The Young Bucks have played a major part in shaping AEW since the company launched, but the duo revealed they once came surprisingly close to taking a very different path. During a conversation with Adam’s Apple, they explained that WWE had come nearer than ever before to securing their signatures.

Matt Jackson recalled that the discussions were serious even if nothing was officially presented. “Pretty close. Like, yeah, we were almost going to sign the contract. I mean, there was never an actual physical contract, but we were negotiating.” Nick Jackson followed up by noting that WWE had approached them repeatedly over the course of their careers, saying, “Not even at that time, but many times before in our career almost.”

Matt highlighted that 2019 marked the closest point of all, a period when their popularity had exploded thanks to their work in Japan and across the independent scene. “We had a groundswell at the time, with stuff we were doing in Japan and on the indies.”

The brothers eventually committed to AEW on multi-year deals in 2023, securing their future with the company they helped build. Fans have often wondered what a WWE run might have looked like, but most feel the Jacksons’ identity fits best within AEW’s environment, making their current home the right place for them.

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