AEW News: Company Signs Another Full-Time Wrestler

On the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, Portuguese star Shanna made her debut in a losing effort against Hikaru Shida. However, despite being presented as an enhancement talent, Cody Rhodes took to Twitter over the weekend to confirm that she impressed the company’s management team and has earned a three-year deal as a result.

Shanna — whose real name is Alexandra Barrulas — is the latest addition to a growing women’s division that’s intent on bringing in talent from all around the world. The company has recruited performers from the U.K., Japan, and other regions, most of whom haven’t been featured in any mainstream wrestling promotions until now.

While Shanna might be a newcomer in the eyes of many AEW fans, she’s been honing their craft for over a decade. The Portuguese superstar made her debut in 2006, and has wrestled all over the world for promotions such as Stardom, Pro Wrestling: EVE, Women Superstars Uncensored, and Impact Wrestling.

The 37-year-old also trains in boxing, karate, Muay Thai, and Capoeira, so fans can expect to see a performer who’s capable of incorporating various combat disciplines into her wrestling arsenal.

Now that Shanna has had her debut match, fans are excited to see who she faces next. One Twitter user suggested that she face the legendary Awesome Kong, and Shanna stated that she’s more than happy to compete against the veteran.

.@Shannanjii made a strong AEW debut this past Wednesday in Charleston. Who should she compete against next? pic.twitter.com/rwIGRBPWuv

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 2, 2019

The company’s future plans for Shanna are unclear at the time of this writing, but she’s one of several newcomers to appear on Dynamite in recent weeks. Jamie Hayter showed up on last week’s episode to take on Britt Baker, which also came as a shock to many fans.

As The Inquisitr previously reported, the company has only revealed “40 percent” of its roster so far. However, they seem keen on keeping most of these mystery performers a secret until it’s time to put them on television.

Some superstars have been announced since signing with AEW. Former boxer Anthony Ogogo was recently unveiled as the company’s first developmental talent, and there have also been some vignettes to promote the imminent arrival of Wardlow.

If the choice of signings reveal anything, it’s that AEW is mainly interested in signing up-and-coming talent, as opposed to established superstars from WWE. There have been several reports in recent months of unhappy WWE superstars wanting to jump ship to the new promotion. However, they might not be guaranteed a spot should the opportunity arise.