10 Wrestlers With The AEW Stink

Admit defeat on those that are no longer Elite...

Penta Oscuro
AEW

Tony Khan's purchase of Ring Of Honor has yet again caused more shifting of wrestling's tectonic plates.

It'd be the preserve of the ultra-optimistic ROH hardcores to assume that the company will function and run as it once did, not least considering Khan's already-full plate. That's not to say he couldn't or wouldn't delegate duties to somebody experienced enough to book it as a separate brand, but at this point in AEW's celebrated tenure as a promotion, there'll be panic if he doesn't.

Andre The Giant foreshadowed his legendary WrestleMania programme with Hulk Hogan by noting that "three years is a long time", but who knew his garbled menace could prove so prescient decades later? AEW's existed long enough for the highs to be contextualised, the lows to be critically analysed and the future to be forecasted with enough evidence informed by the recent past.

With that, regrettably, comes the the reality of some wrestlers feeling a little more past their sell-by date, rather than being as Elite as the company initials might once have suggested. Not everybody can thrive in a promotion, but the more time Khan spends on ROH, the more chance there is of the likes of these feeling even more past their best...

10. Orange Cassidy

Penta Oscuro
AEW

With AEW operating relatively successfully as a roster rotation promotion, it's a shame the statistical spreadsheets haven't found a way to make Orange Cassidy just as popular as a part-time performer.

An awesome and over gimmick even now that its been over-exposed, the persona works as well as it does because it proves All Elite Wrestling to be the place for pro wrestling artistic impression. But, criminally, the company have allowed the joy to feel a little diluted. Or at very least wear thin. Danhausen's debut during Cassidy's match with Adam Cole forced the former to crack a wry smile, as if he knew he was about to be ousted as AEW's most popular novelty megastar.

Though the circumstances are never ideal, a compromise may have been reached as result of Cassidy's shoulder injury suffered at Revolution. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the recovery time should provide a much-needed break - his first since the group launched with him as a key signing in 2019.

And speaking of launch signings that need a break, and Orange Cassidy-related content...

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett