10 AEW Originals Who Are Struggling In 2022
7. Leva Bates
If one librarian gimmick was a bad idea, doubling down didn’t help matters. AEW decided someone on the women’s roster should also be preoccupied with literature and late fees. What’s more, the pair should be booked to covet their lame role and resent having to share it.
Leva Bates developed something of a cult following as Blue Pants in NXT, but was given a thankless task in AEW. Like Peter Avalon, Bates has failed to transcend the cartoony librarian character. It was apparently Cody Rhodes’ idea to cast her in the role and though she’s actually outlasted him in the promotion, that’s about the best you can say for her.
Bates enjoyed a spell as giant-dice wielding valet to the team of Avalon and Cutler and remains a reliable hand to get beaten by bigger names on Dark or Dark Elevation. Sadly, given Tony Khan’s inclinations with regards to booking women (basically giving them as little attention as he can get away with), her chances of regular TV time are even slimmer than “Pretty” Peter’s.
She has become something of a regular fixture on Being The Elite at least - or she was until the YouTube show went on indefinite hiatus following the events of All Out.