The WWE roster is as strong as it has ever been. Despite having to fill as much as eight hours of television each week on Raw, Smackdown, and NXT, the roster has not become watered down. That is due to the company’s excellent scouts and talent development staff. However, their crop of talent is too good, and there are certain performers who are blocked by better or more popular wrestlers.
Fortunately, WWE is no longer the only show in town. AEW offers not just wrestling fans an alternative, it also gives talent another high-level company to showcase their abilities. With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at 10 WWE stars who would be better off performing in AEW instead.
#DIY
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, AKA DIY, are two of the better pure wrestlers on the roster. That was a skill that made them legends in NXT. Unfortunately, NXT and the main roster are very different, and their weaknesses have become more evident on Raw and Smackdown. Both are talented performers, but in a company like AEW, they could play much more to their strengths. And be able to recapture the singles success they both had in NXT.
Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura is the greatest import from Japan that WWE has ever had. And he has had a Hall-of-Fame-worthy run in the company. However, the former IWGP champion seems lost in the shuffle as he nears the end of his career. With AEW having a working relationship with NJPW, the ability to still perform in the US but also go back to NJPW on occasion would probably better suit him. And give him more high-profile opportunities in the twilight of his career.
Grayson Waller
Grayson Waller is a unique talent. He has the gift of gab, is a very good athlete, an underrated wrestler, and has a look that stands out. However, it has not elevated him beyond being a new-age version of The Miz. He seems stuck in a bit of a rut. And would benefit from new surroundings. Furthermore, with AEW trying to break into the Australian market, he would be a fantastic spokesman for the company in his home country.
Pete Dunne
Like Gargano and Ciampa, Pete Dunne is a very good wrestler who cut his teeth on the independent scene for a long time. While he has a ton of respect inside WWE, he has pretty much hit a ceiling. But in AEW, a mat technician like him is more appreciated by management and their fanbase. Dunne would definitely have a very good chance to at least compete for secondary titles often if he were in AEW.
Asuka
Asuka is another WWE success story from Japan. She is sure to go into their Hall of Fame one day and has shown women from her country that becoming a star in the company is possible. However, at 43, she has been forced to the side by an outstanding crop of female performers entering their prime. Asuka’s best days in the company are behind her.
However, in AEW, she would be a fantastic rival for women like Mercedes Mone or Toni Storm. Plus, she would also have a path to make appearances in NJPW. Something that was not possible before she joined WWE.
War Raiders
The War Raiders have gone through different iterations on the main roster. Similar to Gargano and Ciampa, they are NXT greats that have found it harder to connect with the broader fan base on Raw and Smackdown. While they could still end up having a great career, their hard-hitting style just feels like a better fit in AEW. They could have some great rivalries with the Young Bucks and FTR.
Kayden Carter
The team of Kayden Carter and Katana Chance is not going to catch on in WWE. They’ve had opportunities and were even women’s tag champs. But they have never built momentum with audiences. Carter is the better all-around talent and could have success as a singles performer. But she would get a better opportunity to shine in AEW. Where the women’s division is thinner and could use good athletes like her.
Dragon Lee
With Penta and Rey Fenix now both in WWE, a performer like Dragon Lee seems far less interesting. He is a good wrestler, but the Lucha Bros. offer much more in terms of it factor and talent. That’s why Lee might be better off taking their spots in AEW.
While there are several luchadors in All Elite Wrestling, Lee’s look at style is more developed and elevated. He would quickly become the premier lucha star on the brand. Plus, their relationship with CMLL would allow him the opportunity to return to Mexico for big cards on occasion.
