AEW should hitch its wagon to a Daniel Garcia long-term run

Daniel Garcia has all the tools to be a major star in professional wrestling and it is time for AEW to hitch its wagon to his rise. 

There’s a major match scheduled for the March 29 edition of AEW Dynamite. Daniel Garcia will face off against the returning Adam Cole. This is a PPV-quality match-up that should easily be one of the best matches o the year. While it will be a great moment for 2023, it is hopefully the beginning step in what will be a sustained run for Garcia at the top of the AEW roster.

Garcia has put together an interesting run while in AEW. Not only just there, but beyond as he’s competed in multiple organizations in recent years. But what is clear is that Garcia is one of those talented individuals who can easily be identified as one of the best young talents in wrestling today. He came into All Elite Wrestling with the ability to put on a great match, those that were familiar with him already knew that. But thanks to his time with 2 point 0 and working under Chris Jericho, he’s quickly developed his character work to become a compelling personality as well.

There was a moment when it looked like AEW was ready to hitch a wagon to Garcia. He was carrying the Ring of Honor Pure Championship. The appearance was that he and Jericho were headed for a split. However, AEW made the switch and he took a back seat to Jericho and Sammy Guevara. This was an interesting switch because the fan base was hotly behind Garcia. That momentum cooled off a bit, but pitting him against Cole immediately re-ignited that flame.

Daniel Garcia works as a main event star

Now, the question of where this lead comes to mind. Cole is the hot hand, fans are ready to see a babyface version of him reach the top of the roster. Will that lead to a title run? Potentially, but the fact remains that Cole is a popular face in the company. Garcia will lose to Cole. Predictability has a place in professional wrestling and AEW does a great job capitalizing on that for moments that fans want to see. But that doesn’t mean that the book should be closed on Garcia.

Garcia may not be a “pillar” to All Elite Wrestling, but he’s a close second tier. A large contingent of his fans will argue that he has even more upside than some of those that are blessed with such a position. While that’s a debate for another piece, it’s clear that AEW would benefit from investing in a long-term push to see Garcia rise to the top of the AEW roster. Where does he fit within a roster that includes Jungle Boy, Powerhouse Hobbs, MJF, Ricky Starks, and many other young talents set to take over the future? That’s a big question to answer, but the answer is not to continue shelving him when his fan base looks for more.

AEW has a stacked roster, and that becomes, even more, the case when looking at those that are under the age of 30. Daniel Garcia stands near the top of the list regardless of age, and it’s time for AEW to strap the rocket to someone who can be the foundation of the future.