Have you heard the biggest wrestling news to happen recently? If you haven’t, then it’s very likely you live under a rock.
After officially parting ways with the Bullet Club, the sub faction lovingly known as The Elite decided to takes things even further. On New Year’s Eve, we were treated to the announcement that Cody and the Young Bucks would not only be putting on a follow up show to September’s “All In”(perfectly named “Double or Nothing”) but also that the entire group had decided to create their own promotion. All Elite Wrestling is on it’s way, and this week saw AEW make major steps towards establishing themselves as a pro wrestling mega power early on. During a highly anticipated fan rally Tuesday afternoon several big names were announced as signings and personnel for the fledgling company. Featuring the likes of Billy Gunn as a producer, and signees such as Chris Jericho, PAC, SoCal Uncensored, Joey Janela, and MJF, it’s not difficult to see why much of the wrestling world is watching AEW very closely. So, with all that in mind, and before any other huge names get dropped, it is my task to give you five talents All Elite Wrestling should look to sign. Let’s jump straight into it.
Kenny Omega
Yeah, yeah, I know. This one is very much a foregone conclusion. After losing the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom, The Cleaner announced he would be leaving New Japan once his current contract expired. Shocking, right?! Sure, there’s an ongoing debate on wether Omega will sign with AEW or pull a surprise debut at the upcoming Royal Rumble, but anyone who’s followed the Elite over the past few years knows there is little to no chance that Kenny wouldn’t want to be involved in a company ran by some of his closest friends. I’m calling it now, AEW signs The Best Bout Machine.
The Lucha Brothers
Over the last few years, we’ve seen Nick and Matt Jackson redefine tag team wrestling as a whole. Love them or hate them, The Young Bucks are one of the best tag teams in the business today. However, another pair of brothers have made a point of challenging the notoriety of the Bucks continually. Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr. are a undeniably talented duo. Similar to Matt and Jeff Hardy, Rey and Pentagon have shown that they can put on barn burners working as a team or against one another. The Young Bucks will most likely act as the benchmark early on in AEW’s tag division, so it makes all the sense in the world to sign the team they’ve had their longest standing rivalry with.
Viper/Piper Niven
If I’m doing a “who should they sign?” article, then you can pretty much guarantee this sultry Scottish sensation will make the list. Tuesday’s fan rally saw female Indy star Britt Baker announce that she would be joining the AEW roster, heavily implicating a stacked women’s division for the up and coming promotion. I personally think AEW would be the perfect opportunity for the still relatively unknown Viper to finally establish herself as the force to be reckoned with in women’s wrestling. Not to mention AEW getting a leg up on WWE after they neglected to sign her when they could have.
Jeff Cobb
If you missed Jeff Cobb’s performance in the New Japan Six Man Tag Gauntlet at Wrestle Kingdom 13, stop reading this and go watch it right now! Now, I know it’s not unheard of for a larger wrestler to snap off a moonsault, but Cobb executes it so effortlessly that you might mistakenly think you’re watching an episode of 205 Live. In the past, men like Vader and Yokozuna have been praised for utilizing amazing agility despite their massive physiques, but Jeff brings that ring mentality to a completely new level. The cornerstone to almost any wrestling promotion is the heavyweight division. With that in mind, Jeff Cobb would be the perfect addition to the AEW roster. Think about it, Jericho vs. Cobb…Page vs. Cobb….PAC vs. Cobb! The possibilities are mind boggling!
Matt Cross
Matt Cross is one of those rare talents that absolutely eats, sleeps, and breathes pro wrestling. That’s honestly the main reason I’m putting him at number one. If you’re starting a wrestling promotion you need at least one guy who can do anything you need done. Need a great curtain jerker to get the crowd hyped? Cross did that with MJF at All In. How about a veteran talent to team a rookie with? While wrestling as Son of Havoc in Lucha Underground, Cross teamed with Angelico and Ivelisse eventually becoming the first Trios champions. Wether it’s being a champion, or passing the torch to younger stars, Cross is that “go to” veteran that AEW needs.
There it is, ladies and gentlemen! Another list in the books. I’m sure I’m not the only fan who will be keeping close watch over AEW as more developments are sure to surface over the coming weeks. It goes without saying, but we could very well be seeing the beginnings of a new golden age of professional wrestling.