AEW stars will apparently not be allowed to take indy dates, for the most part, despite the contrary being reported in the past.
We are fast approaching the official debut of AEW. On may 25, Double Or Nothing will take place in Las Vegas, the new promotion's first-ever show. Judging by the card to date, it will be a show that is not to be missed. After that, the announcements regarding what's next will likely come thick and fast. We already know there will be an event in Jacksonville, and we're also expecting a TV deal to be announced soon.
By the end of the year, AEW will be very much in full swing. It already has a number of wrestlers signed to contracts. Around 40 according to Cody Rhodes. It was assumed, and even said by some, that those wrestlers would be allowed to continue taking independent bookings. However, a recent report from PWTorch would suggest otherwise.
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According to the report, Joey Janela has informed fans that he will be finishing up on the indy scene this fall when AEW's weekly TV show starts. Other than Joey Janela's Spring Break, which takes place every WrestleMania weekend, he will only compete on AEW shows. That contradicts Janela saying he wouldn't be going anywhere for the next few years just a few weeks ago.
It is now being reported that AEW-contracted wrestlers who want to perform outside of the company will need "special permission" to do so. However, that doesn't apply to performers who need the experience who will subsequently be allowed to go out and do as much wrestling as possible. Again, it doesn't seem like that ruling will kick in until AEW's weekly show launches later this year.
Although this ruling may seem harsh, and a little WWE-like, it might not be as bad as it seems on the surface. First of all, it seems like AEW will grant special permission to its wrestlers in most cases, within reason. Chris Jericho is still allowed to perform in New Japan after all. Plus, considering the rumored values of some of the promotion's contracts, its wrestlers shouldn't need to work elsewhere to make ends meet.
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