Rose and Awesome Kong. Prior to AEW, after losing to Sasha Banks via submission, Leva begged for help from the referee (as Sasha would not release the submission hold, even after Leva tapped out).
- Ascended Meme: Her gimmick is the idea of a wrestling Librarian being such a ridiculous idea that it couldn't get over. As Bates and Avalon have found, it's actually quite easy.
- Bookworm: Brings a collection of books with her every time she's wrestling, usually including some K-Pop book and the Young Bucks' autobiography.
- Butt-Monkey: Leva and Peter both are this to some degree.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Loves bringing a collection of books to the ring when she wrestles; this has bitten her in the backside in matches in the past, with Allie throwing a book at her to distract her from being kicked in the head, and Madi Wrenkowski knocking her out cold with one of her own books!
- Hot Librarian: She's an attractive woman and her form-hugging clothes (tight dresses and skirts when outside of the ring, and booty shorts in the ring) accentuate her impressive physique.
- Humiliation Conga: One night at an AEW show, Leva: lost to Awesome Kong in 2 minutes, had some of her blue hair cut off as a trophy, got harassed by the Inner Circle afterward as she was trying to recover, and ended up being kidnapped by them for their own video blog. As Leva said herself... not a good week.
- Jobber: Was a complete doormat for the rest of the AEW Women's Division, with Leva never winning a singles match herself. This got better near the end of 2020, but she's reverted back to complete jobber status in 2021. Suffice it to say, Leva probably isn't challenging for the women's title any time soon.
- Love Triangle: When Peter Avalon teamed up with former rival Brandon Cutler to form The Initiative, Leva began to grow close to Cutler as well, and was upset when the two had a falling out, finding herself torn between them. During their match against each other on the 1st September episode of Dark she repeatedly attempted to play peacemaker, trying to stop the two men from hurting each other, and preventing Avalon from using the book she carries as a weapon against Cutler. At the end of the match (a double count-out), when Avalon stormed off without her and Cutler took his leave as well, she was left in the ring on the verge of tears.
- Plucky Comic Relief: She and Peter Avalon are the primary comedy act.
- Mini Dress Of Power: Wears pencil skirts and general business professional outfits when she's not wrestling. Leaves the skirt in favor of shorts when she does.
- Ms. Fanservice: For being a Librarian, Leva definitely loves wearing booty shorts when wrestling, and other tight dresses/skirts when managing.
- Taking Up the Mantle: She becomes the solo Librarian after breaking off from Peter Avalon.
- Tug Lover War: During a Dark match between Peter Avalon and Colt Cabana, Leva became the subject of a (initially at least) non-romantic one of these between the two men while all three were perched on the apron and Leva intefered to stop Colt attacking Peter. After almost pulling her in two, Colt suddenly released Leva, sending her spinning into Peter's arms.
Fuego Del Sol (2021-2023)
A masked luchador from Mobile, Alabama and arguably the breakout supporting character of Sammy's vlogs.- Breakout Character: Fuego's popularity in Sammy Guevara's vlog allowed him to make sporadic appearances on Dynamite to thunderous applause. This all paid off on the debut episode of Rampage, where he was finally signed onto the AEW roster.
- Bullying a Dragon: His first AEW Rampage matchup was against Miro, and he lost, of course. He challenged him a second time, putting his car up against Miro's title. It didn’t go well.
- His constant goading to fight against The House of Black has lead to him be laid out every single time.
- Broken Win/Loss Streak: He finally got his first AEW win on the July 6th, 2021 episode of Dark, after 34 straight losses. This was notably the final pandemic-era episode of Dark before AEW went back on the road, making his win a feel-good celebration of one of the most consistent wrestlers on the AEW YouTube shows.
- Determinator: He's a little guy with a massive losing streak but he never gives up.
- Kid Hero All Grown-Up: Fuego and his friends had a YouTube channel called "Kids Backyard Wrestling (KBW)" around 2010, which means he was making wrestling videos since age 14.
- Iron Butt Monkey: If AEW needs a babyface little guy to take some nasty bumps from an incoming Heel, Fuego's their man.
- Masked Luchador: Is never seen without his mask.
- Mistaken Identity: Used against Fuego when Sammy Guevara (who offered to pick up his dry cleaning) dressed up in his wrestling gear and helped out Chris Jericho in a Hair vs. Hair match against Ortiz at AEW Road Rager 2022, joining The Jericho Appreciation Society. Fuego would call out his best friend for falsely impersonating as him, going so far as to head to Twitter with the hastag "#JUSTICEFORFUEGO".
- Pint Sized Power House: One of the smaller wrestlers on the roster.
- Signature Move: The Tornado DDT, but Subverted in that he rarely gets to pull it off. He was able to finally use this move on Miro three times in a row on the debut episode of Rampage. Unfortunately, it still wasn't quite enough to bring down The Redeemer.
Sonny Kiss (2019-2023)
An American exótico in the tradition of Pimpinela Escarlata, Sonny Kiss was also in Lucha Underground with the same gimmick, under the name "XO Lishus".- Ass Kicks You: Often deploys his rear end in battle.
- Camp Gay: Kinda comes with the territory of being an exótico.
- Dance Battler: Studied dance in performing arts school and uses that background to his advantage.
- Insistent Terminology: Inverted; it should be noted that although "exótico" is the term that first comes to mind upon seeing him, Sonny himself has told an interviewer that he respects the exótico tradition but does not identify as one (possibly because the name has historically been applied to straight wrestlers performing in drag, which he is not, or possibly simply because he isn't Mexican and doesn't consider himself a luchador).
- Red Baron: "The Concrete Rose".
- Tag Team: With Joey Janela, until Janela attacked him.
CM Punk (2021-2023)
After 7 years outside of the ring, CM Punk returned to professional wrestling to prove he truly is The Best In The World.- Arch-Enemy: If there was one young wrestler he had no respect for, it's MJF. Not only did they butt heads verbally, but Punk was all too eager to beat some respect into the man whenever he got the chance.
- Finishing Move: "GTS" (Fireman's Carry dropped into a knee lift), "Anaconda Vice" (Arm-trap Triangle Choke)
- Foreshadowing: There were several hints scattered throughout previous Dynamite episodes in 2021 that hinted at Punk's return to professional wrestling.
- A week before his debut, Kenny Omega was seen wearing a shirt that said "Chick Magnet", which is what the "CM" in his name stands for. A week before that, he wore a Cookie Monster T-shirt, referencing the joke that "CM" actually stands for "Cookie Monster".
- After Jericho won his deathmatch against Nick Gage, MJF taunted him with a promo that started similarly to Punk's infamous "pipebomb" speech during WWE RAW in 2011.
- In the week preceding Punk's debut, Darby Allin stated that the United Center in Chicago was the place to prove a wrestler was truly "The Best in the World".
- A Hero to His Hometown: If there was ever any doubt as to how much Chicago loves Punk, look no further than his Rampage debut at the United Center and soak in that white hot ovation.
- In-Series Nickname: MJF maliciously called him "PG Punk", suggesting that he lost his edge and became more family-friendly since his younger days (as well as tacitly referencing the WWE PG Era when Punk first came to prominence). He also called Punk "Punky Brewster".
- Red Baron: "The Best In The World"; meanwhile, during his debut AEW appearance, Punk explicitly retired his previous monniker, "Voice of the Voiceless".
- Snark-to-Snark Combat: Anytime he and MJF had a microphone in hand, a brutal battle of words was going down.
- Took a Level in Cheerfulness: This wasn't the jaded, bitter Punk that left the WWE on a sour note and it's clear that he was in a much better headspace wrestling with AEW's up-and-coming talent.
- Worthy Opponent: This was how he treated all of his young opponents, even putting over how tough they were to defeat after the match, regardless of how heated things got prior to the bout, with the exception being MJF.
Jade Cargill (2020-2023)
One of the most dominant women on the AEW roster, Jade Cargill entered the promotion in November 2020, wrestling her first match against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet, with NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal as her partner. Until May 2023, Jade had not officially lost a singles match in All Elite Wrestling, in which she had 60 consecutive victories before losing to Kris Statlander at AEW Double or Nothing 2023. After a four-month absence, she briefly returned in September...only to leave AEW later that month when her contract expired.Zack Clayton (2022-2023)
- Red Baron: "The Reality"
Brock Anderson (2021-2023)
A student of the Nightmare Factory and the son of Arn Anderson.- Older Than They Look: Somehow manages to look twice his age.
- Strong Family Resemblance: He's a dead ringer for his father Arn back in the day.
Allie/"The Bunny" (2019-2023)
Initially IMPACT's answer to Bayley and retaining that personality upon arriving to AEW, Allie re-emerged as the mouthpiece for the tag team known as The Butcher and The Blade as the team's third member. In November 2023 she was removed from the roster page as the two had mutually agreed to part ways.- Arch-Enemy: Together with Penelope Ford, she has been battling against Tay Melo and Anna Jay over the course of 2021.
- Camera Abuse: downplayed, every time she makes her entrance and cameraman tries to get a closer she'll try to bite it.
- Evil Laugh: She's got a witch-like one.
- Darker and Edgier: Darker than her more recognised character she played for most of her career, although the "Demon Bunny/Dark Allie" character she played during the end of her run at Impact Wrestling laid the groundwork for the character of "The Bunny" she plays in AEW.
- Giggling Villain: During matches she sometimes breaks into a distinctive fit of high pitched laughter. The commentators regularly describe her as deranged, often during her laughing fits.
- Hair-Raising Hare: She's a cute girl with a bunny motif who's dangerously unhinged. It's even in her ring name.
- Heel–Face Turn: After apparently splitting from the Butcher and the Blade for reasons she refuses to talk about, she began tagging with Brandi Rhodes as the "Nightmare Sisters".
- Lady in Red: When she first came on to QT Marshall, she came down to one of his matches on Dark in a slinky red dress to watch him while eating an apple.
- Skip of Innocence: Subverted. She likes to skip playfully around the ring, but she's actually unhinged and sadistic.
- Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: Allie has poked fun of fellow wrestler Brandon Cutler in social media.
- Odd Friendship: She made one with Penelope Ford after the women's Casino Battle Royale at AEW All Out 2021.
- Official Couple: She is married to the Blade
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Brandi clearly doesn't trust her, but they're doing too well as the Nightmare Sisters for her to make an issue of it yet.
QT Marshall (2019-2023)
- The Don: Had taken on a Tony Soprano-like image since his Face–Heel Turn.
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Grew resentful of how overlooked he was in The Nightmare Family, particularly when one of his students, Lee Johnson, thanked practically everyone in the family except him in a post-match promo after his first victory.
- Face–Heel Turn: Turned on The Nightmare Family during an exhibition match against Cody Rhodes intended for them to settle their differences, punching out special referee Arn Anderson for the disqualification loss and leading a trio of his Nightmare Factory students in a beatdown on the other members.
- The Mentor: One of the head trainers at The Nightmare Factory, Marshall was responsible for training a lot of up-and-coming talent.
- Oh, Crap!: He had a face that screamed this when finding out he was to fight Paul Wight at AEW All Out 2021.
- Renegade Splinter Faction: Was the leader of The Factory, which split off from Cody's Nightmare Factory.
Shawn Spears (2019-2023)
- Chairman of the Brawl: Ever since he smacked Cody Rhodes upside the head with one, metal chairs was his preferred weapons.
- Never My Fault: In his search for a new tag team partner, he auditioned several hopefuls, only to abandon them as soon as they "screwed up", even if he screwed up more. When he abandoned Robert Anthony to be pinned by SCU on AEW Dark after Anthony accidentally hit him, Excalibur and Taz on commentary called out that Spears had already hit Anthony twice before Anthony's first mistake.
- Power Stable: Formerly The Pinnacle.
- Red Baron: "The Chairman" of AEW.
- Skeleton Motif: Downplayed; Shawn's gimmick didn't feature this, but when he became The Chairman, he introduced his steel chairs that were emblazoned with a skull stylized in the shape of a maple leaf.
- Tempting Fate: In Episode 12 of AEW Dark, he nearly said that Santa Claus wasn't real. Cue Joey Janela dressed as Santa defeating him.
- Yes-Man: There's absolutely nothing that Spears wouldn't do for MJF during his time in The Pinnacle.
Andrade el Ídolo (2021-2023)
- Badass in a Nice Suit: Is almost always seen wearing a number of sharp-looking formal suits, with one even based on his Los Ingobernables days.
- Beleaguered Benefactor: After helping out The Hardy Family Office with his finances, Andrade would co-own the faction, turning it into The Andrade-Hardy Family Office. Their string of losses since their new formation all the way to AEW Revolution 2022 wound up with Andrade ousting Matt Hardy entirely, turning it into The Andrade Family Office.
- Cool Mask: He came out for his debut match wearing a mask resembling Batman villain Black Mask, which he's also been seen wearing in promo videos.
- Cool Shades: He tends to wear these when not wrestling.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He's an arrogant Heel, but he was furious when Chavo interfered to help him win his match against PAC and assaulted him before firing him. He even seemed apologetic towards PAC over the unwanted interference.
- Finishing Move: "El Idolo" (Hammerlock DDT)
- Heel–Face Return: After a prolonged absence on TV, he returned in June 2023 on the inaugural episode of Collision as a fan-favorite, and cemented his turn when he began feuding with The House of Black.
- Signature Move: The figure-four leglock; however, after his return to AEW on Collision, he would take a page from his Real Life wife Charlotte Flair and use her trademark bridging variation, the "Figure Eight".
Dasha Gonzalez (2019-2024)
Originally part of the Spanish announcers' table since the inaugural AEW All Out, Dasha Gonzalez was the ring announcer for AEW Collision.- Shoe Slap: Unusually skilled at throwing a flip flop, which terrifies Santana and Ortiz.
Parker Boudreaux (2022-2024)
Formerly known as "Harland" from WWE NXT, Parker Boudreaux appeared on AEW Dark in July 2022 and aligned with Ari Daivari's new faction, "The Trustbusters", a few weeks later. Following his first appearance on Rampage in August, Parker was officially signed into the promotion.Matt Hardy (2020-2024)
- Chewing the Scenery: His promos were full of gravitas and he even had a chomping motion at the end of his speeches.
- Evil Mentor: Of the unscrupulous kind to Private Party - he offered to teach them how to become the second best tag team in wrestling history (after The Hardy Boyz, of course) for the low price of a 30% commission from both members (after talking about how horrible the 60% commission his own mentor took from him was).
- Finishing Move: "The Twist of Fate" (Front facelock cutter)
- It's All About Me: It's pretty clear that his offer to manage Private Party was largely so that he could add "managed a successful upstart tag team" to his resume.
- The Mentor: After a subtle Face–Heel Turn, Matt began managing The Hardy Family Office largely out of his own vanity.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: Red and black long coat, red and black hair and since he was possessed by the spirit of Damascus, he was all about unleashing chaos and destruction. However, since he was against The Inner Circle, this was a Subversion.
- The Sixth Ranger: With The Elite outnumbered against The Inner Circle, especially with Cody busy with the TNT Championship tournament, Matt Hardy answered the call to even out the playing field.
