10 Wrestlers You Totally Forgot Worked For AEW
Featuring Glacier, Gigi Dolin and a wrestler who, erm, wasn't particularly "Elite"...
"How about every recent signing who can't even get on TV? HAHAHAHAHA!"
The rotating cast is actually a great thing; even on the rare occasions that Dynamite is mid, it's never redundant. It's a decidedly non-WWE approach that appears to have confused certain fans, and it's not the only one.
Sometimes, beyond the intricate storytelling, AEW will simply import a legendary or cult name either for the f*ck of it or to advance a storyline without burning through the destination. Death match icon Nick Gage and revolutionary luchador headcase Juventud Guerrera were both drafted in to provide very different challenges to Chris Jericho as part of the Labours of Jericho storyline, where Tomohiro Ishii tagged alongside Orange Cassidy because he was in the States and why wouldn't you book him?
Also, AEW will simply book young, relatively unproven talent on TV without guiding them through a playbook because there isn't one. The promotion unlike WWE embraces the history of and the modern expanse of the industry. They don't just hold JCP and Mid-South reverence; much like you or I, they appreciate a daft WCW deep cut almost as much.
The extent to which AEW trusts talent and adores almost every facet of the game has yielded quite the crop of "Wait, really?" cameos...
10. Gigo Dolin
Gigi Dolin is currently being pushed as a leading act on what is effectively at this point Carry On NXT 2.0.
The NXT Women's Tag Team Champion is one third of Toxic Attraction, a group of mean girls who are filmed in various states of undress because WWE is attempting to reboot the Attitude Era in plain sight. Herb Abrams did a more successful job reviving the name of the UWF.
Promoted as a sexpot, Dolin can actually go to a level not seen on Tuesday nights; she drew raves for her United Wrestling Network war with Thunder Rosa in September 2020. The two women went the distance, proving that Dolin is more than a look.
AEW to WWE jumps are rare - this is why the Cody Rhodes news was such a seismic shock - but it has happened before. Almost, anyway; while Gigo Dolin as Priscilla Kelly was never under AEW contract, she did do a job to Dr. Britt Baker on the Jericho Cruise edition of Dynamite.
Baker's appearance was more memorable for the post-match heel turn, but she bested Kelly before burying Tony Schiavone.