Keeping the door open to outside projects is one of the reasons why Bobby Lashley decided to sign with AEW.

Before making AEW his new pro wrestling home, the 48-year-old Lashley mentioned that he also had offers on the table for MMA and boxing. He told The Lame Guys Podcast that these paths are still a possibility if he decides to follow them. Lashley too has a new YouTube series called Phenoms to Legends which he likes to do.

“I think part of it was because Tony (Khan) told me I had (the opportunity) to do other things as well. So if I really want to tackle that fight and do another fight – whether it’s boxing, bare knuckles, MMA – I think he’s going to give me the opportunity to do that, too,” Lashley said. “So I think that was part of it, just having the ability to do other things.”

Reuniting with MVP and Shelton Benjamin as The Hurt Syndicate is another reason why Lashley signed with AEW. Lashley believes the faction is good for AEW and can help the wrestlers they work with. He wants to have fun and uplift people in his final years of wrestling.

Lashley called his new manager Tony Khan a genuinely good person who is good for the wrestling business.

“I think he’s good for the sport of wrestling — or the wrestling business, however you want to look at it. But I think he’s really a genuine guy. In the wrestling business, it’s scary because it’s like, ‘Don’t let your guard down, don’t let down your guard (laughs).’ But he’s been. I’ve seen the guy walk around, and he loves the guys in wrestling. So when you come in, he’s like an encyclopedia of wrestling knowledge he actually treats people really well,” Lashley said.

“And I’m not saying I wasn’t treated well at WWE, because I was treated really well by far. I got to big levels, I had huge titles in WWE, and I was able to learn a lot. It’s just two different companies. And being away at AEW – I think in my career where it’s at right now – I think it’s really good for me.”

Lashley said his initial plan before joining AEW was to work one or two more years with WWE before retiring. He wanted The Street Profits to eventually turn on him before Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford took him out at the end of his career. Lashley said Dawkins, Ford, Austin Theory and LA Knight are people he wanted to put over.

In AEW, Lashley looks forward to having fun, helping the promotion, and feuding with some opponents that people haven’t even considered.

Lashley vs. Swerve Strickland takes place at AEW’s Full Gear pay-per-view this Saturday. Last night Lashley made his AEW in-ring debut at Dynamite by crushing Cheeseburger & Joe Keys.