Rush is a great addition and boosts Andrade’s immediate future

AEW Double or Nothing had several exciting moments throughout the night. Several new names walked through the curtain, with Athena and Stokely Hathaway appearing early in the evening. But Andrade showed he wasn’t alone as he brought in a former teammate and one of the best singles wrestlers in the industry, Rush. While he’s a big name from around the industry, North American fans may not be too familiar with the new performer.

Rush is a name that fans of CMLL, New Japan, and Ring of Honor will recognize. At 33-years old, his resume includes a multitude of titles throughout his 14-year career. During that time, he’s picked up the Ring of Honor World Championship two times, most recently holding it for 498 days before losing the belt to Bandido. He’s also captured the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship and the tag team titles along with others.

Rush’s addition to All Elite Wrestling to align with Andrade comes with significance due to their years of history together. In 2014, they along with La Mascara formed a group called Los Ingobernables which was one of the most important groups in CMLL history. But not only did that group impact CMLL, but it also hit New Japan with an offshoot called Los Ingobernables de Japon. That group included Tetsuya Naito, Bushi, Takahashi, Sanada, and Takagi at one time or another.

Rush is an important addition to AEW, but especially Andrade. While some will debate the point, there’s a loud narrative that Andrade’s run with the company has been lackluster. At times, it seems as the company has forgotten they picked up one of the best free agents that were available when he joined them in 2021. His run hasn’t shown much though, as he’s been bogged down with the Hardy Foundation storyline which, as he admitted was a bunch of “losers.” Even his match with Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Title flew under the radar.

Rush and Andrade would be a threat if placed in a major storyline. Either man would be a great opponent for future champions and they could easily deliver as tag team champions. The opportunity is there for AEW to build to something different and long-term by bringing in this star who can perform with anyone in the promotion.

Rush was a major surprise at AEW Double or Nothing and he’s a welcome addition to not only the roster but Andrade’s immediate future in the company.