All Elite Wrestling: Wrestlers From WWE, ROH, And NJPW Who Should Join The AEW Roster
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When we first published this piece about AEW and wrestlers we'd love to see jump ship from other companies, it was an exciting time. Who is being underutilized that could flourish in a new promotion? It took AEW's first PPV Double or Nothing to give all of us an idea of what The Elite were planning to do with this new company. And from that moment, I've made a few new decisions about people I'd love to see join All Elite Wrestling. Additionally, there were a few wrestlers I thought I wanted in the company that wouldn't work--or their characters in other promotions have gotten a boost since the beginning of this year.
So, I'm taking a look back at who I wanted in AEW, adding some new wrestlers to this list that need to be involved in the program, and giving updates as to who has been removed from this piece and why. And with the state wrestling is currently in, where there is a lot to watch but no single entity at this point has dynamite weekly programming, it is easy to get over-zealous about where we--as wrestling fans--think this company should go.
Considering that All In was my personal favorite wrestling show I've ever attended, I am extremely excited as a wrestling fan for AEW in 2019. We got to see new faces at All In from smaller promotions as well as some stars we know and love, like Rey Mysterio, Bully Ray, and Chris Jericho. Then, there was Double or Nothing, the company's first PPV, which wasn't as good as All In was, but it felt like a new door was going to be consistently opened for wrestling fans.
That got us thinking, which wrestlers from other promotions, like WWE, Ring of Honor, New Japan, and Impact, would work well in AEW? Which stars haven't been used to their full potential that could thrive in 2019, as long as they don't mind making the jump? Here are some wrestlers that could and should make the jump to AEW in 2019.
Dana Brooke
Dana Brooke is underappreciated and underutilized in WWE. She's a powerhouse wrestler that can do some really fun comedy spots, as we saw with Titus Worldwide. However, she's fallen by the wayside, as Raw's women's division has been only following Ronda Rousey, Nia Jax, Sasha Banks, and Bayley. Everyone else is overshadowed. Breaking free and joining AEW's women's division would be her best move so she's not stuck in the background at WWE.
Image credit: WWE
Chelsea Green
"Hot Mess" Chelsea Green may have just signed with WWE developmental, but her appearance at All In turned a lot of heads. She was phenomenal in the ring, and her gimmick was a ton of fun. It hearkened back to early '90s wrestling, and she's the perfect fit for AEW, as WWE does do comedy, but can't do it in a way that makes the competitor look tough in the ring.
Image credit: WWE
Flip Gordon
Knowing that the majority of the cast of Being The Elite has signed with AEW but Flip Gordon hasn't is a bit weird. The upstart really made a big name for himself the past couple of years while signed with Ring of Honor, and his performance at All In turned a lot of heads, as he took on Jay Lethal for the ROH Championship and was in the Over Budget Battle Royal. He did sign an exclusive deal with ROH last year, but it's unknown how long that deal is for. AEW should scoop him up as soon as possible.
Image credit: Ring of Honor
Marty Scurll
Poor Marty Scurll. The January 7 episode of Being The Elite was pretty sad, as Scurll was left all alone after everyone else--except Kenny Omega--informed him they're leaving NJPW and ROH for AEW. But how can you have The Elite without The Villain? Scurll has his own thing going on in ROH right now with Villain Industries, but he would be an important addition to AEW. Preferably, we'd like to see this latest storyline at ROH play out before he comes over though.
Image credit: Being the Elite
Tessa Blanchard
With Impact moving to a channel most cable package don't get, the wrestlers on the promotion should be free agents sooner or later. Blanchard is wrestling royalty as a 3rd generation superstar and one of the best women workers in sports entertainment. AEW will already have plenty of eyes on it when things start to get into motion, and Blanchard will be the perfect addition to the female roster.
Image credit: Impact Wrestling
Orange Cassidy
I was not familiar with Orange Cassidy prior to Double or Nothing, but his sloth-like appearance at Double or Nothing had me intrigued. Who is this man doing the laziest shin kicks in all of wrestling? Why does he move so slow? How is he this cool? After watching some more videos of him online, I was a fan. He's got a distinct style that plays extremely well to the comedic side of wrestling, and I'd love to see more of him in AEW.
Image Credit: AEW
Kota Ibushi
Ibushi is one of NJPW's best assets, and that company is filled with top tier talent. As a singles performer, he'd fit in right with the style at AEW, but there is another huge draw to this wrestler. He and Kenny Omega were once known as the tag team The Golden Lovers, and this would be great to bring over to All Elite Wrestling to really solidify the tag team division.
Image credit: WWE
Jimmy Jacobs
Jacobs has been wrestling for a long time. He's worked with WWE, ROH, and Impact. In fact, at one time, he was a writer for WWE, but was then fired when he posed for a picture with his friends in the Bullet Club when they "invaded" Raw. He is such a charismatic wrestler and great personality. He could be a tremendous help backstage to newer talent.
Image credit: Impact
Kazuchika Okada
I will never stop calling him "The Rainmaker." Okada has been the longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion, had iconic matches, and done a tremendous amount of things in NJPW, but for the next story in his career, he should move on to AEW. We've already seen at Double or Nothing that All Elite Wrestling embraces the Japanese style, and there is no better way to incorporate that than to introduce Okada to American fans who maybe haven't watched a lot--or any--of NJPW.
Image credit: NJPW
Tye Dillinger [Signed To AEW]
Update: Now going by the name Shawn Spears, the former WWE superstar appeared at AEW's Double or Nothing PPV in the Casino Battle Royale, and days later, signed with the company.
Original opinion below.
You're going to be reading a version of this a lot through the WWE section: Tye Dillinger is underutilized and underappreciated by Creative. Dillinger was a star in NXT, but when he got to the main roster, he fell by the wayside. This happens with 75% of the stars that move up to the main roster. There's a good chance Dillinger has been hinting at signing, when he tweeted the numbers "1 8 20 19" recently, which was the date for the AEW press conference. He seems like the perfect (10) fit for the company and would easily be at home amongst competitors like the Young Bucks or Hangman Page.
Image credit: WWE
Kenny Omega [Signed with AEW]
Update: Kenny Omega is now an Executive Vice President of AEW. We knew it was going to happen.
Original opinion below.
While he hasn't signed with AEW yet, it's bound to happen. The rumor mill is saying that The Cleaner is working on a deal with both AEW and New Japan, but as of this writing, there is no news. Much like Scurll, Omega needs to be a part of AEW as he is part of The Elite. The fact not everyone from Being the Elite is in AEW hurts me to my very core.
Image credit: Being the Elite
Bray Wyatt [Should Stay In WWE]
Update: At this point, Bray Wyatt's new gimmick in WWE is working well, with his Firefly Fun House segment. How will this translate into the ring? We don't know at this point, but it's one of the more interesting things happening in WWE right now.
Original opinion below.
Bray Wyatt, conceptually, is utter brilliance and should be the biggest star in the company. However, the execution of Bray Wyatt, in a post Wyatt Family world, has been abysmal. Even when teamed with "Woken" Matt Hardy, Wyatt was stagnant and just more of the same. He needs a reinvention, and the best place to do that is in a new promotion. He's exceptional on the mic and give engaging promos, something AEW could use. Also, it wouldn't hurt to have one of the early NXT callups in All Elite Wrestling.
Image credit: WWE
Kharma/Awesome Kong [Signed with AEW?]
Update: Awesome Kong appeared at Double or Nothing, and she's on the official AEW roster page. However, she still hasn't been officially announced as part of the promotion.
Original opinion below.
While she may be acting on Netflix's GLOW, once upon a time, Kia Stevens was Kharma in WWE and Awesome Kong in TNA. Much like Bully Ray, who we mentioned earlier, Kharma is a powerhouse and can bring that style into AEW, as well as helping out with the younger talent as well. Additionally, Kharma is exceptionally gifted in her character work, so she doesn't have to work heel like she did in WWE and TNA. She could easily play a lovable babyface. Hopefully, her back is ok, as in 2018, she went under the knife for surgery.
Image credit: WWE
Dolph Ziggler [Should stay in WWE]
Update: Ziggler has moved into the main event on Smackdown, involved in a feud with WWE Champion Kofi Kingston. This is a great spot and opponent for him.
Original opinion below.
Chris Jericho was the first big name legend to sign to AEW, and he won't be the last. One wrestler that should go to AEW is Dolph Ziggler. He is a workhorse, he's charismatic, and up until recently, he's been underutilized in WWE. His type of style and attitude would be the perfect fit for AEW. He could easily be main event talent and help show the ropes to up-and-coming wrestlers.
Image credit: WWE
The Good Brothers [Stay in WWE]
Update: Finally, WWE is working more with this team. It seems like they'll be dropping the comedy act and focusing more on becoming serious competitors, which WWE's tag team division desperately needs. AEW already has some stellar tag teams now, and while it may be great to see Gallows and Anderson in that company, now is not the time for them.
Original opinion below.
The Elite became the biggest thing to happen to Bullet Club since its formation. Sure, the first three leaders of the group, along with the Good Brothers, found themselves working for WWE, but The Elite really elevated the group's stock. Back in WWE, the Good Brothers haven't had much to do, other than their very derivative show on the WWE Network, Botch Club. And that's troubling considering that these two can either be exceptionally intimidating, like they were in NJPW or incredibly funny, like they are on social media or behind the scenes. Again, these performers are underappreciated and underutilized. Move them to AEW and put them in a war with The Elite, more specifically The Young Bucks.
Image credit: WWE
Finn Balor [Stay in WWE]
Update: Finn is currently the Intercontinental Champion, but you probably wouldn't remember that since there isn't a lot of focus on him. Regardless, he's finally getting a bigger role on television, and is in the midst of a turning point.
Original opinion below.
Speaking of former Bullet Club members, Finn Balor has--say it with me--been underappreciated and underutilized in WWE. He won the Universal Championship then vacated it after he was injured. He returned but never got a rematch. WWE doesn't know what to do with him, and that's clear. Why not bring over the founder of Bullet Club to feud with The Elite? Sure, Balor feels like he fits in WWE's system, but if you've ever watched him in NJPW, you know he's better than this. Team him up with the Good Brothers and have them face off against The Elite.
Note: In the process of putting this together, Balor was finally pushed and won the opportunity to face Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble for the Universal Championship.
Image credit: WWE
The Revival [Stay in WWE]
Update: AEW's Double or Nothing was a huge turning point for me, realizing exactly what All Elite Wrestling was and how its events will play out. Before then, everything was just theory. While The Revival is a great tag team, it doesn't feel like a good fit for what AEW is doing with that division right now.
Original opinion below.
Dash and Dawson just don't fit on Raw. They are incredibly talented, but as I've said before with other superstars, these two are underappreciated and… you get the point. The "no flips, only fists" mindset these two have fits much better on the indie circuit than it does in WWE. This idea of old school wrestling mentality--something NXT's Bull Dempsy originally had as a gimmick--would work exceptionally well in AEW, which has plenty of wrestlers who love to flip. There's also the whole beef the Young Bucks had with them, which could play well into a storyline.
Image credit: WWE
Bully Ray [Stay in ROH]
Update: Ring of Honor is very much in a rebuilding phase right now, as The Elite leaving took away a lot of the company's star power. Bully Ray is a draw there, and feels more of a fit for that company than AEW.
Original opinion below.
With the signing of Chris Jericho, many fans have been looking for other stars of the Attitude Era to move into AEW--well, those who haven't retired due to injury. What AEW needs, more than anyone else, is a no-nonsense powerhouse to fill out its roster, and no one fits that role more than Bully Ray. So far, AEW has tons of the current style of wrestler, which is agile and technical. Bully Ray would be a nice scrapper to add to the mix, and much like Jericho, he could help the up and comers with crafting their talents in the ring and on the mic.
Image credit: Ring of Honor
Joey Ryan [Staying in the indys]
Update: I am a huge Joey Ryan fan, but he made it very clear recently that he plans on staying a part of the indy scene, and more respect to him for that. I do hope he shows up on occasion to AEW programming, but I wish this guy the best. The recent documentary about him is amazing.
Original opinion below.
This is really for me more than anyone else. I love Joey Ryan's character and seeing him live at All In was one of the highlights of 2018 for me. Yes, he's totally a gimmick wrestler that would never work--as is--in WWE, but he is a great worker in the ring and has tremendous charisma. He could bring a lot of fun to AEW. Plus, who wouldn't want to see Ryan finally turn the tables on Hangman Page, again?
Image credit: Being the Elite