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AEW Dynamite Blood & Guts is only a week away and will see the culmination of the feud between The Elite and Blackpool Combat Club. The two factions have been going at it for the better part of the last year, most recently wrestling at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
However, both groups are currently missing an additional member for this rubber match. While Eddie Kingston recently aligned with Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Hangman Page, he will be tied up in New Japan Pro Wrestling as he takes part in this year's G1 Climax.
The BCC is also one member short, as Bryan Danielson is out with a broken arm after his instant classic against Kazuchika Okada. Given the circumstances, here are a few names that could feasibly join forces with Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, and Konosuke Takeshita.
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#5. Recent AEW signing Chris Hero
Chris Hero has had quite a career in pro wrestling. From wrestling CM Punk in a series of classics on the independent scene to winning the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships with Claudio Castagnoli as part of the Kings of Wrestling, the 43-year-old has wrestled for every major promotion in North America over the last two decades.
Hero even had two separate stints in WWE's developmental system, in NXT as Kassius Ohno. More recently, it was announced that he had signed with All Elite Wrestling as a coach.
However, Tony Khan has left the door open for Hero to return to the ring if he so chooses. Considering his vast experience and previous partnership with Claudio, it would not be outside the realm of possibility for him to join the Blackpool Combat Club as the fifth member at Blood and Guts.
#4. Former WWE Superstar Erick Rowan
Speaking of past relationships, there was a time when Erick Rowan used to accompany Bryan Danielson at ringside when he was the "Planet's Champion" in WWE.
However, he was of course more well-known as a member of The Wyatt Family with Bryan, Wyatt, and the late, great Luke Harper, a.k.a. Brodie Lee in AEW. In fact, Erick Redbeard, as he is now known on the indie circuit, even made a brief appearance in AEW back in 2020 to honor Lee's passing.
Since then, he has not returned to WWE, which makes his AEW return a possibility. His monstrous presence would definitely be an asset for the BCC, especially with the steel cage stipulation. With The American Dragon currently out injured, he could call in a favor to his former associate to replace him.
#3. WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg
Goldberg's AEW debut has been heavily rumored for months now, ever since it was announced that he had left WWE upon the expiration of his contract. Tony Khan has even publicly admitted that he's been in contact with the WCW legend.
It seems like it's only a matter of time until he joins the company, but the question is, how will they handle his debut? If Goldberg really wants to make an impact, there's no better way than to make his first appearance in Blood and Guts.
It would be even more interesting to see him aligned with the BCC and, by extension, Don Callis. This would essentially present The WCW legend as a heel, an intriguing move at this stage of his career.
#2. NJPW wrestler Shota Umino
When Jon Moxley first debuted in NJPW back in 2019, he took a young Shota Umino under his wing, who was just a trainee at that point in time. Since then, Shota has evolved into the company's most exciting rising star.
It's clear that Mox's influence on Shota is still prominent, with the 26-year-old sporting his jacket during his entrances and using the "Death Rider" as his finishing move. He even joined the Blackpool Combat Club at Forbidden Door in their match against The Elite.
As an associate member of the BCC, it would make sense for him to link up once again with the group at AEW Blood and Guts as he would have unfinished business with the group given what transpired.
#1. Former AEW World Champion CM Punk
This might be a controversial take, but recent reports suggest CM Punk joining the Blackpool Combat Club could have been a distinct possibility. The Straight Edge Superstar apparently pitched himself as the fifth member of BCC against The Elite.
However, to nobody's surprise, neither of the teams were interested in working with Punk, given his issues with The Elite and past comments he's made about Jon Moxley.
There's no denying that it would have been a shocking move and added more hype to the match at Blood and Guts. It would be interesting to see how Punk interacts with The Elite after what transpired at All Out last year. The possibility is still there if Tony Khan chooses to force both parties to work together and squash their beef.
