The Briscoe brothers, renowned for their success as a tag team in Ring of Honor (ROH), have secured nearly every major title the promotion offers. Following the tragic death of Jay Briscoe in a car accident in 2023, Mark Briscoe continued his wrestling career, transitioning from ROH to AEW. However, neither brother ever competed in WWE. In a recent interview on “Busted Open Radio,” Mark revealed they had almost signed with WWE about ten years ago.
Mark explained that in 2015, WWE showed interest in bringing them to NXT and offered significantly more money than ROH. Despite the higher pay, the brothers were reluctant to leave ROH. They discussed the opportunity with ROH officials Hunter Johnson (aka Delirious) and Joe Coff, who then matched WWE’s offer. The Briscoes countered WWE’s proposal, hoping to spark a bidding war with the bigger company, but WWE declined.
Mark noted that had they not had to relocate to Florida for WWE, the decision would have been clear. He also shared that WWE had approached Jay earlier, but after Jay made a social media post containing homophobic language, WWE withdrew their offer. This controversy also impacted Jay’s appearances on AEW TV via Warner Bros. Discovery, though Jay later apologized for his past remarks.
Fan Take: This revelation emphasizes the Briscoes’ loyalty to ROH and highlights the difficult choices wrestlers face between larger promotions and personal principles. For AEW fans, it sheds light on the deep roots and resilience behind the talent that continues to shape the sport’s future.
