10 Wrestlers Having A Disappointing 2022
3. Thunder Rosa
On paper, Thunder Rosa is having a pretty great year. In March, “La Mera Mera” finally took AEW’s Women’s World Title from longtime rival Britt Baker and mounted a string of successful defences. In reality, Rosa’s spell atop the division has been a disaster.
While holding the title, Baker was dependably entertaining and was rewarded with plenty of TV time to get her character over. Between getting left off both key episodes of Dynamite and post-PPV media scrums, Rosa has found herself sidelined. Plus, go back and look at CM Punk announcing his recent injury hiatus. He was given his own lengthy, in-ring segment to share his sorrow with the fans and, rather clumsily, explain the interim World Title. Rosa got a minute-long backstage interview in the same circumstances.
How much sympathy you feel for “The Unstoppable” likely depends on how much credence you give to the backstage rumours currently swirling throughout AEW. Rosa has been accused of stiff, reckless work, deliberately sandbagging opponents and general unprofessionalism. She’s even alleged to have spent time hiding in a bathroom after breaking Jamie Hayter’s nose.
The former fan favourite's stock seems to have dropped rapidly with her colleagues and fans alike, and having to step away because of an injury has only compounded a miserable 2022.