5 AEW performers who are trendsetters in modern-day pro wrestling

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Over the years, a few notable AEW performers have proven themselves to be the flagbearers of some crucial and prominent trends that define the modern era of pro wrestling.

Putting oneself over among the audience is what every wrestler/entertainer aspires to achieve. It's not easy to be a path-breaker in pro-wrestling, with so much having already been invented and achieved in this industry.

However, a number of talents ended up being ahead of their time with the creativity to get over with the fans. Their creative work led them to tap into something unique, both in and out of the ring.

This article sheds light on 5 AEW talents who showed they were ahead of the curve and embarked on setting new trends. Before that, we'll take a look at one honorable mention. Let's dive in:

Honorable Mention: Matt Cardona

Matt Cardona (formerly known as Zack Ryder) at IMPACT Wrestling

When it comes to utilizing the power of social media, Matt Cardona has to be credited to the fullest, as he realized the worth of YouTube long before any of his peers. This made him one of the most popular WWE Superstars at the time.

After getting released from WWE as part of the budget cuts in 2020, Matt Cardona joined AEW soon after. Cardona has optimally utilized the depths of social media to remain popular with wrestling fans no matter where he works.

#5 Colt Cabana

Colt Cabana on AEW Dynamite show

Numerous current and former wrestlers host pro-wrestling related podcasts today. However, Colt Cabana has to be thanked for all of this. The AEW star was a pioneer who introduced the podcast trend in the pro wrestling world way back in 2010, long before anyone else.

Cabana hosted "The Art of Wrestling" podcast where every week he invited a different wrestling personality to his show. Cabana's podcast was a huge success that inspired various wrestlers to create podcasts of their own.

#4 Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho is regarded as one of the greatest pro-wrestlers ever

Constantly introducing re-inventional modules and backing one's self-belief is something nobody can do better than Chris Jericho. With the rise of AEW, wrestlers leaving WWE to gain new paths has become a common sight. However, it was Y2J who was ahead of the curve in this regard.

Leaving WWE, he backed himself to head to NJPW to try and do something different. He was the first major WWE legend to back AEW to make it big. Without him doing so, it would be tough to know whether many others would have followed this path.

#3 Bryan Danielson

Ask any major indie names who have made a name for themselves in WWE or AEW today and they will site Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan in WWE) as their inspiration.

Despite being a one of the smaller indie wrestlers who does not fit the typical WWE system, Bryan Danielson made it to the top. His blend of impeccable wrestling IQ and underdog spirit paved the path for numerous wrestlers with indie backgrounds.

#2 Matt Hardy

"Broken Matt Hardy" is one of the strangest and most loved characters of all time

Matt Hardy dropped the jaws of every pro-wrestling fan with his "Broken Matt Hardy" persona from his IMPACT days. The character was literally ahead of its time and no amount of props would suffice to laud Hardy for his creativity.

But this is more about character innovation. It's about introducing the world to the concept of Cinematic wrestling. His decision to go all out on creating enormous buzz with cinematic-style matches was something that nobody expected.

The concept materialized further even in WWE with Matt Hardy-Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton-Bray Wyatt, AJ Styles-The Undertaker, and John Cena-Bray Wyatt cinematic-styled matches.

He took this style to AEW as well, as is evident from the Sammy Guevara-Matt Hardy match.

#1 CM Punk

CM Punk was thorough in his efforts to become a main-event player with his stellar promo skills and solid in-ring basics. He worked very hard to stand out when it came to handling business on the microphone. He prioritized the significance of being the hard-hitting best on the mic, a lesson that every aspiring wrestler around the world learnt through him.

His ability to talk to the audience propelled him to a whole new level of stardom. The infamous pipebomb promo became a trend that many other wrestlers would later follow.

Breaking the proverbial fourth wall is something that has gained massive ground in the industry and it's a trend that Punk kick-started.