AEW RISING & FADING STARS: Looking at Kenny Omega on the rise, Orange Cassidy settling into a role at his level, AEW production

Welcome everyone!!!

First, I want to say it was great to have Taz back last week. Hopefully he is back more often because that three-man desk needs a true heel voice. Tony Schiavone is too all over the place and praises both heels and faces. Then Excalibur, ho ho ho, continues to audition to be a masked Santa Claus.

We are almost to Dynamite, but let’s look back at last week to see what I thought.

RISING STAR OF THE WEEK

KENNY OMEGA

As a Day One AEW fan who was not a big New Japan fan, just out of not having time to track down their shows, I heard so much about this Kenny Omega. I watched some of his huge matches and was definitely impressed by what he could do in the ring. His quirky character also seemed to be over huge in Japan.

Then AEW started and we didn’t get that Omega on TV. Instead, we got the “Being the Elite” YouTube channel version, one that I did know and he never felt like a main event guy. Instead, you got lots of insider references and a guy who appeared to just show up on television wearing where he wore to the arena. This can work for some guys but not the guy who is slated to be one of your top stars.

Fast-forward to 2026 and quirky Omega is still here but as he’s aged I think it suits him. Bad dresser Omega is still here and I think most of us are just resigned to the fact he will dress like that. Omega who can go in the ring is still here, and it might be most of what this fan base wants.

I have lobbied in my column that Omega should be an Undertaker-type attraction. He should not be wrestling on your typical Dynamites and should instead be put his matches on PPV’s going forward. He is that type of star with the fanbase.

Omega’s match against Swerve Strickland showed that Omega can go in the ring when he needs to. He might not be as fast, but as guys get older it’s okay they work a more deliberate pace and with Omega he still hits hard which makes up for his quickness being down a notch.

Now comes his biggest test in a while. Wrestling the best overall guy in the business right now – yeah, I said it – and I’m talking about MJF. MJF and Omega on the mic is a mismatch but MJF and Omega in the ring is not.

This is just their second match ever and the last time they wrestled MJF was the World Champion. MJF successfully defended that title on the Oct. 28, 2023 edition of Collision. Yes, both of those are right. One singles match and it happened on Collision.

Dynasty’s main event AEW World Title match should be great. That crowd will be hot for Omega and you know MJF is lacing up his heel boots for this one.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Dynamite: CLICK HERE (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

RUNNER UP – AEW PRODUCTION

This is one I think everyone has complained about at one point or another. Early days AEW production was simplistic. Point a camera at the ring, one on the ramp for entrances, one – with a bad mic – in the back for interviews. That was basically it.

Now when you watch the shows, everything feels cohesive. They have finally figured out how to mic the backstage interviews. They have, what appear to be, very specific shots they want at certain times. Look at the end of the last PPV. Some really good direction on that one. That match felt like a horror movie and the final shot looked like something out of of a horror movie.

Then you add the, what Wade Keller calls “elbow grease.” The vignettes that Darby and the Dogs have been doing are great. Then there was a video package of all the crazy things Darby has done over the years, felt almost “My Sacrifice” (attitude era wrestler hype videos) level of video. It just felt like in year six, something clicked for AEW production and it’s definitely bleeding over into year seven.

FADING STAR OF THE WEEK

ORANGE CASSIDY

Okay, okay, I hear you yelling. Let me explain. This is not me ripping OC apart. More of a level correction I feel is more appropriate.

Remember when OC was either opening Dynamite or was in the main event? This happened a lot during the first years of AEW. Some was because of OC’s connection to the crowd and other times he was out there, like a Jon Moxley, because of durability.

Personally, where OC is now is the right spot for him. A mid- to upper-card babyface gatekeeper. OC and one of my favorites Darby Allin should be that. If it’s a heel on the rise, they are going to have to go through one or both of these guys.

Just look at the Dogs feuds right now. Tony Khan wants to get them over as heels, so their first feuds are against two guys the fanbase just loves.

Again, this is not me saying OC’s star is fading but more like it’s correcting to the correct spot in the sky.