Bobby Fish made his debut on AEW only a month ago, but the technical wrestler has been forcing everyone to recognize him. Most fans know Fish from his time with WWE NXT, where he was a member of the Undisputed Era. What few know is that he is nearly a 20-year veteran with a global career.
Fish began wrestling in the early 2000s, made appearances at smaller promotions, and had a lengthy run in Japan. He even had a short stint in kickboxing where he faced one opponent officially and won by TKO.
So far in AEW, Bobby Fish has had only eight matches but quickly went after bigger names such as Sammy Guevara, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk. He might have been unsuccessful in all three matches but Fish shined in all of them, especially when he faced Punk.
The former WWE Superstar has been attacking wrestlers and taking cheap shots to get back at them even after winning. This ruthlessness, as well as his vicious tactics, would fit very well with The Elite. Then again, Fish has not been on his own for long enough.
There's still a lot left for Bobby Fish to do and to prove to fans who have not been following him since his early years. So here are three reasons why he should join one of AEW's biggest factions, and two reasons he shouldn't.
#1. Should: Bobby Fish and Adam Cole were in the Undisputed Era
During his time in WWE, Fish teamed up with his long-time ally and friend, Kyle O'Reilly. Fish and O'Reilly joined Adam Cole and Roderick Strong, and together the four dominated NXT. He won the NXT Tag Team title on two occasions, once with O'Reilly and once with Strong.
Bobby Fish has undoubtedly worked well with Cole in the past, and as such, their chemistry has proven to be good. With the latter currently being one of the two former Undisputed Era members in AEW, it makes sense that Fish would gravitate to someone he works well with.
He has also worked with The Young Bucks before, which feeds into this even more. But Fish is unpredictable and could end up using The Elite or pulling Cole away.
#1. Shouldn't: Bobby Fish just came out of a long tag team run
Bobby Fish might work well with Adam Cole, but we haven't seen him be a singles competitor for a long time. Fish's extensive work globally would translate well over into a run for the TNT championship. Fanboys - such as the author of this - would love to see a world title run, but that might be off the table for now.
Fish carrying some gold would lend to his legitimacy. He could easily be a fighting champion, facing off against a different opponent every week. Because of his experience, the former WWE Superstar could end up putting over an up-and-coming wrestler.
Mainly, seeing Bobby Fish fight his way up the AEW rankings would be a fresh take on him as a wrestler in a promotion with more than enough tag teams.
The two-time NXT Tag Team Champion could still pursue a singles run while being with The Elite, but having him prove himself first would be more interesting. Few fans are familiar with his singles work, and him getting the chance to show that first would be much better. It might be too soon for Fish to join the ranks of The Elite as a result.
#2. Should: Bobby Fish could use more heel heat
Thus far, Fish has attacked more than one wrestler in AEW just to get attention. He's set himself up against fan favorites like CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. After all of this, Bobby Fish is still arrogant about his actions.
His actions, compared to the things The Elite are known for - which would require a separate list - all fit together nicely. Members of The Elite often cheat to win, and Fish would be quite an asset to the group, as he's tough and scrappy.
He could be sent to attack targets of the faction, much like an attack dog. His skill could also be used to protect The Elite from some of their more skilled enemies. Bobby Fish would definitely relish having more chances to attack other wrestlers and feed off of the crowd's boos.
As a result, teaming up with The Elite will definitely get fans to hate him even more.
#2. Shouldn't: Bobby Fish must betray Adam Cole
Bobby Fish might have been allied with Adam Cole while at WWE, but the two have been on opposite sides before. Fish has fought Cole in matches where both wrestlers shone.
A feud between the two might just be far more interesting than seeing them team up yet again. WWE fans would definitely be surprised to see Fish and Cole face-off, as they likely know them as friends.
The former Undisputed Era member could infiltrate The Elite and turn them against Cole. On the other hand, he might simply wait for the perfect moment and attack Cole. Bobby Fish could also betray him by teaming up with The Elite Hunter Frankie Kazarian, another wrestler that the former WWE Superstar knows well.
Whatever path he takes, an inevitable face-off between the two would surely be something fans would love to see unfold.
#3. Should: Bobby Fish attacked Jungle Boy
On this past Wednesday's AEW Dynamite, Bobby Fish attacked Jungle Boy out of nowhere. The latter is a recurring opponent of The Elite, and the two teams have gone head-to-head for months. Fish attacking Jungle Boy could be seen as The Young Bucks testing him.
After such a seemingly random attack, he now has all the same enemies as The Elite. The two-time NXT Tag Team Champion lost against Jungle Boy at the recent Rampage show. He teamed up with Cole to attack Jungle Boy afterward, which resulted in Fish then having to face the wrath of Christian Cage and Luchasaurus. This could have proven his allegiance to The Young Bucks, and we might see the group giving him a chance for retribution at Full Gear.
Bobby Fish will likely end up fighting beside the Superkliq. How long he'll remain with them subsequently is something we'll have to wait to see.