Tony Khan Should Bring These Two Recently Released, Former WWE Stars To AEW

Over the last week, WWE completed its latest round of talent releases, with 12 wrestlers reportedly let go. While they didn't reach the pinnacle of success in WWE, these performers have a great deal of talent among them, and most (if not all) will almost certainly find success elsewhere.

With AEW currently serving as the second-largest promotion based in the United States, speculation is bound to connect at least some of these wrestlers to Tony Khan and company. However, TV time is limited, especially now that AEW has just four hours of regular programming each week.

On top of that, the AEW roster is already filled with more talent than it can realistically feature, meaning that Khan should be very selective with regard to new signings. That being said, it's impossible to deny that there are at least two wrestlers released by WWE last week who deserve a shot in AEW, and both of them have existing ties to the company.

When Cedric Alexander made his debut in the 2016 WWE Cruiserweight Classic, he made such an impact on fans that the crowd was chanting for the company to sign the wrestler despite him losing in the second round. The promotion did end up signing him, and though it took some time, Alexander eventually found success as a member of a faction (who we'll get to soon). He never fully broke through as a singles star in WWE, but from his very first appearance he has shown potential that remains untapped.

Alexander is a highly-skilled in-ring performer, and while most would admit that he isn't quite so strong on the mic, he has shown improvement in recent years. He was consistently a highlight of the cruiserweight revival and the early years of "205 Live," and his wrestling style could help him excel in a place like AEW.

In addition to all his individual merits as a performer, Alexander also has the benefit of being a former member of The Hurt Business (now known as The Hurt Syndicate in AEW). Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP debuted in AEW last year, with Lashley and Benjamin soon capturing the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Though Alexander could be brought into AEW independently of the group, it makes sense to play off their history, either by having him join or work against the faction.

Another recently released WWE performer that AEW could benefit from is Blair Davenport. Though she often only got to showcase her talents in small doses, Davenport did have a number of strong matches on "WWE NXT" throughout her time there. However, after being called up to the main roster last year, Davenport wasn't prominently featured and wrestled just two TV matches against Naomi before her release.

Prior to her time in WWE, Davenport was known as Bea Priestley and had a prominent run in Japanese promotion STARDOM, honing her talents alongside wrestlers like Toni Storm and Mayu Iwatani. She was also a member of the AEW roster in the company's early days, wrestling singles matches against Britt Baker and Kris Statlander as well as some tag bouts before later signing with WWE.

One potential complication is that Davenport was previously in a relationship with AEW star Will Ospreay, but that obstacle can be overcome as long as the two are able to work in the same building peacefully. Assuming that doesn't prove to be an issue, it would be a mistake for Khan not to bring Davenport in to work against wrestlers like Storm, Mariah May, and Willow Nightingale.