AEW should have had these wrestlers built up and lined up as challengers for Hangman Page this season – TOP FIVE LIST

For a wrestling booker to truly be successful, it takes more than an angle. In many ways, Hulk Hogan is still the benchmark for success in to wrestling. Two massively successful runs, crossover appeal, and range of opponents. As I look back at Hogan’s career, what kept him successful was not accepting an angle just because the angle was good. It wasn’t only about the business they’d do; it was about what would be next for the Hulk Hogan character. That can be seen as selfish and he could have given more back to the industry, or you can look at it as smart for the man who was in the Hulk Hogan business.

That is a talent that today’s bookers could pull from a little more. WWE builds to moments like a Cody Rhodes win or a John Cena heel turn, without having fleshed out the three to six months after the culmination of the current story or angle. In the case of WWE, when the product is hot, people still watch and show up to see the big stars. AEW doesn’t have that working in their favor when it comes to the same mistakes.

In my opinion, the AEW Match of the Year was when Jon Moxley lost his AEW World Championship. Mox isn’t even what I enjoy the most about wrestling, but the story of him holding the belt hostage and ultimately losing to the new guard who would take the company forward was well enough told, and the match was excellent. What happened, though, was a lame reign ending in a great angle, only to see another potentially weak reign.

As much as I loved Hangman winning the title he deserved, I’m not as excited to see him hold it as I want to be. In three PPV defenses, we had him defeat the rising TNT Champion, a match against a babyface because he accidentally dropped Joe’s title belt, and now a rematch with the same Joe he just defeated, but now he’s a “bad guy.”

It continues to show that Tony Kahn is an enthusiastic match-maker with an eye for talent, but a booker who can tell multiple long-term stories he is not. There was a long run with Moxley, and with a heel champion, you build a cast of heels that are dominating the undercard to ready them for when the switch happens, and now your babyface champion has a gallery of rogues.

Batman is nothing without his villains, Steve Austin was greater because of Mick Foley, Undertaker, and Vince McMahon. Where are Hangman’s real challengers?

Daniel Garcia

There’s so much that this guy is doing right. Recently changing sides from a babyface run, he needed something to move his character forward in its development. Why not make that switch six or seven months ago? Have him win some matches over some mid-card babyface characters and give him a run that builds his credibility only to lose to the champ. He’s not ready to win, but a match similar to what Hangman had with Kyle Fletcher would build a lot of credibility for when he turned back into a hero.

Lance Archer

When someone has the size and resume of Lance Archer, it shouldn’t take much to heat him up. Archer is big, scary, and legitimate, so put him on a winning streak. Make it matter that his contract was switched from Jake Roberts to Don Callis. He’s not necessarily a top guy at this stage of his career, but he has the credibility to be built to making a visit.

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The Beast Mortos

Similar to the way Chyna was the one woman who was given credibility amongst top stars, Rey Mysterio is the only masked luchador who has been given the same credibility. If you wear a mask in The States, you’re less likely to win a world championship. I hope that’s changing with the inclusion of AAA into the WWE family, but AEW has an opportunity to do it first. Show the talents of these international stars in credible positions. Especially in the heel role when you have mouthpieces he can be paired with. Mortos vs. Hangman with the title on the line would be  fun show closer, and magic in the ring building one into a main event player and strengthens Hangman’s reign besting a vast array of opponents.

MJF

I understand. He’s off TV to make us miss him so he can have a bigger feud down the road. That would be a great answer had there been anyone else ready. This is your heel guy. If your TV needs him, you’re paying for his talent. MJF 100 percent deserves his time off, but like Shawn Michaels and Undertaker in Vince McMahon’s WWE, sometimes you make a phone call that states, “We need ya, pal.”

Bobby Lashley

This guy is too big of a solo star to be in tag matches and six-man tag team matches. I love the team of him and Shelton Benjamin, but I don’t think it’s the best use of Lashley. He’s a former world champion with MMA credibility, military wrestling, and the look of an action figure. And while I don’t like bringing it up, he had one of the most mainstream wrestling appearances when representing a reality star who would become President. Why he hasn’t gone on a dominant singles run is a mystery to me.