8 Amazing Wrestlers That Flopped In AEW

Double or Nothing 2019 was a historic PPV, as AEW set out to show the world what they represented at their first official show. One of the most notable things to come from the show was that AEW was prepared to lean into Japanese wrestling for its women's division, and one of the most exciting elements was the hiring of Aja Kong.

A Japanese superstar from the Joshi scene, Aja's stiff, hard-hitting style is the stuff of legend in her homeland, and she even had a brief WWE feud with Alundra Blayze in the mid-'90s. Unfortunately, AEW would not capitalize on Kong's appearance in a six-woman tag team match at their inaugural PPV. Ending on the losing side of her debut contest, the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for AEW to build on this initial plan to include Japanese women on their shows.

Most frustratingly of all, AEW teased a feud between Aja Kong and Awesome Kong at the end of Fight for the Fallen 2019, when there was an intense staredown at the end of Brandi Rhodes' victory over Allie (who had Awesome Kong in her corner); a staredown that had fans salivating over this possibility, but a staredown that was never followed up on.

Aja Kong had just two more matches for AEW, as part of the Japanese bracket of the 2021 Eliminator Tournament, before never being used again.