Brian Cage has revealed why he chose to remain with AEW despite receiving interest from WWE, saying job security ultimately proved to be the deciding factor.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Brian Cage admitted he was interested in joining WWE before signing a new AEW contract in 2023. However, after weighing up the pros and cons of both companies, he felt AEW offered greater stability.
“I mean, there was a lot of interest, and it’s funny because I wanted to go there. You never, I mean, you don’t know what you’re going to get either place. There’s no guarantee.”
Cage explained that while WWE presented an opportunity, there was no certainty over how he would ultimately be used. By comparison, he felt more comfortable staying with a company that already knew what he could offer.
“And after going back and forth, all the different pros and cons, a lot of stuff with AEW just seemed more safe, if you will, which is like it’s pretty hard to have some sort of security in this business.”
The veteran also pointed to AEW’s travel arrangements as another major advantage. Unlike WWE, Cage said AEW covers hotel accommodation and ground transportation in addition to flights.
“So, like, travel is way better. He pays for all the travel. So, hotel, ground transportation and airfare, where WWE is just airfare.”
Cage also praised AEW’s approach to allowing talent to work outside the company, saying the flexibility of being treated as an independent contractor appealed to him.
“We’re an actual independent contractor, so I can do anything else outside of AEW, which, you know, that’s another plus too.”
Ultimately, however, Brian Cage said the biggest factor was confidence that he could build a long-term future with AEW without constantly worrying about losing his job.
“And then I felt like, you know, I don’t have a fear of getting released if I stay here too. The longer I stay, the longer I feel like I can just keep staying to have longevity.”
Brian Cage Said Job Security Was The Main Reason He Stayed With AEW
When asked directly whether job security was the main reason he remained with AEW, Brian Cage did not hesitate.
“Big time. That was the main one. That was the main one. And just longevity.”
Cage also shared a lighter reason for preferring AEW, revealing he is allowed to use the warming gel “Hot Stuff” before matches, something he claimed was not permitted in WWE.
“I remember at the time too, Hot Stuff was banned at WWE and I go, ‘Hey, I can use Hot Stuff here at AEW.'”
He explained that using the product became part of his pre-match routine after first discovering it while wrestling in AAA, comparing it to taking a pre-workout supplement before competing.
