All Elite Wrestling is a rolling ball of momentum right now. They’re coming off of a successful All Out PPV, and their buzz is palpable heading into their October debut on TNT. With a weekly two-hour show comes the need for more talent to fill airtime, and the live competition with NXT promotes the need to generate constant chatter among wrestling fans to stay ahead. So let’s take a look at five acts that AEW could hire in the coming weeks to get their TNT show off to a scorching start. CM Punk is an obvious constant in the “will he or won’t he” talk, so he won’t be included here. Marty Scurll seems to be a lock to be “all in” once his ROH contract comes due, so he won’t be mentioned either. And as much as Luke Harper and The Revival would be perfect fits for the new company, they’re locked into WWE contracts for the time being. So let’s focus on some roster boosts that could happen sooner than later.
5. Tenille Dashwood
AEW recently galvanized their loaded tag team division with the addition of Santana and Ortiz. With that division bursting with talent, it’s time to add some needed depth to the women’s division as well. While names like Britt Baker, Bea Priestley, and Nyla Rose are impressive, AEW has relied on aging vets (Awesome Kong and Aja Kong) and Japanese Joshi competitors (Riho and Hikaru Shida) to fill out the roster. Dashwood has all the tools to be a game-changer that American fans recognize. She got a huge reaction in the All Out Battle Royal, and she has NXT/WWE/ROH credibility. She’s a legitimate heel character who can work in the ring. The only reason she’s so low on this list is because she recently signed with Impact Wrestling, and while the rumor says it’s only through October, we’re unsure of how available she is to be scooped up by AEW.
4. TJ Perkins
TJ Perkins may still be young, but he’s been wrestling all over the world for what feels like decades now. Perkins is one of the most diverse wrestlers in the US today, who can grapple and work submission matches on equal par with his high flying. While AEW doesn’t want to be known as a WWE dumping ground, Perkins also has credibility from PWG, Impact, ROH, and New Japan. In addition to Perkins technical ability setting him apart in today’s style, he showed in his time on 205 Live that he’s a very underrated talker. His run as the smarmy heel “Cruiser-great” was rife with fun promos that could make him a valuable asset to AEW’s mid-card.
3. Ivelisse
Once again, AEW could benefit tremendously from recognizable women who can work in the ring. Ivelisse is not only an excellent bumper/seller, but she has a likeability about her that most available wrestlers can’t touch. WWE really missed the boat on her in their Tough Enough/NXT trials, and she proved to be one of the most beloved parts of Lucha Underground in its four season run. She’s finally available after her Lucha Underground contract dispute, and she also got a nice reaction in the Casino Battle Royal. She could easily be a cornerstone babyface of the AEW women’s division.
2. John Morrison
When Morrison recently appeared on “Being The Elite”, buzz started circulating that he could be headed to AEW. This parkour practitioner has athletic prowess that few in the wrestling business can match. He’s not only skilled in big bumps, but his creativity makes a lot of his matches stand out. He stood near the top of WWE’s cards for a long time before returning to be a Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling main eventer. His promo skills may not be perfect, but his look and name value make up for it in spades. He fits right in as a credible upper-mid card member of the roster. The only barrier is that he reportedly wants to focus on making movies, so his AEW contract would likely have to reflect that.
1. Killer Kross
Right away, we know Kross is in a complicated and ever-growing issue with Impact Wrestling. He’s been trying to get out of his deal for quite some time, as he’s felt that he’s drastically underpaid by the company. Rumors swirled when he reportedly refused to blade (cut himself) during his Slammiversary match, and now it’s being reported that he’s hired a lawyer to attempt to get out of his deal. The contract is said to have 18 months remaining on it, though fans and wrestlers alike have started the movement #FreeKillerKross. Kross has one of the most intense and believable characters in wrestling, along with a legitimate look and size that can’t be taught. He’s been an emerging star in the last few years with Lucha Underground and Impact, and he has main event heel written all over him if he were able to get to AEW. His real-life girlfriend Scarlett Bordeaux recently had a tryout with NXT though, so that could mean the bidding war will be on once the legalities clear up.
