Kevin Knight may have arrived in All Elite Wrestling with plenty of attention, but it looks like the company has already decided he’s worth keeping around for the long haul.
Knight first signed with AEW at the beginning of 2025 after his contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling expired during Wrestle Kingdom week. At the time, several companies reportedly showed interest in bringing him in, but AEW moved quickly to secure his services. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, AEW knew there would be serious competition for Knight and made him a priority target during negotiations.
“They expected to have plenty of competition when working to sign him and were very happy to land him.”
Sapp also revealed that AEW President Tony Khan and Rocky Romero personally met with Knight in a two-on-one meeting to explain AEW’s relationship with NJPW, which ultimately helped convince him to choose AEW over other interested companies including WWE, TNA, and MLW. Knight’s arrival on AEW television came with immediate attention when he debuted on the March 29 episode of AEW Collision in a high-profile match against Jay White.
Now there’s another update on Knight’s future with the company. Fightful Select reported on March 7, 2026 that Knight has already re-signed with AEW after initially working under a one-year agreement. The new deal will keep him with the company for multiple years. It was also reported that Knight’s performances have been very well received backstage, which helped lead to the new agreement.
“An AEW star has surprisingly re-signed, but not surprising for the reason you might think.”
“His work has been highly regarded within AEW.”
During his run so far, Knight has continued building momentum on AEW programming. He captured the Trios Championship alongside Mike Bailey and Hangman Page, and he has also shared the ring with several of the company’s biggest names. Those appearances included matches and segments involving Swerve Strickland and MJF on AEW television.
The new contract was finalized earlier this year as AEW moved quickly to secure Knight before other opportunities could open up elsewhere. With a new long-term deal now in place and strong support behind the scenes, Knight appears positioned to remain part of AEW’s roster moving forward as he continues building his reputation on the company’s biggest shows.
Do you think Kevin Knight will become a breakout star in AEW, or would he have been better off signing with WWE instead? Let us know your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.