AEW newcomer Stokely Hathaway could become wrestling's next great manager

Since AEW was launched in 2019, they've had several different personalities acting as managers. Unfortunately, none of them really seemed to really have much impact in that role. Often, they end up looking more like placeholders than performers.

At times, AEW has employed wrestling legends like Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts to act as cornermen. Meanwhile, Smart Marc Sterling and American Top Team's Dan Lambert have also worked as the second for a particular wrestler or group.

With all due respect to the aforementioned names, there really hasn't been anything that stood out in this role. While the Hall of Famers have been heartwarming to watch, they bring little beyond cutting occasional promos and waving to the crowd like a ballplayer at an Old Timers' Game.

Lambert has cut some pretty vicious promos, but sometimes comes off as uncomfortable as a pig on roller skates. Sterling is mostly there just to annoy the fans... and not in a good way.

Enter Stokely Hathaway, one of the brightest managerial prospects in all of professional wrestling. He made his debut with the promotion at Double or Nothing and made sure his presence was felt immediately.

The former Malcolm Bivens was recently released by WWE in April after he declined a contract extension. He'd been toiling away in NXT for a while and didn't see any light at the end of the tunnel, even though World Wrestling Entertainment was apparently ready to promote him to the main roster.

Seeking a fresh environment and new opportunities, he packed things up and made the move to All Elite Wrestling.

AEW now has a manager who can sell an upcoming match with his promo power

Hathaway has an uncanny presence on the microphone that will only benefit the wrestlers he manages. His first acquisitions were TBS Champion Jade Cargill and her group (Red Velvet and Kiera Hogan). All three ladies are hitting their stride in terms of development in the ring, but they could certainly use a potent and poignant voice backing them.

With Cargill riding a rocket ship to success, Hathaway could play a major role in putting her completely over the top. It's clear she is Tony Khan's pick to be the face of the AEW Women's Division once she develops and is finally ready for that spot. For now, they are banking on Stokely to be the last piece of that puzzle.

At a time when there can sometimes be a level of misguided nostalgia, anything new or original is welcomed by the fans. Hathaway brings a fresh, youthful approach to his role as manager - one that fits in well with AEW's quest to be just like Pepsi: The Choice of a New Generation.

Stokely Hathaway was the perfect fit for Jade Cargill. But even more importantly, he's a perfect fit for AEW right now. He's got plenty of experience but still has room to grow in his new environment. Given time, he could be an important part of All Elite Wrestling's future success and one of the top managers of this era.