So, who does everyone see AEW hiring from the people who were fired from the WWE? I think it all depends on what the coronavirus is like in July when these guys 90 day no compete expires. If its like it is now, I cant see them hiring a bunch of these guys. The only ones I can see them definitely hiring is Gallows and Anderson and Rusev. I would like to see them hire someone like Curtis Axel who the WWE severly underutilized the entire time he was there. What does everyone else think?
Aside from Rusev, and the team of Gallows and Anderson, the only ones I could see being given a look would be Lio Rush and / Chris Hero.
I would absolutely love to see Hero tearing it up with Dustin, and others.
Rush has tremendous chemistry with Janela, and I’m sure would mix in well with the roster.
It’s hard to imagine many of the others, because their entire runs have basically been within the WWE or are seen as WWE guys. I’m sure Hawkins and Ryder, or have a lot to offer, but it’s difficult to picture them outside that system. Same as Rowan, or Colons, etc.
It’s not that they have nothing to offer, it’s just that most fans can’t picture them not doing WWE style matches in that world.
I’m more interested in who can get into New Japan in 2021 for things like the G1, BOSJ and a revamped Tag Leaue.
Wish list:
Rusev in the G1
Brodie Lee in the G1
Lio Rush in a BOSJ
Gallows/Anderson return to Tag League
Ryder/Hawkins in Tag League
FTR in Tag League
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Honestly, seeing some guys heading overseas for a while to work a different style would be exactly what many need to be seen in a different light.
Gallows did it before.
Albert did it a decade ago, just too bad they brought him back as Lord Tensai.
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AEW has to be careful, they don’t want to become TNA 2.0 where they just load their roster with former mid card WWE wrestlers. A few is fine, but they can’t go overboard. They also need to be careful that they don’t sign too many guys or else they are going to run into the same issues as WWE, as only so many guys can be on top.
Of the wrestlers just released, the only person I think they should bring in ASAP IMO would be Rusev.
Rusev would be the only guy I’d grab. He got over with everything WWE gave him and should have been a massive star.
I’d definitely give Lio Rush a look in a year or two. Super talented but more time on the indies for experience and maturity would benefit him.
I just want to point out that the narrative of bulking up your roster with mid-carders who left a major company, as a negative, really only came to be thanks to TNA.
Austin, Triple H, Mick Foley, Pillman, Benoit, Guerrero, Jericho, are all talent that would essentially fit that bill during the mid to late 90’s, from jumping from WCW to WWF.
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Don’t forget WCW signing all of Hogan’s buddies In 1994-95 (Duggan, Boss Man, Beefcake, Knobbs, Valentine, Earthquake). It’s not what killed the company, but it was one of the things that drove out Austin, HHH, Pillman, etc. and also contributed to that huge payroll that hung over their heads until the bitter end.
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Exactly. Beyond that, a guy like Jarrett jumped back and forth multiple times during the 90’s, and raised his stock each time.
The idea of signing underutilized talent to a roster as being a negative is really a recent concept in my mind.
As long as a talent is allowed to come in a grow their identity.
That is probably the issue with Impact. The majority of the time, talent coming over was playing the same roles. I am not super familiar with Impact, but I feel this was likely the case more times than not. Especially post Hogan, into the last decade.
It was largely non useful former E guys. When it was just Christian and Angle it was a good show. The Hogan invasion and using older cast offs really sucked the life out of their good talent.
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Yeah with TNA it was more an issue of guys coming in with the exact same character they had in WWE and being pushed as a major star. Often times, at the expense of homegrown talent. Example would be a guy like Booker T
AEW has given Moxley and Brodie Lee completely different characters. Matt Hardy isnt the same guy either. A lot of the guys WWE misuses still have a lot of value as long as you can get some of that WWE stink off of them.
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Honestly, I can only see a few getting hired. Deonna Purrazzo and Chris Hero could be there for Double or Nothing, but after that, Rusev and maybe Zack Ryder. After that, I don’t think they should bring in any other people.
My only dog in the fight is the guys I want to see wrestle on TV regularly, so this is all regardless of the current AEW roster/angles/etc. So I’d pick The Revival (is this a done deal already or just assumed?), Rusev and the Good Brothers.
And I’m curious about Rowan. Obvious not a “five star match” guy, but always effective in his role.
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Let’s keep Rowan away from Harper/Lee for awhile.
But, the negativity associated with signing wrestlers comes from when other companies would sign people and pushing them above your own talent.
To be fair Mox isn’t exactly a mid card guy.
The also signed Spears which was a waste.
I think they got a lot of new guys in Lee, Archer, Matt Hardy etc to push.
I assume the Revival is possible and Rusev. Beyond that I’m not picking up Mike Bennett
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I disagree. How he’s been used has been a waste, but he’s shown a lot of solid charisma, especially during these empty arena shows and could be a solid upper midcard heel for them.
They seem to be doing something with him stirring up trouble with Cody.
Then again they had Sammy Guevara hit on Brandi and they did nothing with it
Yeha I guess that is my point. It’s not that the talents suck - often They are good like Spears. But they just can’t use that many guys that they need to build up before people
Care about them.
I think you can put Mox and Rusev out there and they will get immediate reactions whereas I doubt mike Bennett does and the question is can they build him in the limited TV time they have
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Purrazzo would also be a good signing. She was supposed to appear at All Out originally before she made a bad decision and rotted in NXT for two years.
Revival I already assume are going.
But yeah everybody else would be pointless. People like Mike Bennett and Curtis Axel never should have had main roster jobs for as long as they did.
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I think they could use basically any of the women. Beyond that I’d only really care about the Revival. They have picked up a few singles guys recently and are still establishing their roster. Signing more WWE guys pushes the talent they have down the card.