AEW has confirmed on social media that both Giff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr. have signed contracts with them. Previously Garrison was working on a Tier 0 deal meaning he received a signing bonus and exclusivity in terms of AEW’s first option. On the other hand, Pillman had previously been signed with Major League Wrestling, meaning they had the first option on him, but he was free to work elsewhere on days they didn’t have shows. Both WWE and Impact Wrestling were exceptions to this, and AEW had only been permitted due to the promotion not being in existence when MLW had their contracts written.
The pair initially started out as singles talents and chiefly put over signed wrestlers on AEW Dark, making the more prominent names look good in the process. The two, though, would begin teaming in July 2020, and following a run on AEW Dark, they’d debut as a team on Dynamite in an eight-man tag match, teaming with Joey Janela and Sonny Kiss against The Butcher, The Blade, and The Lucha Brothers.
Later that year, they’d begin using the “The Varsity Blonds,” a tribute to Pillman Jr’s father’s famous tag team with Steve Austin in WCW known as “The Hollywood Blondes.” They’ve since become essential members of the AEW tag team roster, and the duo would go on to become a trio in May 2021 when Nightmare Factory student Julia Hart joined them. Her contract status isn’t currently known, but as she is so new to the business and only wrestled seven matches for AEW, she is likely on a Tier 0 deal.
