Backstage News On Big Plans AEW Had For Motor City Machine Guns Before They Decided To Sign With WWE

Before officially landing in WWE in 2024, there were serious discussions about Motor City Machine Guns joining another major promotion—and plans were already taking shape.

Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley signed with WWE last year and captured the WWE Tag Team Championships almost immediately after arriving. However, their road to WWE wasn’t set in stone, as the duo also held talks with All Elite Wrestling.

While a fan recently commented online that they wished the team had gone to AEW instead, we can confirm that conversations between AEW and the Motor City Machine Guns did in fact take place. At the time, the direction AEW had in mind was still uncertain, but more details have since come to light as this year’s All In event draws closer.

According to sources, there were internal discussions in AEW about building toward a marquee tag team title program featuring The Young Bucks vs. the Motor City Machine Guns for All In. The idea would have seen the two iconic duos collide in a featured spot on the pay-per-view card.

However, sometime over the summer, communication reportedly went quiet between the two sides. At that point, AEW assumed the team was heading to WWE, and plans were quietly shifted. The company ultimately went with a new direction, with The Young Bucks defending the AEW World Tag Team Titles against FTR and The Acclaimed at the event instead.

The Motor City Machine Guns would go on to sign with WWE, and captured the company’s tag titles within their first week.

this 100% is bias but i wish MCMG went to AEW ngl

— ★ (@haytersblade) June 22, 2025

(H/T: Fightful Select)