10 MORE Storylines AEW Dropped Cold
8. Jungle Boy Proves He Can Hang With Chris Jericho
In late 2019, when Chris Jericho needed a TV-level challenger to work before his PPV programme with Jon Moxley intensified, Jungle Boy was selected for the role.
It was an astute booking move. Jungle Boy was to benefit from the increased profile and lose in a super hard-fought effort - in the halcyon days where going out with pride was a key storyline driver - in order to encourage fans to stick with him under the belief that he'd make it one day. Inspired by the 10 minute challenge gimmick that made for legendary TV in Memphis, when Jerry Lawler so nearly unsettled Ric Flair in 1982, Jungle Boy survived the Liontamer and made it to 10:00 on the December 18, 2019 Dynamite. Those weren't exactly halcyon days, realistically, but the sense of ambition was arguably stronger. The build was great too; Jungle Boy put over the scope of the challenge by training for the match as if it was the biggest of his life.
If it did come to a conclusive end, it was rather unceremonious; the Inner Circle defeated Jurassic Express on the Jericho Cruise Dynamite on January 21, 2020.
The idea was to revisit the programme deeper into 2020, but the pandemic happened, and it was thought senseless to push such a prized prospect when there were no vocal fans willing Jungle Boy over the line.
This isn't a carny exuse, either; it's telling that Jungle Boy was given 'Tarzan Boy' when fans really started to filter back into Daily's Place in early 2021.