When All Elite Wrestling was announced at the stroke of midnight on New Years Day, it brought about much speculation. And the Double Or Nothing Rally added even more intrigue. Now we sit waiting patiently for more information to come out as the hype surrounds the new promotion. And while we don’t know much, we know that “The Elite” along with PAC, Chris Jericho, Joey Janela, Penelope Ford, MJF, and Britt Baker have all signed with AEW. And before the comments begin, Kenny Omega and Marty Scrull are expected to join AEW so they won’t be on this list.
So for this first part of the two-part article, we will look at 10 wrestlers that I would like to see join All Elite Wrestling. Now the ground rule for this list is all wrestlers are currently under contract to WWE (main roster.) Again this list is merely my wish list of wrestlers to join AEW. (In no particular order.)
No. 1: Finn Balor (fka Prince Devitt)
Finn Balor has been underused and improperly booked by WWE for the last two years. And it seems that WWE management is now trying to book Balor as a force with the looming threat of AEW and it’s rumored “Massive” TV deal. And if Balor were to depart and head over to AEW, one would expect the creative connoisseur that is Prince Devitt would return in full glory.
No. 2: Gallows & Anderson
Sticking with the former Bullet Club connection (hint hint: this will be a trend), Gallows & Anderson were at their peak in New Japan. And seeing Gallows and Anderson off WWE TV for nearly four months is criminal (another theme of this list.) Putting the former Bullet Club tandem back into a position of dominance would be easy as Gallows and Anderson are one of the best tag teams that have ever been booked.
No. 3: Cesaro (fka Claudio Castagnoli)
Another man criminally underused and improperly booked in Cesaro. The Swiss Superman has displayed incredible moments but has ultimately been unsuccessful in wooing one man, Vince McMahon. The former Claudio Castagnoli will never achieve his true potential while being under the WWE banner. And a switch to AEW could release the monster that is inside. His work in Ring of Honor was something to be marveled. From the in-ring work to his aerial ability to the feats of strength, the man has all the makings of a top performer if appropriately presented. And I believe AEW could be the place where that happens.
No. 4: Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder could have been a staple in the WWE mid-card but seemingly gets forgotten about by the decision makers. It is because of that that despite traveling to every Monday Night Raw in 2018 Ryder only appeared on the final New Years Eve edition of the show. That’s 51 weeks Ryder was missing from TV. AEW should have an undercard of talented wrestlers and a guy with the creativity that Ryder possesses could be featured prominently.
No. 5: Shinsuke Nakamura
Once one of the biggest stars in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Nakamura has not been used effectively in WWE. Vince McMahon did not know exactly how to capitalize on the nuances of Shinsuke’s character. Thus for every moment, we start to believe in Nakamura, we get disappointed by the direction he is taken. Cody and the Young Bucks having spent so much time in NJPW and also understanding the psychology of the character could see much better booking for Nakamura in AEW.
No. 6: The Colons
The forgotten team in WWE, much like Zack Ryder, the Colons are the lost team in WWE. Coming from one of the families of heritage in Puerto Rican wrestling the Colons are not given their due. Seemingly always fodder and booked in a losing effort the Colons need a change. And that change would be to move onto All Elite Wrestling. Reteaming Primo and Epico with Carlito could see the group challenge anyone and everyone in AEW.
No. 7: The Revival
Now this move seems like an inevitability with the booking the decisions lately involving the Revival. Not to mention the #FTR on their trunks the last two weeks. Anyone who has watched the Being the Elite YouTube channel you know the hidden meaning behind those specific letters. But we have to assume they now mean #FreeTheRevival.
No. 8: Kevin Owens (fka Kevin Steen)/ Sami Zayn (fka El Generico)
I have to group these guys because they are so synonymous with one another that they have to be connected. And those men are Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Kevin Steen and El Generico were two of the best wrestlers to ever compete in Ring of Honor. And seeing them reemerge in the form that made them famous would be a welcomed change to the stale watered down versions that WWE forces them to portray.
No. 9: Four Horsewomen of WWE (Sasha Banks/Becky Lynch/Bayley/ Charlotte Flair)
These four women have become synonymous with the women’s revolution/evolution. And inserting them into AEW’s women’s division would immediately boost the entire division. Watching the measures of creativity that each woman could take in an unrestrictive place like AEW could raise their stock even more. Not to mention the potential new matchups they could have with some of the women from our second list of non-WWE main roster women could have several ready-made dream matches.
No. 10: AJ Styles
Closing out the first part of the list is another man with a previous connection to the Bullet Club and that’s AJ Styles. AJ like Finn Balor was a prominent figurehead of the Bullet Club and reconnecting him to the group would light up the wrestling world.
Let Me Know Your Thoughts
So after my two lists covering 20 wrestlers (34 if you count individually), I would love to see join All Elite Wrestling. I would love to hear from you guys. Let me know your thoughts on my list. Or on who you would have added to your list. You can leave a comment below or on any of our social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @laracuenteledge or @LedgerPodcast. And be sure to check out the Laracuente Ledger Podcast this week for a breakdown of each wrestler I’d like to see make the move to AEW.
