Brian Cage Reveals He Wanted WWE Move Before Choosing AEW Security Over Switch

Brian Cage has opened up about how close he came to leaving AEW for WWE before ultimately re-signing with Tony Khan’s promotion, and job security was the deciding factor.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Cage admitted he genuinely wanted to make the jump to WWE when interest from the company emerged ahead of his 2023 AEW contract extension. But after weighing everything up, he concluded that sticking with AEW simply made more sense.

“I mean, there was a lot of interest, and it’s funny, because I wanted to go there,” Cage said. “I mean, you don’t know what you’re gonna get either place. There’s no guarantees. They could say that, you know, we’re gonna use you this way, that way, whatever. But obviously, you don’t know anything. And after going back and forth, all the different pros and cons, a lot of stuff with AEW just seemed safer, if you will.”

Cage laid out the specifics behind that thinking. He pointed to WWE’s track record of unexpected releases, the travel package AEW provides — covering hotel, ground transportation, and airfare, compared to WWE’s airfare-only arrangement — and the freedom that comes with being a genuine independent contractor under AEW’s model, which allows him to take bookings and pursue projects outside the company.

“I felt like I don’t have a fear of getting released if I stay here too long,” Cage added. “The longer I feel like I can just keep staying to have longevity.”

That outside-work freedom is already paying dividends. Cage has landed a role in Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day alongside fellow AEW talent Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Lance Archer, while continuing to work the independent circuit.

Cage’s AEW history dates back to 2020, and his most recent television appearance came on the May 30 episode of Collision, where he teamed with Jake Doyle for a Don Callis Family victory over Jimmy Wild and Tommy Mars. With a fresh contract in place and side projects in motion, Cage appears to be making the most of the arrangement he chose over the WWE alternative.