He won the TNT Championship in one of the most memorable squash matches to date in AEW followed by arguably the best match of his career alongside Cody Rhodes, who ended up winning the title back. He pushed Jon Moxley to his limit for the AEW World Championship. He reshaped a group struggling to get by. When he arrived in AEW as Brodie Lee, he instantly felt like a bigger star than he ever had before, taking the role of The Exalted One of the Dark Order. Luke Harper was released from his contract in December of 2019 to the shock of many. He still plays so many important roles for AEW from manager of young talent to big-match wrestler to commentator on occasion. Jericho may not be able to wrestle at the level he once did in WWE, but that was inevitable. He has shaped AEW in many ways, especially his work forming and building The Inner Circle. Was there a bigger announcement AEW could have made when the company first debuted than the arrival of Y2J? Jericho is a legend, one of the best of all time. However, their impact is felt far beyond the product. Both Cody and Brandi can feel overused at times in AEW. His wife, Brandi Rhodes, worked for WWE for a while as well, and she has truly grown since departing.
He is the most recognizable face of AEW, branching out beyond just wrestling to promote the product.
He is one of the company's executive vice presidents while managing his own wrestling school to help build new talent. While The American Nightmare has had his ups and downs so far in AEW, there is absolutely no doubt he made the right decision for himself and AEW. Renee Paquette, have also had a chance to settle down without WWE's hectic schedule and have their first child.Ĭody left WWE in 2016 with a dream of becoming something more. Every company is itching for a chance to work with him. He already feels like he has left WWE completely behind.Ī former AEW world champion and current IWGP United States champion, Moxley has been unleashed upon the world. WWE valued Dean Ambrose highly, but the company rarely saw him as the brand-defining star he has become. It feels like a tough ask to grade the impact of these wrestlers moving to AEW over the company's first two years, but it is interesting to ponder, especially with more wrestlers likely to consider the move in the coming years. Still, it is exciting to see all of these performers in a fresh spot where they can grow and evolve. Their legacies have been so established through WWE that it can be tough to decide whether they are in the best place now. Many of the top veterans in WWE have decided to make the jump, including Christian Cage, Sting and Matt Hardy. However, their legacies are far from set yet. While some big names like Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho have thrived, others have fallen below expectation, like Shawn Spears and Jake Hager. Wrestlers who could not find the right spotlight in WWE found a fresh opportunity with AEW. For this reason, many of the best wrestlers in the world can feel stuck waiting for opportunities on a bloated roster of hoarded talent.Īll Elite Wrestling stepped in to become some measure of an alternative for some of the biggest names in the business, and some took the leap. *Become a Legend in Career Mode* Enter the world of TNA Wrestling and climb your way to the top in this story-driven mode.Professional wrestling has never been about just one company, but WWE has worked hard to dominate the market. *Create-A-Wrestler* Create your own custom TNA wrestler with unique move sets, costumes and finishing moves. *Featuring Your Favorite TNA Superstars and all Their Signature Moves!* Hulk Hogan, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Sting, Samoa Joe, The Pope, Jeff Jarrett, Ric Flair, Jeff Hardy and more! Not only will you don the costumes of your favorite TNA Superstar in Career Mode, you can customize your own wrestler, from his style and stats to his body type and appearance! Decide whether you want to compete for the TNA Heavyweight, Tag Team, or X-Division championship. Rule the ring with 24 TNA Superstars, including AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, and even the legendary Hulk Hogan! Master each wrestler’s playbook of back-breaking strikes, slams, grabs, and finishers.