Revealed: AEW's Plan To Make Jungle Boy A "Superstar Babyface"

Backstage notes from AEW Dynamite, where Jungle Boy faced Dax Harwood.

Jungle Boy
AEW

This week's AEW Dynamite match with Dax Harwood was designed to help make Jungle Boy a "superstar babyface" in the promotion

This is according to Dave Meltzer, who writes in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Harwood presented the plan to company president Tony Khan after devising it himself. That's exactly how it came together onscreen, with Harwood a relentless, grinding heel, forcing Jungle Boy to work from beneath for extended periods before mounting his comeback, with the Jurassic Express man's targeted limb work paying off with a submission victory.

Meltzer notes that while people in AEW understand Jungle Boy is a tremendous athlete, it is important that he now generates sympathy and draws support by taking beatings and mounting well-timed comebacks. The Harwood match was this to a tee, with Jungle Boy forcing the FTR man to tap the cherry on top, putting him over the edge.

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The well-received clash was awarded an excellent ****1/2 in the Observer.

Jungle Boy's highest-profile AEW singles match to date was against MJF, who beat him at Double Or Nothing 2020 last May. The Jurassic Express/FTR feud looks set to continue after Harwood, Cash Wheeler, and Tully Blanchard cut Luchasaurus' horns from his mask after the Jungle Boy bout.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.