There’s been much chatter about AEW in its first year of existence, and there may be no bigger point of contention than their women’s division. Reportedly booked by Kenny Omega (and backed by Brandi Rhodes), AEW wanted a place of equality where their ladies could feel on equal ground with their male counterparts. Unfortunately, most fans and detractors alike have agreed that AEW’s handling of this division has been subpar at best. It’s not without its bright spots by any means, but there’s no doubt that it could be presented far better than it has over the first year. So I’m going to look at roster cuts, additions, and booking moves that I’d make in order to revitalize the division and help it to thrive. Some of these you’ll agree with, and others you may detest. But this is an opinion piece, and it’s simply one fan’s strategy to help the company.
ROSTER CUTS:
Let me be clear off the bat. Firing anyone at any time is very tough. These are people with families, and nobody should ever call for a diminishing of their livelihood. It’s especially touchy in the uncertain pandemic era that we’re living in. But in my opinion, there are some ladies on this roster who won’t help to advance the stories or popularity in the division, so we have to clean out some spots to get the best possible star-powered roster in place. Here are the cuts I would make, personally. At this time, Bea Priestley and Sadie Gibbs have been released.
Yuka Sakazaki, Emi Sakura, and Riho
These will be unpopular, especially Riho. But looking at AEW as an American business who should be trying to draw in as many casual fans and new eyes as possible, this is a positive move. Joshi wrestling is a niche, and you want to appeal to a mass audience. You already have a very solid Japanese technician in Hikaru Shida, so having three other Joshi’s on the roster makes no sense. AEW hasn’t given them characters, they can’t cut American TV promos, and a lot of them are vastly undersized, which takes away the believability factor. Adding in their Japanese schedules and travel issues, this just makes good business sense.
Mel
Mel was brought in to be part of the Nightmare Collective, and that gimmick was quickly disbanded. Despite her solid size, Mel hasn’t looked very good in the ring since her debut. She comes across bland and devoid of any skill in the ring or in her personality.
Big Swole
This one will also be unpopular, and is more about personal taste for me. Big Swole surely has the power and charisma, but I haven’t been into her ring-work. Aside from being very leg-slap heavy in her offense, her promos have been clunky and grating. I think AEW is better served to use this spot in other ways.
ROSTER ADDITIONS:
With these recent cuts being made, we now have some spots opened up to sign more talent who can move the needle in this division. Let’s take a look at some available signings who could truly make an impact in AEW. I’m currently regarding Tessa Blanchard as being off the table, but if it’s an option down the road, they should take it.
Nicole Savoy
Who better to take the spot of Big Swole than her sometimes partner, Lil Swole? Savoy also has tons of charisma, and is diverse in the ring. She’s a good bumper, an excellent chain wrestler, and will take the match quality in this division way up. Having her as a face to thwart Penelope Ford or Britt Baker could be a great PPV feud.
Tay Conti
The former NXT standout has come a very long way in a short time. Her marketable look and natural heel tactics make her ready to be plugged in right away. She has some chemistry with Anna Jay, and her ring work has been very solid. If we wanted to take Anna out of The Dark Order and make these two some type of cocky heel model pair, I think it could get some real heat.
Rachel Ellering
The former Rachel Evers in NXT is the daughter of “Precious” Paul. She’s long been regarded as one of the best in-ring workers in the US, and I’d have to agree. She’s naturally likeable, and she could help teach a lot of the newer AEW workers (Anna, Abadon, Statlander) how to continue to improve in the ring. The name value and ring work alone could make her a very valuable Dean Malenko type in this division.
Diamonte/Ivelisse
This one can be hit-or-miss. Both of these two are veterans with some name value from previous places. Diamonte shined in Impact when she was paired with Santana and Ortiz, and Ivelisse became a top babyface in Lucha Underground. But in my opinion, they haven’t exactly shined in their AEW chances so far. Diamonte as a manager for the former LAX in the Inner Circle could be money, and maybe Ivelisse could spice things up with her old Lucha Underground duo, Evans and Angelico (through reportedly her and Evans don’t get along).
OTHER CHANGES:
AEW has a few ladies on the roster that have a lot of value to them, but they aren’t very good in the ring. So to maximize their usage potential, I’d make a few changes to their characters. First, I’d take Brandi and Allie out of the ring. Brandi makes a great manager for Cody/Dustin and a great fill-in for Justin Roberts as a backup ring announcer. Let her do marketing and appearances outside of matches. Allie is strong and beautiful, and she added a lot to the package of Butcher and Blade. Reunite the Bunny with her former act to spice them up. Now you’ve got your best use of Brandi and Allie, and match quality goes up by subtraction. Also, since we’ve paired up Anna Jay and Tay Conti, let’s get a new woman representing The Dark Order. How about Abadon? She’s got an awesome look and character that fits their presentation perfectly. She helps to progress their push, but I’ll talk more about fixing the Dark Order in a future article. I’d also start pushing some undercard women’s angles on AEW Dark, to give people more intrigue and investment to watch that show. I’d showcase ladies like Leva Bates, Shanna (when she’s able), Abadon and Anna Jay on that show to help them get more ring-time and progress their work.
Now that we’ve got our active roster in place, next week we’ll break down the names and give them alliances and feuds and start to book them in a productive way. Come back next week for part 2! I hope you’ve enjoyed the options thus far!
