Recent speculation has surrounded former WWE stars in AEW, particularly Miro and Malakai Black, regarding their reluctance to lose matches. AEWResults.com reports that Miro held an impressive 31-4 record throughout his AEW tenure and remained undefeated in 2023 before his departure.
This speculation ties into a broader issue within the wrestling industry—what one insider referred to as “WWE trauma.” A person heavily involved in independent wrestling spoke to F4WOnline.com, explaining how former WWE talents often resist losing matches after leaving the company:
“One day we’ll have to have the discussion about WWE trauma. People leave that company and are so traumatized by their booking they overcompensate on exit as a defense mechanism. Even people who are… I don’t want to use the term jobbers because that gets used incorrectly too often… those who were at a level in WWE where they’d be expected to lose a lot like (mentioned names of several wrestlers who were on the low end in WWE when they were cut), they leave WWE and immediately take on a NO JOBS policy. Even if you put them in a situation where losing would get them more over or just makes total sense since they’re in a small town for a show that isn’t being recorded against the local top guy… they won’t lose. Because of their WWE trauma. They equate being asked to lose as getting buried. Which isn’t the same thing at all. But that’s the mentality they’ve developed when losing a lot in WWE does actually mean you’re getting buried. Or you’re a secondary women’s champion. So I get why (a major star) doesn’t see the advantages in losing & reacts so negatively to the mere suggestion of it.”
The source also highlighted how some former WWE stars—who had no problem losing in WWE—became reluctant to do so in AEW or on the independent scene. They pointed to a specific unnamed wrestler who refused to lose in AEW unless facing someone he perceived as a “top guy” (i.e., another ex-WWE star). However, since returning to WWE, he has been losing regularly without pushback—suggesting that wrestlers view losing in WWE as part of business, but elsewhere as a sign of disrespect.
“From experience any loss is giving up control and flashes back to. . experience in WWE. I don’t think there’s a way to fix that unfortunately. Or if there is I certainly haven’t found the trick yet because I couldn’t even convince (a few wrestlers names on the indies) to take a loss when I tried. Look at (name withheld ). The guy HATED doing jobs in AEW unless it was vs others he perceived as top guys (ex WWE guys). Now he walked right back into WWE and has literally been losing since day 2 of his return. But no complaints, no push back. It’s just such an interesting deal how people look at WWE jobs being the cost of doing business but elsewhere it’s a slap in the face.”
This mindset reportedly makes it difficult for promoters outside WWE to book talent in ways that benefit the overall product. The insider admitted that convincing ex-WWE stars to take losses on the indie scene is nearly impossible, even when it would benefit their own momentum.
With Miro and Malakai Black reportedly on their way back to WWE, it remains to be seen whether their stance on losing will shift now that they are back under the WWE umbrella.
