5 Underrated stars on the current AEW roster

2021 has been a great year for AEW. They pulled through the pandemic. Their flagship show, AEW Dynamite, is moving to mother network TBS. And they signed marquee names like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole. AEW has changed the game for sure.

The problem with WWE is that it doesn't offer talent to grow to its full potential. Someone as talented as Aleister Black got lost in the shuffle. Later, he managed to find his space in AEW as Malakai Black. AEW seems like the promised land where wrestlers can be wrestlers and not TV show characters.

Despite that, not all talent have the opportunity to get over. Booking pro-wrestling is an art where potential talent is allowed to shine. It can be meaningful feuds, matches, wins, angles, or promos. An undercard comedy gimmick like Orange Cassidy became a top player after feuding with Chris Jericho. But not everyone can get over it. Some have to put others over. When this happens to a high-potential talent, he/she can be underrated. Here's the ranking of five AEW underrated stars in 2021:

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5. AEW's Thunder Rosa

Thunder Rosa first caught attention in Lucha Underground as the Kobra Moon. She was green at the time. She honed her skills by working all over the world. Rosa debuted AEW on August 22, 2020, as the reigning NWA Women’s Champion. She unsuccessfully challenged Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s World title at All Out that year. She earned her first major victory against Dr. Britt Baker in an Unsanctioned Lights Out Match widely considered one of the best 2021 matches.

In the final episode of AEW Dynamite in 2021, Rosa faced Jade Cargill in the TBS Championship Tournament semi-final. She pulled out the best match from Cargill. Rosa was defeated due to interference from debuting Mercedes Martinez and lost her title opportunity once again.

Thunder Rosa is one of the top female talents in AEW. Yet, she hasn’t won any belts in the company. She deserves to be the center of attraction in the women’s division. Keeping her away from the championship scene is not doing any favors to her talent or the women’s division.

4. Brian Cage in AEW

Brain Cage is AEW's saddest story. Cage looks and works like a beast. He made an impactful debut by winning the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing in 2020. He was soon awarded the FTW belt as the face of Team Taz.

Despite the momentum, Cage was unsuccessful in having a big push. He was unsuccessful against then-champion Jon Moxley as Taz threw the towel to forfeit the match. He failed to win the TNT Championship from Darby Allin. He also faced defeat as part of Team Taz’s feud with Sting and Darby.

Brian Cage finally turned face last year. This was an opportunity for him to get his big push. He fought Ricky Starks for the FTW belt and faced an underwhelming defeat. He should have got his win back in the rematch. But Starks emerged victorious again in a streetfight.

Brian Cage could be ranked higher on the list, but he has not been seen since. It has been reported that he might leave the company. If this is true, it will be a tragic turn of events for Cage’s AEW run.

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3. Serena Deeb

Serena Deeb is a true veteran of the ring. She is arguably the best in-ring worker on the planet. The former NWA Women’s Champion made her AEW debut in a losing effort against Thunder Rosa. She hasn’t given a bad match since. She can be compared to Bret Hart regarding her wrestling style and psychology.

Deeb has put out many great matches this year, including one against Riho at Double or Nothing. But it was placed in the buy-in rather than in the main card. This sums up the story of Serena Deeb. She is indeed a backstage match producer, but she has so much to offer as a wrestling star. She should regularly work on the main card and pull greener talents to her level. Becoming the TBS Champion and defending it every week on AEW TV can be the perfect role for The Professor.

2. Jake Hager in AEW

Poor pro-wrestling run for Jake Hager continues in AEW. Jake Hager is a legit combat artist. He earned the title for most pins in a season during his collegiate wrestling career. He still maintains his undefeated record in MMA.

Despite all that, he's often seen amid comedy angles. Be it WWE or AEW, he has been part of both Stadium Stampedes and the Minneapolis Street Fight. In reality, he should be treated as a no-nonsense shooter. He has been a part of a shoot-style match against Wardlow. Wardlow was seen pulling out a hurricanrana in that match. This completely diluted the "shoot" scenario in that match. It seems ridiculous comparing it to the shoot-style Fight Pit match between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher.

Jake Hager deserves a better role in AEW.

1. Eddie Kingston

Eddie Kingston puts AEW on fire every time he enters the squared circle. Be it on the mic or in the ring, Eddie makes us believe him. He made us care for him with every angle he worked. It could be Jon Moxley, Miro, or Bryan Danielson, he sold every feud with his heart and soul. No one can forget his epic encounter with CM Punk and its culmination in the bloody fight at Full Gear.

Kingston is not the perfect look for a pro-wrestling superstar. It's really difficult to draw the attention of fans with that shortcoming. But he's not only drawing attention but also making the crowd get behind him every single time. Every time he's being held back by the booking decision. He was part of the botched finish to Revolution 2021. He was not selected to dethrone Miro’s undefeated streak. And there was no rematch after his thrilling encounter with CM Punk.

It's time to consider his talent and give his log a deserving push. It could do magic for AEW in 2022.