On the August 27 episode of AEW Dynamite, Daniel Garcia wrestled Jon Moxley to a close match. The former AEW World Champion needed to sneak out a victory by rolling Garcia up in a package to get the win. After, Garcia showed frustration with Daddy Magic and the camera operator following him to the back. This seems to point toward Garcia going through another character shift due to his recent string of losses. If that is the direction, it needs to come with the major push that hasn’t quite developed for the young performer.
At 26 years old, Daniel Garcia is considered one of the best young performers in the business. That’s an amazing position to have, as he has only eight years of experience. Yet, he stands out as someone that any company could build around and develop a star for years to come.
There have been times when it seemed like All Elite Wrestling was ready to strap that proverbial rocket to Garcia’s back. Back in 2022, he and Bryan Danielson split a pair of matches, with many thinking this was going to lead him to turn on Chris Jericho and take the Ring of Honor World Championship. That didn’t happen, as he returned to Jericho, as he was once again trapped in the Jericho Vortex. Then there was his run in the 2023 Continental Classic. Garcia’s entire run was about losing, until he was finally able to get his lone victory over Brody King.
Even during his 2024 feud against MJF, Daniel Garcia was over big with the fans, but he didn’t pick up the big victory that would have catapulted him into the main event scene. Garcia remains one of those guys on the cusp, but how long can he remain there before being overlooked one time too many?
That’s the real question fans have. Garcia re-signed with AEW in 2024, and that should still be considered the right move. WWE isn’t doing well when it comes to booking AEW stars, not named Cody Rhodes, and it is hard to see them giving Garcia a strong push if he were there. He seems to be on the short list of performers who are the “future” of AEW, but how far off is that future?
If Daniel Garcia is truly going to turn heel again, he needs to go on a run that leads to some championship. Which title? There’s no telling, as many are wrapped up in long-term angles or on people who are expected to have long runs. Daniel Garcia’s time is coming. At least that is what everyone who is watching hopes to see.