Josh Alexander details why he chose AEW over WWE
Josh Alexander says the pool of talent in AEW played a large factor in him deciding to sign with the company over WWE.
Alexander is scheduled to wrestle Hangman Page in a non-title match on this week’s episode of Dynamite. It’s a rematch of Alexander’s first match in the company, losing to Page in the quarterfinals of the Owen Hart Cup back in April. Prior to signing with AEW, Alexander had spent six years with TNA.
During a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of The Undisputed, Alexander explained what led to him deciding to sign with AEW.
“If you believe what you read online, I just went with the highest bidder,” Alexander said. “The truth is that the money, schedule, and things like that didn’t play into my decision as much as looking at the pool of talent I wanted to work with.”
“There’s a specific reason I signed where I did. I chose AEW because I want to be here.”
Alexander continued to say that a lot of his biggest dream matches are in AEW, most notably a showdown with Kenny Omega.
“I didn’t grow up dreaming of wrestling at WrestleMania,” Alexander continued. “I’ve worked with so many people in AEW that are now in high-profile positions, and I met Tony [Khan] during the Covid days. I vibed with him, and I think he’s a really good human being. He’s someone that actually cares about his talent and treats them like human beings.”
“I have watched AEW religiously since its inception. A lot of it is that my dream matches are in AEW. I’ve been chasing Kenny Omega for 10 years. If I’m going to wrestle him, it’s going to be in AEW.”
Another factor in Alexander’s decision was AEW allowing him to continue working for Scott D’Amore’s Maple Leaf Pro, where he is the Canadian Heavyweight Champion. Alexander credits D’Amore with his success in wrestling. The promotion’s most recent event, Sacred Grounds on September 5, will air on YouTube this Thursday and features Alexander defending his title against TJP.
“Without Scott, I don’t reach this point,” said Alexander. “I love the chance to pay it back.”
His full interview with The Undisputed is available here.
