Hi folks. I can’t believe it has been over three years since AEW opened its doors. Time sure flies. We’ve seen a lot of good since then, but the promotion isn’t impervious to criticism.
A popular fan comment talks about the size of the roster, combined with the limited airtime it sports. Some who enjoyed the spotlight in the early days of Dynamite have since been pushed to the back burner, with little hope of reaching the same level of exposure. Something has to give, and we’ve already seen implications with the departure of Cody & Brandi Rhodes. This list looks at 20 AEW Wrestlers who may be lost in the mix. (Credit to Benjamin Marra for the display image.)
Also Read: How Is WWE Struggling To Make Top Level Superstars?
#1. Abadon
Abadon has one of the most unique gimmicks and looks in all of AEW. As a monster, there’s potential to make it something interesting, but she is rarely used. Most of her bookings happen on Dark, or Dark: Elevation, and the last time she was on Rampage she lost a No DQ match to Britt Baker.
She last appeared on Dynamite over a year ago, when she unsuccessfully challenged Hikaru Shida for the Women’s Championship. Her win-loss record is impressive on episodes of Dark, but it’s the opposite for AEW’s biggest shows. It’s difficult to see her as a threat when she always loses at crucial moments and disappears immediately after. Also, it’s tough to get behind the character when AEW has done nothing to explain it. What is Abadon? Is she some kind of zombie? Experiment? What happened here? Tell us already.
#2. Anthony Ogogo
The Olympic Bronze medalist boxer came in to AEW with more hype from the company than anyone else. They made Anthony Ogogo out to be a big deal, although I’m from the UK and he isn’t a big name over here. They pushed him heavily in a feud against Cody Rhodes, where he tugged on the heartstrings of patriotic Americans by pushing the old British-American rivalry on us. No one bought it, and the feud tumbled off a cliff at the weigh-in. Everything that could go wrong went wrong, and it was labelled a disaster by all involved.
Cody & Ogogo did their best to save it at Double or Nothing, but Ogogo has done nothing since. He appeared in a tag match with his mentor QT Marshall on the episode of Dynamite after his loss. They won against Cody Rhodes & Lee Johnson, but since then has been relegated to Dark. He recently won a match on PROGRESS, yet that’s the only noteworthy thing he has done. Ogogo’s bookings are few, but at least he’s winning?
#3. Brian Cage
“The Machine” hasn’t wrestled a match on Dynamite or Rampage since October, when he lost a FTW title match against Ricky Starks. He was used on Chris Jericho’s cruise, but has not wrestled at all since then. Instead, he’s been working for XPW, VXS, Wrestling Revolver and Warrior Wrestling. There has been tension between Cage and management, as he feels like they aren’t using him enough. His wife, Melissa Santos, who gave her own opinion on the situation by retweeting a quote from someone else, exacerbated this:
Brian Cage reiterated the fact this wasn’t wrote by Melissa, but was simply retweeted. Someone implied he & Lance Archer are the most misused guys in AEW, and he said that sounds like a “déjà vu conversation”. Before signing with the company, Cage was on top of Impact Wrestling as its World Heavyweight Champion. He came in with a lot of hope after siding with Taz, but a lack of booking and focus on the FTW title lead to frustration. Even more so when he was kicked out of the group so Ricky Starks could take the title and the spotlight.
#4-6. Dark Order – Evil Uno, Stu Grayson & Preston ’10’ Vance
When Hangman Page embraced the Dark Order, it looked like the group would be rejuvenated. John Silver, Tay Conti & Anna Jay saw a boost in their status, but the women slightly distanced themselves while the rest squabbled. Alex Reynolds said he was leaving the group because of Evil Uno, and the tension was teased, but he returned weeks later. Bryan Danielson targeted the Dark Order on the lead up to his title match with Page, and they all took brutal losses on behalf of their champion. Nothing came of this, and Hangman Page appears to have moved on with no explanation. Adam Cole pointed this out on this past week’s Dynamite.
Colt Cabana is working as a coach, so at least he’s kept busy. I chose Evil Uno, Stu Grayson and Preston “10” Vance because they used to be focal points of the stable. Uno & Grayson are rarely seen teaming anymore, while Vance has disappeared altogether. There’s no direction for the Dark Order since Brodie Lee’s passing, unless they are being motivated by Brodie Jr or Hangman. No one is steering the ship, and without John Silver, Anna Jay & Tay Conti, it’s hard to see any worth in the Dark Order. With much respect to Brodie Lee, he would be livid with what has happened.
#7. Don Callis
Don Callis left his management position in Impact Wrestling to serve as Kenny Omega and The Elite’s manager. And it worked really well until Kenny Omega lost the title and took a leave of absence to recover from injuries. Instead of working for the other Elite members, Callis disappeared along with him.
While this isn’t Callis being “lost in the mix”, I feel it’s a missed opportunity. AEW has several mouthpieces on the show, so it could be limiting those who get paid just to talk. In saying that, The Elite has expanded with the addition of Adam Cole, and possibly Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly. Then there’s Jay White sticking in the Bullet Club factor. Without representation, it’s telling how much The Elite has stepped back since losing the World & Tag titles. This wouldn’t be the case if Callis had anything to say about it.
#8. Emi Sakura
Some have said that AEW’s Japanese talent have been struggling to get TV time, and this is partly true with Emi Sakura. The good thing is they have booked her consistently on Dark & Elevation, and almost always wins her singles matches. However, she has appeared so infrequently on AEW’s prime shows, it will seem like she isn’t with the company to anyone who doesn’t watch Dark.
The last time Sakura appeared on a major show was at All Out 2021. Before that, you have to go way back to December 2019, when she lost to Big Swole on Dynamite. That’s a long time waiting for an opportunity, and she hasn’t appeared on Rampage either. In the early days of AEW, she served as a quality veteran for the young division, but they have since brought in others like Ruby Soho who are more valuable in the role.
#9. Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian has fallen so incredibly far since becoming the first AEW Tag Team Champions with SCU. The stable was pretty popular, and the dynamic between him, Christopher Daniels & Scorpio Sky was clear. Yet, SCU never recovered after losing the titles to Kenny Omega & Hangman Page. Scorpio Sky tried making it on his own, but it didn’t work out, and he ended up in another team with Ethan Page. Christopher Daniels took a step back from the ring, leaving Kazarian to his own devices.
His best run as a singles star was in TNA’s X-Division, wrestling as himself and the Suicide character. However, he hasn’t proven himself in a main event capacity, so it’s rough to see what has become of Kazarian. AEW repackaged him as the “Elite Killer”, making random run-ins to disrupt the power hungry group, but would lose any matches against them. His crusade against the villainy was obsolete, because he was just another opponent for The Elite to go over. Frankie saw no substantial benefit from this, because AEW did nothing to help him out, despite being loyal to the company from the beginning.
#10. Hikaru Shida
The biggest fall from stardom comes in the form of Hikaru Shida. As the face of the women’s division before and through most of the COVID-19 pandemic, she will always be remembered for her contributions to the women’s title. Defending it with honor, Shida set the bar for others to aspire to. You could say it motivated Britt Baker to become what she is today. Yet, Shida has been used sparingly since losing the championship.
She has only wrestled six times since October, mostly against Serena Deeb. While these came on Dynamite or Rampage, she hasn’t worked in any other capacity. She recently expressed frustration with her position:
“AEW is an organization that is constantly changing, and the wrestlers come and go very rapidly. TV and YouTube. If you’ve been following AEW on FITE TV or YouTube, you’ll know that the women’s division in particular has seen an increase in the number of young and dynamic wrestlers over the past year.
“At the time of the launch, the women’s division of AEW relied heavily on Japanese female pro wrestlers, and that was one of the selling points of the division. But that was only for a while after the launch. Nowadays, being a Japanese female pro wrestler is not as much of an advantage as it used to be.
“On the contrary, it has become more of a handicap in terms of language barrier, obtaining a work visa, and the Corona disaster. I myself am no exception to this, and even as a member of the AEW since its inception and a former Women’s Champion, I am struggling to survive in the current AEW.”
“In AEW, there is a high degree of freedom for the wrestlers, but because of that, everything is their responsibility. For example, there is basically no assistance from the organization in finding a place to live, even if you are Japanese. That’s how it was for me.
“So when I heard that Emi Sakura was moving to the U.S., I was worried. I’ve been studying English since I was a child, and I speak English better than most people think, but I still had a lot of trouble. Sakura, on the other hand, was at a level where even daily conversation was questionable.
“Even so, she found a room on her own and is desperately trying to seize the opportunity at AEW. But even though she came to America with such determination, she was not given a chance to participate in the TV matches. There is a fierce battle to get a chance to compete before you can show off your skills in a match. That is what AEW is today.”
#11-12. The Hybrid 2 (Angélico & Jack Evans)
Another team who looked like, in the early days of AEW, could have been something more. But then the tag team division introduced many new teams, and Hybrid 2 fell by the wayside.
There was too much competition, and they didn’t get up to much until Matt Hardy recruited them in to the Hardy Family Office. Even then, it only seemed like Jack Evans got any focus, while they reduced Angélico to big multi-man matches and working Dark. It’s a night & day comparison to Private Party, which is part of the same stable. The Hybrid 2 is a team that wouldn’t be missed if it moved on, because AEW has done nothing with them since day 1.
#13. Jake Hager
Wait, what? Jake Hager? Yes, I’m including him because AEW has done little with him in ages. Name one significant thing he has done since the Inner Circle feuded with MJF’s Pinnacle. You can’t, because Hager has just stood around in the background. Yes, he helped Chris Jericho against Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky, but that’s about it.
When was the last time he talked? How does he feel about Ortiz & Santana? Is he happy for Sammy Guevara winning the TNT title? Does he have any title aspirations? Is Jericho treating him fairly? So many questions, while Hager is the elephant in the room among the drama between Jericho and the rest of the Inner Circle. You’d think the biggest, strongest man of the group would want a say in this, but he doesn’t. He just stands there, works a match sometimes, and then disappears.
#14. Joey Janela
Joey Janela is another frustrated talent. As much as some fans have criticized his look, he helped the company in its early days by providing some quality hardcore encounters. Remember the match with Kenny Omega?
Yes, Janela has worth, but he has been so lost in the mix he’s had to go back to GCW. Luckily, he also has JCW, DEFY, WrestlePro and VXS to get bookings from. After splitting from Penelope Ford, he formed a tag team with Sonny Kiss (who has always been lost) which didn’t go anywhere. After turning on him, they had a brief feud, but it didn’t amount to anything. He’s just one of those guys AEW can call upon if they need a hardcore guy in a prominent spot. Otherwise, he’s relegated to Dark forever.
#15. Kiera Hogan
The former Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion signed with the company, and many who know her were rooting for her success. But this has yet to materialize, and it makes me wonder why they signed her to begin with.
Hogan has proven she has the tools to be a force in AEW’s women’s division, but they have used her as nothing but an enhancement talent. You could say she was lost on arrival, which doesn’t bode well for someone who came to AEW with a dream of becoming more than she was. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s thinking about returning to Impact so she can team back up with Tasha Steelz.
#16. Marko Stunt
Marko Stunt is funny (not in a good way), because he was the subject of ridicule from critics & fans. Because of his short stature, and despite Chris Jericho sticking up for him, many felt he wasn’t credible enough to be in AEW. While small wrestlers like Rey Mysterio and Spike Dudley found their place in a business dominated by the large, Marko Stunt has struggled to find his.
Going along for the ride on the Jurassic Express didn’t help him out, as fans were more interested in the antics of Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus. He didn’t really do anything other than back them up if they needed interference. Since AEW took him off TV, it has changed nothing for Jurassic Express, because Christian Cage stepped in and did the job of putting them over in a way Marko could never do. Like Janela, he recently returned to GCW, while being booked sparingly on Dark.
#17. Nyla Rose
Much like Riho & Hikaru Shida, Nyla Rose has taken a backseat since losing the women’s title. There have been fresh faces coming in, and while she has probably seen more action than anyone on this list, she has been struggling to get consistent TV time, despite having Vickie Guerrero as a manager.
Her recent win against Ruby Soho was the biggest she’s had in ages, but will it result in a title shot against Britt Baker? Probably not. She isn’t included anywhere in AEW’s rankings, so that tells me what I need to know. To some this is a blessing, because they can’t get over the fact she’s a transexual working in a women’s division. For me, I always appreciated what she brings to the table. So long as everyone she works with is happy, I don’t care which gender wrestlers another. Is she the safest wrestler? I wouldn’t say that, but I also wouldn’t say she’s dangerous either.
#18. Peter Avalon
Remember that time a year ago, when Cody Rhodes wrestled him in a long match on Dynamite? That’s the best thing Peter Avalon has done in AEW. He’s used mostly as a jobber on Dark, although he has picked up wins in tag teams with different partners. For those who don’t watch, Avalon has teamed with: Cezar Bononi, J.D Drake, Ryan Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler’s brother), Brandon Cutler, Kip Sabian, QT Marshall, Shawn Spears and more.
It’s difficult to know if AEW sees anything in him, or if this will always be his role, but they gave him a slight push in the early days. As The Librarian with Leva Bates, the gimmick didn’t get over, and you could say it was one of AEW’s first creative failings. He’s yet to find anything, or anyone, that suits him, and that could always be the case because someone’s got to job. I didn’t include Leva Bates because she works as a Brand Coordinator, so at least she has a backstage role.
#19. The Blade
Sadly, while The Butcher was away working with his band or recovering from injury, the Blade wasn’t doing much. With Matt’s HFO, he has worked some singles matches on his behalf, but they are infrequent, and what’s baffling is they don’t do anything with him and The Bunny.
When The Butcher is around, they get plenty of opportunities, but as a singles wrestler it’s a challenge. While The Bunny is with Penelope Ford, she isn’t doing anything to help her husband, and he isn’t around to support her much either. It feels like the dynamic of this team only matters if The Butcher is available, which I think is an oversight.
#20. Yuka Sakazaki
“The Magical Girl” entered AEW along with other Japanese talent like Hikaru Shida, Emi Sakura and Riho, but has arguably made the least impression. Yuka Sakazaki is a bundle of joy, but little is known about her, and she hasn’t received many opportunities. The pandemic likely hurt, as many of the Japanese talents returned home and stayed there. With restrictions easing, it will be interesting to see if AEW puts faith in its Japanese wrestlers again.
She might be known the most for a spot with Britt Baker. After a match, Baker knocked out a tooth, before applying the lock jaw. Yuka returned to AEW in July and picked up some wins on Dark, but it’s unknown if she will continue to play a part in the women’s division.
Conclusion
As the company continues to expand its roster, it becomes more likely they will shuffle others who were once heavily featured to the wayside. There’s only so many you can have on a program, and AEW has been overloaded for some time. I don’t watch Dark or Elevation, and I bet for others who don’t, it will be surprising seeing so many talents who are rarely used on major shows.
What this does, however, is it gives options for AEW. It tells those working on Dynamite and Rampage that they need to deliver or others who are champing at the bit can replace them. Also, Tony Khan gets first hand experience on how wrestlers work. He talent hoards, not because he’s keeping them all, but because management gets to see how live fans and social media react to them. If someone is red hot, they are more likely to be employed full time, while someone who is lukewarm can move on amicably. AEW doesn’t need to hand over any concrete contracts until they are happy that the talent is worthy, and the puzzle piece fits.
Yet, for as long as these wrestlers wait on the sub bench, the more disgruntled they will become. With Cody Rhodes leaving, it’s not surprising that he wasn’t able to come to a deal, and there could be several more to follow his lead after being promised so much. The business is an interesting place, because WWE has done a U-turn on hoarding talent, while Tony Khan is sounding like this could be the case with AEW this year. There’s only so much money in the budget, and some tough decisions will have to be made. With that said, I hope you appreciated this piece, and didn’t see it as me being overly critical of AEW. I’d love for it to succeed, but much like anything, there’s always room for improvement. Here’s to hoping management gets it right. Thank you for reading!
