10 Wrestlers AEW Has Already Made Better

10. Jake Hager

It took Jake Hager just a single angle to wash off the stench of Jack Swagger.

That old name is poisoned. It's a pejorative for failed World Championship reigns, dead-eyed promos, jingoistic Tea Party gimmicks, and half-*ssed matches. At Dynamite's TNT debut, Hager began the process of consigning these allusions to the scrapheap. His bludgeonous forearm to Dustin Rhodes' skull and explosive Vader Bomb came from a performer suddenly imbued with more fire than he'd ever shown in WWE. As hard-hitting and impactful as the man's new offense, the debut closed the broadcast on the bomb it needed to make headlines opposite a TakeOver-calibre NXT card.

Hager is now well-positioned as Chris Jericho's Inner Circle muscle. As ridiculous as this would have sounded a few months ago, he's a threat. It helps that he's a behemoth compared to AEW's smaller roster but the difference in presentation is staggering, and now, finally, this NCAA Division I All-American can hopefully look towards fulfilling his pro-wrestling potential.

Truer tests will come when Hager finally steps through the ropes. For now, though, Jake is exactly where he needs to be.