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AEW President Tony Khan has had a big roster for the past couple of years. While it was comparatively small in 2019, as time went by, the company signed multiple top free agents. As WWE's competitor, it wasted no time grabbing the top stars.
However, many talents were signed without any strong plans for them. Hence, they were soon lost in the shuffle. Despite having huge potential, some wrestlers aren't involved in storylines and are only featured in random matches. After their momentum is derailed, it is hard for talents to recover.
There have been multiple instances when Tony Khan has failed to hit the iron when it is hot. Let's take a look at some of the names that the AEW President fumbled:
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#7. Saraya
Saraya was forced to retire from in-ring competition in 2018 due to a neck injury she suffered in December 2017. She made her AEW debut in September 2022. Two months later, The Anti-Diva announced that she had been medically cleared to wrestle again.
The English professional wrestler went on to win the AEW Women's World Championship at All In 2023, one of the biggest stages the promotion has to offer.
However, after a mediocre title reign, fans started to get disinterested in Saraya. In 2024, she lost high-stakes matches against Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Jamie Hayter. The erstwhile Paige is currently on a hiatus.
#6. Malakai Black
Malakai Black turned All Elite in 2021. After a few singles feuds, he aligned with Buddy Matthews, Brody King, and Julia Hart to form the House of Black faction. The group achieved a lot of success initially and even went on to hold the AEW World Trios Title.
But as time went by, the group lost its mystique. Currently, the remaining stars are repackaged as 'Hell of Hounds.'
Malakai's singles run had a lot of potential, too, but Tony Khan failed to explore it. The former House of Black leader was released from the Jacksonville-based promotion earlier this week, and many are speculating that The Dutch Destroyer will likely land in WWE.
#5. Wardlow
Wardlow is one of the biggest powerhouses in AEW. He debuted as MJF's muscle in 2019 and was immediately presented as a top heel. The 37-year-old's popularity soared when he turned babyface after betraying MJF. Wardlow's 'symphony' schtick, where he would Powerbomb his opponents back to back, helped him get over with the crowd.
However, an injury sidelined Wardlow, and later Tony Khan's poor booking decisions further diminished his hype. The former TNT Champion is currently a part of the Undisputed Kingdom, where he hasn't had much impact. He is currently on a hiatus after being injured again. It will be interesting to see how well the AEW President books him after his return.
#4. Andrade
Fans had high expectations from Andrade when he joined AEW in 2021. However, despite having great initial feuds with Cody Rhodes, Sammy Guevara, and Darby Allin, El Idolo soon got lost in the shuffle. He eventually left the company after losing to Miro in December 2023.
The Mexican star returned to WWE at last year's Royal Rumble and went on to have a series of great matches against Carmelo Hayes and La Knight on SmackDown. Though Andrade has failed to climb the ladder on SmackDown, his booking over the past 12 months has proved that Tony failed to recognize his talent during his time in AEW.
#3. Ethan Page
All Ego was one of the stars with huge potential who Tony Khan didn't even try to put on the main event scene. Despite his immense potential, Ethan Page was always stuck in random tag teams and unimportant storylines during his time in AEW. The tag team of Page and Scorpio Sky wasn't booked against top duos and hence didn't get over.
During his final months in the company, Page was barely featured on TV. He joined WWE in the summer of 2024 and soon proved his worth by winning the NXT Championship. All Ego is one of the few examples of how fumbled careers can be revived.
#2. Rey Fenix
Rey Fenix may have been in WWE right now if Tony Khan hadn't reportedly added injury time to his contract. Meanwhile, his brother Penta has been flourishing in his singles run on Monday Night RAW. He made his WWE debut last month. Many fans are upset that despite reportedly extending his AEW deal, Khan hasn't bothered to use Fenix.
The former International Champion has had several great matches in the Jacksonville-based company, and he could have been used to put over young talents before his contract expired.
#1. Tony Khan frees Ricky Starks
The former FTW Champion was released from AEW a couple of days ago. Stroke Daddy has charisma, incredible microphone and in-ring skills, and many other factors that can make him a top draw for any company.
However, Tony Khan failed to pull the trigger on his popularity and didn't come up with strong creative plans for The Absolute Star, leading to his absence from live programming after March 2024.
Starks appeared on WWE NXT last night and received a great reception from fans. He may be the most talented star who Tony Khan has fumbled since the inception of AEW. Stroke Daddy's feuds with CM Punk and Bryan Danielson showcased his talent, but Khan failed to capitalize.
It will be interesting to see if Tony redeems himself and gives a push to the stars who have been sitting on the shelf for far too long.
