Willow Nightingale Reveals Why She Re-Signed With AEW Instead Of Testing Free Agency

Willow Nightingale recently signed a new deal with All Elite Wrestling, and has revealed why she chose to remain ‘All Elite’ rather than exploring the free agency market.

Nightingale reportedly signed a new deal quickly after it was made public that the ‘Babe With the Power’ was in a contract year. Speaking to The News Herald, Nightingale revealed why she decided to stay with AEW rather than test the waters elsewhere:

“The idea of entertaining free agency didn’t even really cross my mind. I mean, obviously, the thought was there because it’s a business at the end of the day, but I am so happy where I am, and I feel like my work here is so far from done,” said Nightingale.

"And the things that I love about wrestling the most are afforded to me here. I do get to travel and see the world, wrestle other places, wrestle other people. But, also, I get to be a part of our locker room, and it’s changed and grown since I’ve started there, let alone from the people who were there from day one. Penelope Ford is someone who comes to mind, who was really an OG AEW wrestler, and she was gone for two years with a hip injury. She came back and instantly had as much passion as when she started. She and I don’t see eye-to-eye in the ring. We don’t deal with things the same way. We’ve got different mentalities. But I have to applaud someone who kind of came from a different time, and as the locker room has pushed for more and been hungry to get better, she has done the same, and that’s the kind of locker room I want to be a part of," Willow continued.

“You know, who’s just, like, ‘OK, we’re evolving, we’re growing, I’m gonna get with it’… We all want each other’s spot. Whoever’s at the top - Toni Storm, Mercedes Moné - we all want to be you. And that’s the company I want to be in. I don’t want to be the best of people who are just happy to be where they are. I want to be the best people who are hungry and trying to make everybody better.”

Willow also revealed that she wants to become AEW Women’s World Champion, amongst other things:

“Obviously, I have not been the world champion yet, so that is a big one that I would like to accomplish. Even regaining the TBS title and really getting to be the face of TBS, and have a reign that I can accomplish a lot with, would mean so much to me. Last year, I was on the All In pre-show. This year, I was a part of the first casino gauntlet that the women were able to take part in on pay-per-view. And it was cool to be on the main show and to be a part of that. But I would love to have a championship match on our biggest show of the year. I’d love to main-event a pay-per-view. I would love to see all of the women get more opportunities and tag matches — even the things that may not necessarily be like me, ‘Willow is the champion,’ or me, whatever. If I could help the girls in any way, if I could help the women’s division and also thrive, I would be very satisfied with that,” said Nightingale.

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