“This something Vince would do”- Wrestling fans in splits as AEW puts heavy sanctions in place to prevent poaching after losing Stephanie Vaquer to WWE
AEW's Stephanie Vaquer debacle has prompted the company's policy makers to devise a rather polarizing strategy.
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Tony Khan and Stephanie Vaquer [via- WWE and Wrestling News/@X]
Stephanie Vaquer‘s WWE signing was a true bolt from the blue for many fans. Merely days after her impromptu match with Mercedes Mone at AEW: Forbidden Door, she was under a WWE contract. Tony Khan did offer her a deal in a move he believed would’ve been enough to lock her in. However, she declined it. By mid-July, Vaquer made her WWE in-ring debut at a live event in Mexico.
An update via Fightful notes that talent who’d work Forbidden Door and NJPW crossover events in the future or promote AEW by any means would need to agree on terms with the company about not going to WWE immediately even if they wish to. This seems like a knee-jerk reaction to curb the poaching of wrestlers. AEW looks hellbent on stopping it.
The aforementioned report also added that sources within AEW were surprised by how Stephanie’s WWE deal came about. At a time when she was the reigning CMLL Women’s and tag team champion, the Chilean-Mexican wrestler was ousted from the promotion. A joint press release from CMLL and NJPW confirmed Vaquer’s resignation that she tendered owing to personal reasons.
Two weeks ago on NXT, she made her first live appearance. The El Primera was brought in as backup by Giulia, who was outnumbered by Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade. The latter cost Giulia the NXT women’s title match on the CW launch show of NXT. The equation now pits four of these women at the upcoming Halloween Havoc premium live event.
Vaquer and Giulia will take on Jade and Roxanne in a tag team match. After it’s said and done, Steph is expected to go after the top prize in the women’s division, but she may have to overcome The Beautiful Madness en route to gold.
Fans divided over AEW’s reported policy of preventing its talent from WWE jump
AEW has clearly taken note of Stephanie Vaquer‘s case. The latest deterrent that the Tony Khan-led promotion has put in place has left the netizens grumbling. Some of them argued that it’s something Vince McMahon would’ve done if he were in those shoes.
Fans also asserted that letting go of William Regal is what that’s been aching Tony and AEW the most. Regal is the current Vice President of Global Talent Development in WWE, and he’s been the driving force behind numerous free agents ending up in WWE.
Despite it being a strategic move from AEW and its subsidiaries, some fans also believe that it’s unethical. Holding one’s employees hostage for an indefinite amount of time doesn’t seem appealing at all.
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