AEW announced last month that Renee Paquette had signed with the promotion, and she made her promotional debut that night on Dynamite by welcoming the Toronto crowd to the show.
She is working as an interviewer for the company. This was her first wrestling project since departing from WWE at SummerSlam 2020.
While speaking to Vickie Guerrero on Excuse Me, Paquette confirmed reports that she had been talking to WWE before signing with the rival promotion.
Renee Paquette on her Talks With WWE
“I had been talking to WWE, that had gotten leaked out before I debuted with AEW, I had been having conversations with WWE about all the things they have going on over there. The more I was thinking about it and figuring out what that looks like and what the future looks like, I was like, ‘No, I want to be in AEW.’ I want to be part of this company that is growing and developing.
I want to help. I want to help lend whatever knowledge I have in this space to make things good, I want to do a good job, I want to be on the road with my husband, that makes life easier. It was more so that and it was more conversations Jon and I were having. That was one of those first big moments, ‘We have to make a decision as a family.’ Not that I can’t do what I want, if that’s what I decided to do, it would have been fine, but you have family conversations about what makes the most sense for everyone,” she said.
Days before she joined the company, it was reported that WWE expected her to join AEW. Renee noted that she loves working for AEW and how things are handled backstage at AEW events.
H/T to Fightful for the transcription