6 AEW stars who suffered under Vince McMahon's WWE booking

The birth of AEW in 2019 changed the landscape of pro wrestling. It gave wrestlers an alternative platform to display their magic without being bound by the outdated booking approach of Vince McMahon in WWE.

Several talented pro wrestlers found a new lease of life under Tony Khan's leadership. Many of these individuals struggled to get going in WWE, as Mr. McMahon could never come up with any solid creative plans for them.

Many proven wrestling veterans found themselves directionless in the Stamford-based promotion, as Vince failed to capitalize on their true potential. In this article, let's look at six current AEW stars who suffered under Vince McMahon's WWE creative regime:

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#6. Samoa Joe could have been a huge star in WWE

Samoa Joe is counted among the greatest pro wrestlers ever to grace a wrestling ring. The Samoan Submission Machine carved out an unmatched legacy in TNA, ROH, and AEW.

In 2015, The Destroyer made his WWE NXT debut by confronting Kevin Owens. After a dominant run in the erstwhile black and gold brand, the former AEW TNT Champion arrived on the main roster with great promise in 2017.

Unfortunately, Vince McMahon did not see Samoa Joe as much of a valuable entity. While Joe did have impressive showings against stars such as Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar in the first few months, he ended up on the losing side in all these major feuds.

The Samoan Submission Machine was never booked as an unstoppable monster for a prolonged period. The former AEW World Champion proved that he had all the tools to succeed, but Vince was not willing to give him a consistent push in the main event scene.

The 46-year-old was featured in the world title picture every once in a while. However, he could never get his hands on the WWE or Universal Championship even once. Despite Joe having the support of the audience, Vinnie Mac could never understand the hype for the former AEW World Champion.

In 2021, The Destroyer was released from the Stamford-based promotion, only to be rehired a few days later. However, Samoa Joe was let go permanently in January 2022, paving the way for his arrival in AEW.

Although Joe couldn't get the desired success in WWE, he has gone on to make a huge impact in AEW.

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#5. Keith Lee failed to continue his momentum on the main roster

Keith Lee could have become a megastar in WWE. The Limitless One was a popular star in WWE NXT, resulting in him becoming a double champion. Before his official main roster call-up, the monstrous star impressed fans in his clashes with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

Unfortunately, the former AEW World Tag Team Champion could not recreate his previous success on the main roster. After making quick work of Randy Orton at WWE Payback 2020, Keith Lee lost his way on WWE RAW.

While he was featured on television on a regular basis, The Limitless One was never the central focus of the show. The 40-year-old star did receive a few title opportunities, but he was never booked to win a championship on any occasion.

Crucial losses against The Miz, Karrion Kross, and Bobby Lashley derailed Lee's momentum. The former NXT Champion was rarely featured on any PLE, leading to his popularity taking a hit. The current AEW star also had his fair share of injury struggles, which further made matters worse for him.

Vince McMahon never saw Keith Lee as a talent who could lead WWE into the future. "The Bearcat" gimmick seemed like an attempt at reviving Lee's career, but all those efforts went in vain when WWE released the talented behemoth in November 2021.

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#4. and #3. FTR could not succeed under Vince McMahon's leadership

FTR (FKA The Revival) established themselves as one of the best tag teams in the world during their run in WWE NXT. Unfortunately, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler fell victim to Vince McMahon's outrageous booking approach when they arrived on the main roster.

Similar to other NXT call-ups in the Mr. McMahon era, FTR started on a strong note on the main roster, only to become an afterthought a few months later. The duo received a plethora of title opportunities on RAW but could not win the championship even once.

In February 2019, Harwood and Wheeler won the RAW Tag Team Title after a long wait of two years. However, it was only done to set up their match against Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder for WrestleMania 35, where the duo was dethroned.

FTR then entered a forgettable feud with The Usos, in which they were involved in several embarrassing segments. The two stars soon became lackeys of Shane McMahon in his feud with Roman Reigns.

The AEW duo briefly joined forces with Randy Orton as well, which seemed like a start to a dominant faction. However, the alliance did not last too long, as Harwood and Wheeler were paired up with King Corbin in the fall of 2019.

During their four-year-long run on the main roster, the erstwhile Revival lost several matches against makeshift tag teams. While they won tag team gold on both RAW and SmackDown, it did not elevate their credibility much. Vince McMahon failed to realize the versatility of Harwood and Wheeler, prompting him not to present them as dominant forces on television.

If Vinnie Mac had given them a consistent push, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler could have been worthy successors to The Usos and The New Day.

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#2. Buddy Matthews became a victim of inconsistent booking in the WWE

Buddy Matthews made a name for himself in WWE NXT and 205 Live. The Best Kept Secret was drafted to WWE Smackdown in the 2019 Superstar Shakeup.

It took months before Matthews was involved in any major storyline on the blue brand. During the summer of 2019, the Australian star was chosen to play a small yet important role in the Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan saga.

The current AEW star got to wrestle both The American Dragon and the Only Tribal Chief during this time, and he impressed the audience on both occasions. In the fall of 2019, Matthews entered a feud with Aleister Black. While his matches against The Dutch Destroyer were exceptional, the erstwhile Buddy Murphy could not win a single match in this trilogy.

The current member of the Hounds of Hell then aligned with Seth Rollins. This allowed him to get featured on television more consistently. However, it also meant that Matthews' singles push was compromised to strengthen The Messiah's character.

The duo then entered a controversial feud with The Mysterios, during which The Best Kept Secret developed feelings for Aalyah Mysterio. The rivalry ended with Matthews choosing to side with the babyfaces over Seth Rollins.

It could have been the start of Buddy Matthews' ascent towards the top of the card. Unfortunately, the 36-year-old star disappeared from the scene entirely after cutting ties with The Architect. The Australian star barely wrestled any matches after defeating his former partner, and his relationship with Aalyah Mysterio was also scrapped.

In March 2021, the former AEW World Trios Champion tried to reconcile with Seth Rollins, essentially throwing away all his character development. Matthews was ultimately released from WWE in June 2021, with the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale being his last-ever match for the Stamford-based promotion.

Vince McMahon gave up on pushing The Best Kept Secret as a future megastar, leading to the demise of his solo push.

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#1. AEW World Champion Jon Moxley left WWE due to his creative frustrations with Vince McMahon

Jon Moxley (FKA Dean Ambrose) spent seven years on the WWE main roster. In less than five years after his debut, The One True King became a Grand Slam Champion in the promotion. Despite bagging some major accolades, Moxley was never seen in the same light as his former Shield stablemates.

In October 2018, The Purveyor of Violence stunned the world by turning his back on Seth Rollins. Moxley's babyface persona had been stale for quite a while, and this heel turn felt necessary to cement him as a legitimate main-event talent.

However, Vince McMahon destroyed the former Lunatic Fringe's credibility by booking him in questionable segments during his heel run. Instead of being pushed as an unhinged lunatic, The One True King was forced to reprise his comedic character, this time as a heel.

Fans were left disappointed when WWE failed to book an entertaining rivalry between Moxley and Seth Rollins. An underwhelming run as the Intercontinental Champion further made things difficult for the Ace of AEW.

The 39-year-old was frustrated with Vince's creative ideas, leading him to announce his exit from the company. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the former Shield member proceeded to become the face of AEW.