AEW Dynamite: 3 Reasons for Jungle Boy winning the TNT Championship
How to build a star
As stated in the previous slide, I described Jungle Boy as a sympathetic figure. Each win keeps him edging up the ladder, yet a loss doesn’t keep his image down for too long. He has easily grown to become the stand out attraction from the Jurassic Express group.
Their unity has served as an ideal vehicle for demonstrating his talents to a global audience, without the lack of star-power becoming a problem in the early goings.
Is the booking behind Jungle Boy flawless? Hardly, but AEW hasn’t done him an injustice either. They’ve made a conscious effort to elevate his persona and build a perseverant image and it blends with his performances incredibly well.
At 22 years-of-age, it’s impressive to see how Jungle Boy seamlessly blends into the roster. He doesn’t look green, out of place, and always puts a tonne of energy into the present moment. By earning a title shot at the TNT championship last week, the opportunity to face Cody feels like a testament to his efforts.
To build a star, we need the audience’s attention fixated. For that to occur, memorable moments need to be carved into a wrester’s career. The question must arise, who would benefit the most out of Cody or Jungle Boy winning this coming Wednesday?
Jungle Boy has everything to gain, while Cody actually has very little to lose. The champion and challenger are at two entirely separate stages in their respective careers and standings in the company. Cody will always be regarded as a top guy, inside and outside the ring. Whether the long term plan is a lengthy reign, I think AEW can afford a sudden interval or break up of this plan.
AEW has a homegrown talent in Jungle Boy. Giving him the spotlight and capture the TNT championship unexpectedly, that will provide a memorable moment and serve as an investment into his and the company’s future.
He doesn’t need to hold it for a substantial amount of time, however, people are bound to be more engaged with him defending it against anybody. Which brings us to our third and final point.