Predicting Where Every AEW Wrestler Will Be In 5 Years' Time

82. Brian Cage

Brian Cage
AEW

Brian Cage is mint at popping your tiddies off with a move he has no right to pull off, but getting over on TV requires much more than movez with a 'Z'.

He's an afterthought in 2021, which hardly breeds optimism about his prospects in 2026.

81. Varsity Blondes

Brian Pillman Jr
AEW

Brian Pillman, Jr. isn't the brightest.

About two months after convincing everybody that they should be a bit more understanding towards him, he wears a divisive t-shirt on Twitter that is bound to piss at least half of the people off. One could write the same thing about CM Punk, but he's actually a star.

Pillman, Jr. isn't bad; he just wrestles an antique of a style that can't possibly get over in a company that excels at state-of-the-art high-flying.

He's destined to appear on a '10 Wrestlers Who Wasted Their Potential' list.

Griff Garrison meanwhile is talented and more likeable, but again: he's never really talked about as a future "Pillar". His retro charm is a nice throwback now, but in 2026, that, sadly, will likely wane.

80. Brock Anderson

Brock Anderson
AEW

It was much too early for Brock Anderson to appear on Dynamite, which his non-presence now all but confirms.

Who the hell knows, really?

He was more than passable mechanically, but didn't make much of an impression beyond "That DDT was actually canny".

Put him in the NJPW dojo and you'll come closer to finding an answer. If one has to be provided here, let's go with "milling about various unglamorous territories and getting reps".

Advertisement
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!