Former WWE Superstar Reached Out To See If AEW Needed Their Help In Any Role

AEW has seen a number of names arrive in the company who used to have ties to WWE. A few of those people had previously taken a break from pro wrestling, only to have Tony Khan’s company pull them back into the fold. This may happen for Paul London if they can find a role for him in the Land of All Elite.

Over the past two years, Paul London has been quietly reestablishing himself in the wrestling world, working with independent promotions like Absolute Intense Wrestling and Sean Henderson Presents. His journey back into the ring recently took a significant turn when he made a surprise appearance at MLW’s Summer of the Beasts show in August. This return marked the beginning of what seems to be a steady role for London within MLW. His return to pro wrestling has an interesting story behind it, one that includes him reaching out to AEW.

In a recent interview with Fightful, Paul London reflected on how the pandemic initially pulled him away from wrestling. He had been scheduled for a Ring of Honor event in early 2020, only for the show to be canceled due to the shutdowns.

“I was ready to go, but then the pandemic hit. Suddenly, wrestling was the last thing on my mind.” During this period, he relocated to Sherman Oaks, California, and found himself in the midst of social unrest and uncertainty. Wrestling took a back seat as he focused on adapting to a chaotic new world.

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Despite the distance from the ring, Paul London’s interest in pro wrestling never faded. AEW had just broken onto the scene, and he had many friends there. Even as he tuned in, he felt a lingering disinterest. “I watched AEW and thought, ‘Some of this is really bad,’” he admitted. “I just couldn’t find that spark to get back into it.”

The pandemic also took a toll on his confidence. Though Paul London continued training in Burbank with a group of friends, he felt his skills and physical abilities weren’t where they once were. “I kept thinking, ‘Am I just the washed-up guy now?’” he said. “These guys are doing all this explosive stuff, and here I am, just trying to keep up.” This self-doubt led him to question if he even wanted to return to the ring.

However, Paul London still had an itch to contribute to the wrestling world in some way. Eventually, he reached out to his old friend, AEW’s Christopher Daniels, offering his help in any capacity.

“I told Daniels, ‘I’d love to help any way I can,’ got a polite but noncommittal response—like, ‘Yeah, sure, we’ll see.’”

AEW was flooded with talent, and there was no urgency to bring him on board. Still, the experience of reaching out rekindled a small flame of excitement and potential for what he could still offer the wrestling industry.

As London continued soul-searching, an offer from MLW kept coming back into the picture. A key figure in MLW had reached out to him during the pandemic, and although London initially brushed it off, the idea stayed with him. By this time, London had moved to New Mexico, and his confidence was slowly rebuilding. Karrion Kross, a longtime friend and MLW talent, gave him an added push. “I thought maybe there’s something I could do with Kross,” London remembered thinking, “but I also didn’t want to drag him down with me.”

In the end, it was Paul London’s wrestling manager and co-owner of his wrestling academy who helped him take the leap. After countless messages and inquiries piling up over the years, London agreed to take MLW’s offer seriously.

While AEW may not have had a spot for him, Paul London was open to the idea, and he might still be down to make that move. As for right now, it appears that he is going to be happy in MLW for the time being as he gets warmed back up into the pro wrestling world.