10 Wrestlers AEW Has Already Made Better

Not every AEW wrestler is getting over.

An internet-breaking chairshot and well-crafted Cody storyline steeped in years of history couldn't make a convincing, lasting villain of Shawn Spears. Though he entered a solid performance at All Out, his Dynamite follow-up versus Jon Moxley underwhelmed, with the former Tye Dillinger lacking manager Tully Blanchard's physical charisma and sinister edge. Leva Bates and Peter Avalon have already been relegated to pre-shows with their Librarians act. The Dark Order are an explosive in-ring tandem hamstrung by a hoky gimmick. While it's too early to write these stuttering acts off yet, they aren't working at the moment.

But while these examples show that All Elite's star-making machine isn't without fault, most of the roster smells like roses at the moment. The performers within demonstrate the power of superior presentation. They are AEW's proof of concept: their skills haven't necessarily improved, though they look a lot better today than they did before this Elite promotion came along.

These aren't just happy accidents, either. AEW is crafting a well-rounded roster with purpose and ingenuity, breeding hope that their Evil Unos and Stu Graysons can be salvaged...

It took Jake Hager just a single angle to wash off the stench of Jack Swagger.

That old name is poisoned. It's a pejorative for failed World Championship reigns, dead-eyed promos, jingoistic Tea Party gimmicks, and half-*ssed matches. At Dynamite's TNT debut, Hager began the process of consigning these allusions to the scrapheap. His bludgeonous forearm to Dustin Rhodes' skull and explosive Vader Bomb came from a performer suddenly imbued with more fire than he'd ever shown in WWE. As hard-hitting and impactful as the man's new offense, the debut closed the broadcast on the bomb it needed to make headlines opposite a TakeOver-calibre NXT card.

Hager is now well-positioned as Chris Jericho's Inner Circle muscle. As ridiculous as this would have sounded a few months ago, he's a threat. It helps that he's a behemoth compared to AEW's smaller roster but the difference in presentation is staggering, and now, finally, this NCAA Division I All-American can hopefully look towards fulfilling his pro-wrestling potential.

Truer tests will come when Hager finally steps through the ropes. For now, though, Jake is exactly where he needs to be.