8 Amazing Wrestlers That Flopped In AEW

3. Miro

What is so frustrating about the inclusion of Miro in this list is that things occasionally went incredibly well for him in AEW. When Rusev left WWE, the frustration around him was largely that we could all see how much character and personality he had. Vince McMahon, however, had reduced him to being a minor league player, even though fans could all see there was greatness inside the Bulgarian.

After making the jump to AEW in September 2020, Miro again found himself in a spot that didn't suit him. His union with fellow European Kip Sabian was thankfully short-lived, before Miro entered the best phase of his career so far. As 'The Redeemer', he cut chilling promos that echoed Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, and he had an excellent run with the TNT Championship, including a brilliant feud with Darby Allin.

Losing that title to Sammy Guevara after four months, Miro was expected to progress into AEW's big leagues. He was entered into the World Championship Eliminator Tournament, losing in the final at Full Gear 2021 to Bryan Danielson, but from here, Miro's AEW career flatlined. He wrestled just 11 times between this defeat and his eventual release from the company in September 2023. Whether it was injuries or backstage politics, it cast a shadow over his time in AEW that meant that the bad times, again, outweighed the good.