Michael Oku, one of Europe’s top independent wrestlers, has confirmed he is not currently under contract with AEW or any other major promotion. The reigning RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion addressed his status in a recent interview, clarifying his position as a free agent despite previous high-profile appearances that captured the attention of AEW owner Tony Khan.
Oku’s schedule remains packed as he prepares for two significant title defenses this month. He is set to face Ricky Knight Jr. at RevPro’s flagship Summer Sizzler event on July 25 and will then defend against Connor Mills at Summer Explosion on July 26, in a bout promoted as one of the biggest in the event’s history.
His activity has been consistent throughout the spring and summer of 2025, competing across the UK and Europe. In April, Oku challenged Luke Jacobs for the Progress World Title in a widely praised match in Las Vegas.
The clarification of his contract status comes after previous interactions with AEW. In August 2024, Oku competed on an episode of Dynamite, defeating Serpentico in a non-televised match. That same month, he challenged MJF for the AEW American Championship at a RevPro event, which reportedly impressed Tony Khan. Despite these appearances and a debut for CMLL at Arena Mexico in June 2024, Oku has remained unsigned.
In a July 8 interview with POST Wrestling, Oku stated that both he and fellow wrestler Amira have secured US visas and are prepared to move if the right opportunity arises.
“That’s correct, we’re not under contract, which is why it’s very cool that we’ve been brought down many times by AEW and we’ve worked with them. But yeah, not contracted, but we have a visa.”
He elaborated on the possibility of a permanent move, acknowledging the demanding travel schedule faced by UK-based wrestlers like Will Ospreay.
“When it comes to myself and Amira, I think we’ve spoken about it, we’re open to uprooting if it needs be. We’re not like, stuck in our heads being like, we need to stay here, we need to stay in the UK. So yeah, we’re open to even living in the US if that’s what’s needed.”
Oku’s reputation continues to grow, with peers like former RevPro British Cruiserweight Champion Will Kaven recently calling him “the best wrestler in the world.” He captured the RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship from Luke Jacobs in December 2024 and has successfully defended it against multiple challengers.