Since launching in 2019, AEW has become a true alternative to WWE, offering great pay for wrestlers and a new destination for those wanting to be seen on a global platform. As the company looks towards the biggest show in their history, with AEW All In, now is a good time to take stock of the happenings within AEW.
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While some wrestling fans claim that AEW lacks storytelling or good characters, for fans of the All Elite Wrestling product, that just simply is not true. However, just because the company does feature some great stories and on-screen characters does not mean that they're all good. For these wrestlers, character or gimmick changes are in need to help further their careers.
10 Lance Archer
Arriving in AEW during early 2020 after a proper career resurgence as a singles star in NJPW, Lance Archer seemed destined for big things out of the gate. He would be joined by Jake Roberts in a feud against Cody Rhodes, that would be slightly delayed due to COVID-19 causing lockdowns. Upon his return, during the TNT Championship Tournament, many fans saw it as a launching pad for Archer within AEW. It would not be.
After losing the tournament, Archer would feel directionless for a time, with that being the case for most of his AEW career. Currently wrestling more on AEW Dark, Archer is used sparingly within AEW, though he does get to do tours with New Japan. The big man could be a very compelling babyface or heel, as he has shown in the past, he just needs something to sink his teeth into.
9 The Butcher & The Blade
For those who were not watching AEW during its launch, some may have forgotten that The Butcher & The Blade debuted in AEW against Cody Rhodes, as they were bought by MJF as mercenaries. Right now, they don't have much of a character aside from looking imposing and having The Bunny as their valet. With these two being one of the more underrated units in AEW, they feel like they deserve some more depth. It may not be ideal for some, but shifting The Butcher & The Blade to the ROH Tag Team Division could give them a chance to find their footing with some proper character work.
8 Action Andretti
Joining AEW in late 2022, Action Andretti would be the Cinderella story of the year, as he would make his TV debut against Chris Jericho, with him picking up the victory against the living legend during an episode of AEW Dynamite before it was announced that he had signed with AEW. This was one of the biggest upsets in the history of AEW and it established Andretti as a legit threat. Since then, he has worked both TV shows and Dark as he continues to grow as a performer. While he is a strong in-ring worker, Andretti desperately needs a proper character if he is going to be a featured player on the roster.
7 Nyla Rose
One of the AEW originals, Nyla Rose is one of the first female signings that AEW made when the company formed in 2019. In turn, she was also the second AEW Women's World Champion, defeating Riho for the Championship before eventually losing the belt to Hikaru Shida. Since then, Rose has found her spot in AEW as someone the company can rely on for solid in-ring action.
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For the length of her run with the company, Rose has been a heel, and was unfortunately saddled with Vickie Guerrero, who never really added much to Nyla's act. Online, Rose has shown that she has a fun, bubbly personality and is one of the funniest wrestlers in AEW. Giving Nyla a babyface turn in AEW could do a lot for her career.
6 Lee Johnson
At one point in time, it seemed like Lee Johnson was going to be the young star that AEW fully got behind as the next big thing. That feels like a lifetime ago, as Lee rarely wrestles or even appears on TV at this point. Johnson was tied to Cody Rhodes for a long time, before eventually turning heel and joining The Factory after Rhodes' exit from the company.
The young star lacks any character, and with QT Marshall seemingly leaving The Factory alongside Aaron Solo, it leaves Johnson hanging with nothing to do. For such a talented young athlete like Lee Johnson, he deserves another shot at being a babyface, though it is possible he could wind up leaving AEW for a shot in NXT if Cody puts in a good word for him.
5 Penelope Ford
One of the most underrated women's stars in all of pro wrestling, Penelope Ford has shown time and time again that she has what it takes to be a strong babyface within the AEW Women's Division. Her ring style is much more suited for a babyface wrestler than the heel she currently is, with impressive agility and flexibility.
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Ford has not gotten a chance to be a face within the company yet, and with her once again tied to Kip Sabian on-screen, it remains to be seen if/when it will happen for her. Still, the signs are there for anyone who has looked.
4 Daniel Garcia
A truly baffling move on Tony Khan's part was not booking Daniel Garcia to turn on the Jericho Appreciation Society last summer. While there have been a few instances of the crowd bringing back the "you're a wrestler" chant towards him, Garcia has cooled off to an insane degree from where he was during his feud with Bryan Danielson.
One great aspect that has come from his time with the JAS however has been Garcia's charisma development, as he now feels more like a full package due to her personality being able to shine. Still, a split from the group feels needed for Garcia, with him getting a chance to shine as a wrestler once more instead of being a sports entertainer.
3 Anthony Ogogo
AEW Double or Nothing 2021. That was the location of Anthony Ogogo's AEW career dying, as he would face off with Cody Rhodes in a feud that became so lost from its original point. Somehow spiraling into a United Kingdom vs United States feud, featuring Cody's infamous patriotic promo that came at a time when political tension in America were at a breaking point, this feud did incredible damage to Ogogo and is what began the fans turning on Cody.
As AEW prepares for All In at Wembley Stadium, the company noted that it would be a homecoming for some stars, including Ogogo on their press release. In that sense, it feels like the former Olympian will be featured on the show in some capacity, though with The Factory faction dead, he will be in need of a total reset within AEW as they head into their stadium show this August.
2 Tay Melo
Once seen as a promising young babyface star, Tay Melo is now one of the most hated women in AEW. Of course, it is not actual hatred of her person, just of her and Sammy Guevara being paired together on TV after coming out as a couple. Together, Tay & Sammy have become proper heat magnets within All Elite Wrestling.
Unfortunately for Tay Melo, she feels so much more suited in playing a babyface than a heel at this point. Her moveset and bubbly personality is perfect for being a good girl within the AEW Women's Division. 2023 should be a big year for the women of AEW, and for Tay, that should mean getting a chance to be a babyface once again.
1 Powerhouse Hobbs
Powerhouse Hobbs has been one of the great recent success stories within AEW. Arriving during the no-crowd era for the company, Hobbs would eventually impress enough to get signed, then joining Team Taz and becoming a great star. 2022 would see Hobbs become a singles star after breaking up with Ricky Starks, with him getting his first title win in early 2023 as he would become TNT Champion.
While Hobbs winning gold has been great, him being paired with QT Marshall and the QTV group has not been. Currently, Hobbs feels like a side character to QT and the others. In the coming weeks & months, Tony Khan needs to split Hobbs from the comedy group and let him be the monster that fans grew to love in the first place.
