10 AEW Wrestlers Tony Khan Totally FUMBLED
8. Wardlow
Wardlow's booking in AEW has been one misfire after another for the man formerly known as 'Mr Mayhem', potentially squandering for good the immense promise he showed during AEW's critical and commercial peak.
When he first appeared, Wardlow was positioned as a dominant force - a monster with shades of Bill Goldberg and others like him, poised to be a cornerstone of the company as he loomed dauntingly in the background. However, one too many missteps in the five years since have left him floundering. After his highly anticipated turn at the climax of MJF's programme with CM Punk in 2022, he seemed destined for babyface superstardom, but after squashing 'The Salt Of The Earth' at Double Or Nothing that year, he drifted inconsequentially for a little too long.
When he was strapped up as TNT Champion, the reigns did more harm than good due to poor storytelling and - in Tony Khan's defence - extremely inconsistent match quality. The lack of a compelling narrative direction post-MJF was palpable though, so much so that when he joined the Undisputed Kingdom in an attempt to once again destroy his former boss, it felt like the first time he had direction since he'd last left his side.
It was another false dawn, with Wardlow's 2024 mostly lost to Adam Cole's injury and the stable's wider failure to connect.