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AEW's female division has improved leaps and bounds since the company's inception back in 2019. Back then, it only had a threadbare women's roster with not many recognizable stars.
Fast forward to 2022 and many of the talents have gone on to become household names such as Britt Baker, current world champion Thunder Rosa and TBS Champion Jade Cargill. Beyond that, the likes of Tay Conti, Ruby Soho, Anna Jay, Kris Statlander, Serena Deeb and more are chomping at the bit to make an impact.
But could All Elite Wrestling benefit from another ex-WWE Superstar joining their ranks? Former NXT champion Ember Moon, now known as Athena, is now keeping herself busy on the independents ever since being let go late last year. The wrestler has been linked with a potential move to Tony Khan's company. Here, we look at 3 reasons why AEW should sign Ember Moon and 2 reasons why they shouldn't.
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#3. Why AEW should sign Ember Moon - She adds experience and knowledge to the women's roster
Ember Moon will definitely be an asset to the All Elite Wrestling Women's roster, with many of the talents still relatively inexperienced and finding their feet in the industry. The likes of Tay Conti, Anna Jay, Red Velvet and Jade Cargill could benefit from working with Athena. if you count her time in NXT, she has spent nearly six years in WWE and will be well-versed in performing for television and putting on solid in-ring performances.
Speaking to Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, current Women's Champion Thunder Rosa gave Athena her stamp of approval, praising the former RAW Superstar in an interview:
“I would love to see Athena [Ember Moon]. She’s very knowledgable, very talented. She’s helped me a little bit and I was like ‘oh, that makes sense!’ She makes things make sense and she’s a great coach. With her time in NXT, she helped a lot of the girls out there and she does it here too in Dallas, helping a new generation of women’s professional wrestlers."
Thunder Rosa went on to compare her and Athena's personalities and also mentioned the importance of changing the locker room.
"She has a very similar mentality to me. I enjoy people that are very grounded. It’s so important to change the locker room when you have people that are grounded." (h/t: WrestlingInc)
#2. Why AEW should not sign Ember Moon - Her WWE main roster run has ruined her aura
Ember Moon made her WWE main roster debut way back in 2018, on the RAW after WrestleMania 34. However, her run was marred by injuries and stop-start pushes.
She was drafted to SmackDown where she unsuccessfully challenged Bayley at SummerSlam 2019. Unfortunately, she then embarked on a losing streak before another injury kept her out of action for nearly a year. Ember would experience a short revival when she returned to NXT in 2020 before eventually getting released in 2021.
Ember's intense aura that she gave off during her initial run as NXT champion has long since disappeared, which is just a shame as she has the look and skills to be a major star. Former WWE creative head Vince Russo worries that Ember's booking and potential move to AEW won't be any different. Speaking to Dr. Chris Featherstone, Russo stated:
"Well, Chris, let's be honest, if she goes to AEW, she's just gonna be Ember Moon, another female wrestler on the roster. That's what she's gonna be," Russo said.
It will be an uphill start for Ember Moon to rid herself of the WWE stench and be presented as a legitimate threat once more.
#2. Why AEW should sign Ember Moon - She has a number of potential feuds waiting for her
While the rechristened Athena has not officially signed with All Elite Wrestling, she already has a number of potential rivals waiting for her. TBS Champion Jade Cargill recently took to Twitter to put out an open challenge for her title and the War Goddess answered her call. In response to Athena's tweet, Cargill said she was just another WWE reject looking for a job.
Ember Moon has already battled the current Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa during one of her first post-WWE appearances. AEW star Thunder Rosa has publicly praised Moon in a past interview and hoped she could face her in the future:
"She’s one of the Dallas veterans, I mean Texas veterans. She worked for so long in NXT and I don’t think they gave her the platform she deserved. Because she’s so good and so underrated. So hopefully I get the opportunity to work with her. It would be a banger."
Beyond the champions, there are many potential rivals that Athena can have in All Elite Wrestling, from Britt Baker and Serena Deeb to Nyla Rose.
#1. Why AEW should not sign Ember Moon - Less television time could see her lost in the shuffle
Ember Moon might take a look at Ruby Soho's recent booking in All Elite Wrestling and worry that that would be her predicament if she were to join the company. Soho made a triumphant debut back in All Out in 2021, winning the Casino Battle Royale.
She would then go on to challenge then-world champion Britt Baker but was unsuccessful. The former Riott Squad leader even made it to the finals of the TBS Championship tournament but would eventually lose to Jade Cargill. Since then, Soho has barely featured on Dynamite or Rampage and has been relegated to the company's internet shows.
With so many recent signings made by Tony Khan taking up television time, Ember might easily get lost in the shuffle. Athena is better off joining a company that could guarantee her more prominence on their shows such as IMPACT or even Ring of Honor.
#1. Why AEW should sign Ember Moon - She could be a potential world champion or TBS Champion
Despite her unfortunate streak of injuries and underwhelming WWE career, there's no denying her talent and wrestling abilities. Ember Moon has a unique look, is decent on the mic and can put on spectacular matches with anyone on the roster. As evidenced by her recent match between Thunder Rosa and Moon on an independent show, they have great chemistry together.
The two stars were presented as equals in the 30-minute time-limit draw. With Thunder Rosa now the AEW Women's World Champion, Tony Khan can run this match back as part of a Dynamite program or pay-per-view match down the road.
With Britt Baker finally vanquished, Rosa will be looking for new challengers for her title. Moon could immediately be presented as a genuine threat and championship contender upon her debut.
