AEW star Harley Cameron nearly took her many talents to WWE before she became her promotion's first-ever tag team champion.
Harley Cameron has made quite a name for herself in AEW. But had it not been for WWE, the multi-talented Aussie may not be a wrestler at all.
One-half of the inaugural AEW Women's Tag Team Champions, Cameron, 31, is still relatively new to the wrestling business, having begun her career in 2021. Just one year after starting, she debuted on AEW television and eventually earned a full-time contract. Before that, however, WWE played an important role in her journey — one that allowed her to invest fully in the career she's since thrived in.
Speaking in-studio on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show," Cameron detailed how AEW's rival company helped bring her stateside.
“I will say thank you to [WWE], because thanks to them I have my green card,” Cameron said. “Thanks to them, I learned to wrestle.
"They helped me with wrestling training at Flatbacks [Wrestling School in Florida]. I believe they went through a transitional stages where, in their office, certain people were released from the company, they went through some big changes. A lot of people were in, a lot of people were out. Just that kind of thing, and just fate didn’t lead me in that direction. In the interim of not knowing what was going on, I had an opportunity to be at AEW Dark. Then I had another opportunity there, and then I was offered the contract with AEW.
"After being in this country for so long and knowing that I want to be a professional wrestler, and this door opened for me, I went to AEW — and I'm so glad I did. I feel like it's where I was meant to be. So definitely no dirty, greasy story there [with WWE] or anything, but they definitely helped me with my wrestling journey. AEW just snatched me up."
Cameron emerged as one of AEW's brightest new stars in 2025, capitalizing brilliantly on every second of screen time she received. While she has improved match by match inside the ring, Cameron's charisma on the mic has consistently stood out, earning her notable programs over the past year, including a feud with AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné. Her character work has included unique elements like puppetry and ventriloquism, while her musical talents have also been on display; Cameron plays guitar, sings, and even created her own entrance theme.
While WWE's assistance isn't unappreciated by the Australian, and she admitted she once hoped things would work out there, Cameron couldn't be happier with how everything unfolded.
“I was in communications back and forth [with WWE], but it’s not like I got a contract offer. But I initially, that was my initial first goal was definitely going that direction," Cameron said. "I think AEW has allowed me to showcase who I am as a performer. Tony Khan has given me so many amazing opportunities, and I’m so lucky he took a chance on somebody who only had 21 matches, because I'm so proud to be working there and I'm so proud to be a beltholder now. First-ever tag-team champion with Willow [Nightingale].
"Sometimes when you think the universe is saying no, it’s because it has other plans.”
Cameron and Nightingale made history as The Babes of Wrath when they won the inaugural AEW Women's Tag Team Championship by defeating the Timless Love Bombs at AEW Dynamite: Winter Is Coming in late December. The duo made their first successful title defense against Moné and Athena at AEW World's End 2025 in New York City to close out 2025.
Category: General Sports
