WWE felt they stood a chance of signing former AEW champions - Reports

Rumors have been circulating for months that WWE could potentially snatch The Elite away from AEW. That speculation has now been shut down, as it was recently revealed that Kenny Omega, "Hangman" Adam Page and The Young Bucks have all signed multi-year contract extensions with All Elite Wrestling.

The Elite, along with current WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes, are widely considered the founding fathers of the Jacksonville-based promotion. Omega and Page are both former AEW World Champions, while The Young Bucks – Matt and Nick Jackson – are two-time AEW World Tag Team Champions.

All four have become major stars in the promotion and, as The Elite, are arguably the face of Wednesday Night Dynamite. According to a new report from Fightful Select, there was interest from WWE in signing some or all of them, and apparently, the Stamford-based company thought they stood a chance of doing so.

Fightful noted that although sources within the Stamford-based company were interested in the group, no serious talks took place. It was also noted that the company had positive interactions with The Elite in 2018, shortly before AEW was founded.

Kenny Omega on why he chose to remain with AEW amid interest from WWE

Since its founding in 2019, All Elite Wrestling has firmly established itself as the de facto alternative to industry juggernaut WWE. In this capacity, the company has striven to feature a variety of wrestling styles and segments on its weekly TV shows.

One of the greatest examples of this variety can be seen in former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega. The Cleaner, who was known primarily for his high-octane matches in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, has demonstrated his ability to adapt to his current surroundings and has even engaged in comedic segments and hardcore deathmatches.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Omega confirmed that the freedom to experiment and establish himself in different styles is one of the reasons he chose to remain with AEW:

"Pro wrestling has a presence almost everywhere on the planet. In my pursuit to become as complete of a performer as possible, my goal was always to experience the styles of the world at their highest level. I believe that with AEW’s current working relationships, and possibly future, I can challenge all forms of pro wrestling and diversify my style so that I’m equipped for any scenario I may encounter in the ring."

Although the details of The Elite's new contracts remain under wraps, they're said to be multi-year deals, which will likely keep Kenny Omega, "Hangman" Adam Page, and The Young Bucks around for the long haul.

Do you think The Elite should have signed with WWE? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.