10 Wrestlers That Don’t Belong in Their Current Promotions
Sometimes an employee just isn’t the right fit for an organization, and the same can be said about professional wrestling. In every company, there are talents that are probably better off working for the competition, or elsewhere.
It’s just business.
Inevitably, there are wrestlers working for WWE and AEW that sort of feel “out of place”. While I’m sure there are many more than just 10, we can’t be here all day now can we?
With that, here’s a short list of 10 wrestlers that should probably look to be future endeavored to the competition.
10. Brian Cage
Current Promotion: AEW
Better Promotion: WWE
Vince loves his beefy boys. Brian Cage is a beefy boy that can do flips to awe a live crowd. Due to a lack of mic skills and a general “crowd goes mild” reaction with AEW audiences, Cage has been more or less forgotten about.
But here’s the thing, Cage can deliver some really, really good performances. With the right mouthpiece, Brian Cage can easily be world champion material — but just not in AEW. The slower WWE-style would favor Cage not because he can’t keep up with AEW wrestlers, but his high spots would hit that much harder in WWE matches compared to the already spot-heavy AEW product.
Depending when his contract ends, I think you’ll see Cage in WWE sooner than later.
9. Io Shirai
Current Promotion: NXT
Better Promotion: AEW
It’s not that Io Shirai hasn’t been used well enough in NXT, but that her ceiling has limitations in WWE as a whole. Simply put, McMahon doesn’t know how to feature “special attraction” wrestlers, and rarely ever has.
Io Shirai should be given the true superstar treatment she deserves, but is still (after many years) stuck in NXT. If you ask me, Shirai is still one of the best women’s wrestlers IN THE WORLD.
While she should be a main event mainstay on Raw or Smackdown, she sits underutilized. In AEW, Khan would feature her as a special attraction, and as much as I like Riho, Shida, and Sakura — Shirai would be instantly elevated above the three AEW Joshi mainstays.
8. Wardlow
Current Promotion: AEW
Better Promotion: WWE
It’s not that Wardlow hasn’t served well in his role as MJF’s bodyguard, but the 33-year-old has never been much of a factor in AEW. We haven’t heard the big man talk much, and his list of notable AEW matches is well, non-existent.
If I’m being honest, the entire Wardlow package just needs to be repackaged, and McMahon would likely do well with another big man on the roster like Wardlow. He’s fairly talented in the ring, but seems to lack the draw of AEW fans. Ship him to Stamford where he’d be better utilized.
7. Jordynne Grace
Current Promotion: Impact Wrestling
Better Promotion: AEW
Jordynne Grace is a part-time powerlifter and part-time transcriber. She cited the lighter Impact schedule as the main reason why she re-signed early this year. However, Jordynne Grace is too talented NOT to be in a major wrestling promotion.
AEW still needs some power in their women’s division as well…
Jade Cargill is improving, but not quite on the level as of yet (her career is still very early), and Nyla Rose has already hit her ceiling in the women’s division — having mostly done it all. Jamie Hayter is on the up and up and is REALLY GOOD (I hope she skyrockets in AEW), but none of them has the “it” factor that Jordynne Grace has.
If she’s ever ready to settle full-time into one promotion;, and not a full-time hectic schedule like WWE; AEW should be it.
6. The Gunn Club
Current Promotion: AEW
Better Promotion: WWE
As an AEW fan, I respect everyone in that locker room — but when I watched The Gunn Club against Darby and Sting last week, I couldn’t help thinking that I was watching a WWE match at times. The Gunn Club has potential, but to be blunt — they have a douchebag factor about them — and not in a good way.
Much like The Miz in his early career, these kids just have generally unlikable faces, and they would make great heels in WWE. Billy Gunn has trained them well, don’t get me wrong. For their ages, they are fairly smooth in the ring, and the mechanics and storytelling is sound — but in sort of a WWE-like way.
Perhaps that’s what Khan likes about them? You already have a mish-mash of styles in AEW, so why not the WWE-style?
Meh. Still a hard pass for me. They would excel in WWE, and they’d be better off there.
5. Tom Lawlor
Current Promotion: New Japan
Better Promotion: WWE
This is the answer to Connor McGregor, only an actual former MMA turned really GOOD wrestler. You can catch Lawlor’s past work in MLW, but currently holds the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship.
Lawlor would be an immediate eye-opener in WWE, and could legitimately challenge the likes of Brock Lesnar, Matt Riddle, and even Roman Reigns. He has a Ken Shamrock-esque quality about him.
His connections within the Indies scene are strong, which leads me to think he would sign with AEW over WWE if ever the opportunity arose, but he definitely belongs on a WWE roster at some point.
4. Jade Cargill
Current Promotion: AEW
Better Promotion: WWE
I want to preface this by stating that I believe Cargill could be a become a major player in AEW. Being so young in her wrestling career, she generally looks decent in the ring (and is getting better), and has an extremely impressive look.
That being said, McMahon would likely love to have her as the impressive and muscular powerhouse to replace Nia Jax. Cargill will improve quicker with seasoned vets, and the AEW women simply aren’t full of seasoned vets except for Deeb and Rosa. It’s a division with loads of talent, but still quite young.
Cargill would simply be better served in WWE.
3. Will Osprey
Current Promotion: New Japan
Better Promotion: AEW
Osprey is signed with New Japan through 2024, and while the “forbidden door” is wide open with New Japan and AEW, Osprey would be an immediate fit among the elite. Osprey is ambitious, cocky, extremely talented, and a nonstop joy to watch.
The former IWGP World Champion has done well in New Japan, and is slated to come back from a neck injury in 2022. Osprey is easily one of the best wrestlers in the world right now — and this makes him elite — ALL ELITE.
Let’s get that forbidden door open, TK!
2. Ethan Page
Current Promotion: AEW
Better Promotion: WWE
I love Ethan Page, I really do. His vlogs are entertaining, and he is generally loved in the AEW locker room. That being said, his wrestling style and aesthetic, would better suit WWE.
I can’t say how far he’d go in Titan Towers, but Page is a main event-worthy talent that will likely get lost in the shuffle of an already very talented AEW roster. With not a ton of gold to go around, and lengthy title reigns, it might be years before Page gets a well-deserved tag team, TNT, or World title in AEW.
Something tells me he would just fair better on an uninspiring Raw roster where he could capture IC/US gold, or even a world title one day.
1. Ricochet
Current Promotion: WWE
Better Promotion: AEW
This is the most no-brainer option on the list. Like Osprey, Ricochet is wrapped up in a lengthy contract, but his style and “special attraction” ability is better suited for AEW. His matchups fair much better in AEW as well.
One can only imagine how he would do in matches against the likes of Rey Fenix, Darby Allin, Dante Martin and Lio Rush. If any current WWE wrestler is TNT Championship material (which would be another banger against Sammy Guevara), it’s Ricochet.
Unfortunately, this will not be happening for years, if ever. But it’s a nice thought. Right now he’s being wasted in the slower WWE style, and would be better off in Jacksonville.
So who did I miss? Who do you think is in the wrong promotion? Sound off in the comments below.
-JDB