Brian Cage is the best example of underutilized talent in AEW
When Brian Cage made his AEW debut in May 2020, it was a big deal. The athletic and acrobatic powerhouse made a name for himself in Impact, Lucha Underground, and AAA before making the jump. Fans knew he had all the tools to be a major superstar and just needed a big stage.
That should have been AEW but the reality has been far from it. His tenure with Team Taz did him no favors whatsoever. Neither has his pointless feud with Ricky Starks, which is wasting both talents. And they aren’t the only ones lacking direction by far.
Brian Cage joins AEW
Debuting in 2005, Brian Cage followed his love of wrestling as a kid into a career in the business. A huge supporter of the man early in his career was the late Chris Kanyon. Cage is reputedly the only person other than Kanyon who has played the Mortis character.
Cage was briefly under a developmental contract with WWE in the late 2000s. He worked in FCW alongside the likes of Trent Barreta, Bo Dallas, and Bray Wyatt. It was a short tenure, to say the least, but leaving opened the door to Cage building a career in other companies. AAA and Lucha Underground were great for him but his time in Impact helped him find the next gear.
Related Story. Lee Moriarty is a good “get” as AEW continues to build it’s roster. light
At AEW Double or Nothing on May 23, 2020, Brian Cage made his debut as the secret entrant in the Casino Ladder Match. Taz also became his manager, laying the foundations of Team Taz which would grow to include Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, and Hook. It also led to Cage holding Taz’s personal title, the FTW Championship.
Brian Cage’s push falters
Team Taz had the hot hand at first but it faded away pretty quickly. AEW is drowning in factions and it’s unclear what’s happening with most of them. The Pinnacle, the Inner Circle, and the Nightmare Family barely seem to work together at this point. And the only thing Team Taz does is turn on each other.
Cage was ejected from Team Taz after he didn’t cheat in a couple of matches. The remaining members conspired against him to get the FTW Championship on Ricky Starks. As a result, the feud between them has been going on ever since, dragging down the careers of everyone.
At this point, Cage has had very few shots at either the AEW World Championship or the TNT Championship. The only gold any member of Team Taz has even touched is the FTW Championship, which is a real shame. Cage, in particular, has been lost in the shuffle thanks to being tied solely to Team Taz for the last year and a half.
Cage isn’t the only one…
Without question, Brian Cage has not been used to his full potential in AEW. And with top-tier talent like Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk arriving, it’s going to get harder for someone like Brian Cage to break through. But he isn’t the only one facing this problem.
Other talents like Lance Archer, Jurassic Express, Orange Cassidy, Pac, and more have found themselves getting inconsistent pushes at best. Given the popularity of Orang Cassidy or the dominance of Lance Archer, it’s insane that neither of them has held any AEW gold, yet.
Next. AEW: A good start creatively but room for improvement in the future. dark
Brian Cage should be competing for titles on a regular basis. Not everyone can hold one, but he should at least be in the mix. AEW left him lingering around Team Taz for too long and now he’s seemingly trapped in a neverending feud with Rick Starks. It’s long past time to move Cage on to bigger and better things because the man belongs in the main event scene.