3 Former Champions Who Didn't Wrestle a Single Match in AEW in 2025

AEW has expanded its roster size over the years. Tony Khan has signed some of the best wrestlers from all over the world. However, this has presented a huge problem for the Jacksonville-based promotion. With only a limited amount of TV time available each week, this means that several wrestlers go unused. There are some of the best wrestlers who have spent the past few months warming the bench in AEW. In this article, we will look at three former champions who didn't wrestle a single match in AEW in 2025.

#3. Keith Lee

Keith Lee's AEW run has been a bit of a head-scratcher. He joined the promotion in 2022. He formed a successful tag team with Swerve Strickland, and together, they captured the World Tag Team Championships. However, things started to go downhill for him after he and Swerve disbanded. The Realest One rose through the ranks to become a World Champion while Keith Lee faded into obscurity.

He last competed in Tony Khan's company in December 2023 against Brian Cage. Following this, it was reported that Lee was dealing with an undisclosed health issue, which kept him out of the ring for several months. However, months ago, the former WWE star confirmed that he was ready to go. However, he has yet to compete in the ring. As of now, he has not wrestled in a single match in two years. Looking back at his run in the Jacksonville-based promotion, it's hard to imagine that this guy was once a double champion in NXT.

#2. Hikaru Shida

Hikaru Shida was one of the first women to join the AEW roster. She played a key role during the company's early days. Shida was the third person to hold the AEW Women's World Championship. She held the title for 372 days, making her the longest reigning Women's World Champion in the company's history.

Shida went on to win the Women's Title two more times, with her last reign taking place in 2023. Following this, her role in the Jacksonville-based promotion slowly diminished. Her last match for the company was in November 2024. Since then, she has competed in other promotions but hasn't wrestled for Tony Khan. It's a bit of a surprise that Tony hasn't used her in over a year, considering she is one of the best in-ring workers in the company.

#1. Britt Baker hasn't competed in AEW in over a year

Tony Khan had some big plans for Britt Baker, considering she was the first female wrestler to sign with the company. She featured heavily during the company's early days and even served as the Women's World Champion.

Sadly, health issues derailed her promising career and kept her out of the ring for a while. When she returned, she was involved in one major storyline with Mercedes Mone. Following this, her star power fizzled. Additionally, there were rumors of backstage issues, which didn't help her either. The last match she wrestled for AEW was in November 2024. With recent rumors of her contract expiring and a potential move to WWE, it is unlikely that she will compete in the Jacksonville-based promotion again.

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Edited by Sunil Joseph