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AEW has expanded its roster significantly since the company made its debut in 2019. The company started out as a modest number of wrestlers spearheaded by the company's EVPs Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes. It has become a stacked roster that includes marquee signings such as Chris Jericho, Hangman Page and PAC. The company has gradually grown to include a raft of star performers from WWE.
This past year alone, AEW has added a tremendous amount of talent. Christian Cage, Lio Rush, Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo and the blockbuster triple signing of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole have led the promotion.
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This has elevated the in-ring product and the credibility of the company as an attractive destination for established wrestlers from other promotions. However, there is only so much television time available and not every talent always gets the opportunity to shine.
The situation has worsened since the signing of a number of former WWE Superstars by AEW owner Tony Khan. The promotion has focused on putting the spotlight on these established names, which has caused some of the AEW originals to be pushed aside. Here are 5 wrestlers pushed aside since the arrival of ex-WWE talent.
#5. AEW's Joey Janela
Joey Janela was one of the first men to sign for AEW and showed some serious promise against established stars Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley. However, it seems like other wrestlers have surpassed him since their arrival.
Janela was barely featured on Dynamite last year and the last significant feud he had was with former tag team partner Sonny Kiss. Janela has revealed that his initial 3-year contract with the promotion ends in May 2022. Unless the Badboy steps it up in a big way, his time with the company might end on a whimper.
#4. AEW's Nyla Rose
When AEW signed Nyla Rose, she was one of the first openly transgender wrestlers to perform for a major American promotion. The Native Beast was a dominant figure in the women's division and ran roughshod through the roster as the second AEW Women's champion.
However, since losing the title, Rose has disappeared into the background and is no longer a viable contender. Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa emerged as bigger attractions, and even her alliance with Vickie Guerrero has failed to keep her relevant.
AEW's latest ex-WWE signing, Ruby Soho, has also overtaken Nyla in the standings. The former Riott Squad leader spoke about Nyla Rose and praised the work of the former AEW Women's Champion. The praise from colleagues won't matter if Rose is not seen enough by AEW fans.
#3. AEW's Kazarian
AEW veteran Frankie Kazarian is a stalwart of the young company. He was one of their first signings and came in as part of SCU. He was even the inaugural AEW tag team champion.
Since the dissolution of the trio, the TNA original has floundered badly. The Elite Hunter gimmick, where he appeared to be a Punisher-like character, fizzled out really quickly and went nowhere.
Kazarian is now primarily used as a veteran who puts over younger talents and ex-WWE signings to AEW such as Christian Cage. He is a steady hand who can always be counted on to have a decent match. But it's clear that Kazarian is merely a supporting player at this point.
#2. AEW's Lance Archer
AEW presented Lance Archer as a destructive force right out of the gate back in 2020. Aligning with wrestling legend Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, Archer challenged for the debuting TNT championship but lost the finals to Cody Rhodes.
He also had an AEW Championship match against Jon Moxley. The two would also tango over the IWGP US Championship. But in AEW, the Murderhawk was always a contender but never won the big one.
Archer used to be AEW's resident monster, but other wrestlers such as Miro and Wardlow have taken over that mantle. His partnership with Jake Roberts has also gone stale. Archer needs to go on the warpath again and not just make up the numbers in AEW. While he is currently out with an injury, here's hoping Archer can bounce back in 2022.
#1. AEW's Brian Cage
AEW signed Brian Cage in early 2020 and expectations were high. He is a former IMPACT heavyweight champion and also found success on Lucha Underground He was the hottest free agent on the market prior to his AEW signing.
Cage's biggest match was against Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. He has also become the centerpiece of Team Taz and crowned himself FTW champion. He recently feuded with Sting and Darby Allin before finally getting ousted from his own group.
Unfortunately, The Machine has been slowly but surely pushed down the AEW food chain. The signings of former WWE Superstars like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Malakai Black haven't helped his situation. It will be difficult to receive any opportunity for the ultimate prize when there are so many contenders in line.
Cage suffers from being bland as a personality, and since turning face against his former stable member, it's unclear whether he can succeed in the role of a hero. There's no obvious spot for him right now, and it's such a shame for one of the most technically proficient and innovative big men in the wrestling industry right now.
