Independent wrestling promotion Defy, recently released a video with AEW star Darby Allin making a surprise appearance to offer an AEW contract to 16-year old Nick Wayne, who accepted the offer.
The news broke over the weekend.
In Seattle, WA on Saturday night, Wayne challenged Christopher Daniels for the interim Defy World title at the promotion’s Fifth Anniversary show. Daniels retained. Then out came Swerve. (Former WWE NXT North American Champion Isaiah “Swerve” Scott) who reminded Allin and Wayne that Defy is his house.
According to F4WOnline, the contract offered to Wayne is an apprenticeship, and that part of the deal is he will have to finish high school, and then can join AEW when he turns 18.
Nick Wayne is the grandson of “Moondog” Ed Moretti, and son of the late Buddy Wayne. Both were veterans of the territories and independent scenes and occasionally worked in the undercard for WCW and then the WWF. Nick has been wrestling in the independent scene in the Pacific Northwest since he was 12. He trained at his father’s wrestling school. After Nick’s father died of a heart attack in 2017, Nick made his professional wrestling debut just few months later.
You can watch the entire video from Defy below: