5 Wrestlers Who Will Get Over In AEW (And 5 Who Won't)

9. Britt Baker WON'T...

Orange Cassidy
Scott Lesh

In which AEW's anti-WWE marketing will be their undoing; not only is this a transparently calculated push driving a talent the office is higher on than the fans, that talent is very much in the WWE mould.

As is the push itself; AEW exploits Baker's career in dentistry in much the same way as WWE markets Lacey Evans and her background as a marine. AEW is the promotion everybody asked for, but nobody asked for Baker. And they're getting her, regardless, in a featured role.

Every indication from the arena crowds is that Baker is liked, mildly, and not beloved. The reaction can best be described as polite. It's driven by a trust in the brand more than an organic groundswell of support. It's telling that fans seem unwilling to get behind her raw ability in the same way they do Riho. Riho is prone to error, but her incredible charm puts her work over as spirited, not flawed. In contrast, Baker's lack of intensity and craft reveals the puppet strings guiding her.

Baker has potential. She showed much at All Out, in a blistering exchange with Bea Priestley, but that hasn't carried over to television.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!