All Elite Wrestling tags itself as “Where the Best Wrestle.” In the company’s early years especially, it seemed as if everyone in industry was seeking a contract for the fresh startup. Being granted a weekly primetime TV slot, the company offered an alternate creative vision and substantial pay in a line of work that has a history of underpaying talent. From the outside, AEW seemed like greener pastures to those whose careers might’ve stagnated in other organizations.
A variety of factors can contribute to a rising star’s push being stymied, such as injuries or a change in booking direction. More often than not, these are elements out of their power in spite of the talents they may possess. Not everyone is meant to be a star, but there were certain talent served to the company on a silver platter ready to be exposed to a global audience. But for one reason or another, things didn’t turn out as they could’ve. Here are three wrestlers who were fumbled by AEW.
Wardlow
Debuting as the contracted backup to MJF, Wardlow was positioned as a strong-but-silent equalizer who’d tip the scales in favor of the Salt of the Earth when things got hot. With a domineering physique and understated charisma, fan support would grow over weeks of mistreatment by the hands of his client. This continued until their breakup at Revolution 2022 and the build to their clash at the following pay-per-view saw Wardlow become one of the hottest acts in the company.
In what should’ve been his breakout moment, Wardlow’s victory in the opener of Double or Nothing played second-fiddle to backstage controversy surrounding MJF’s potential walkout of the show. Wardlow would stay in the TNT Championship picture, booked in oddball angles involving Mark Sterling and a handicap match involving twenty security guards.
Plateauing in the midcard until the end of the following year, Wardlow was revealed as one of the masked men in the infamous storyline between MJF and The Devil. During a year long hiatus due to knee injury, he was quietly cut from the Undisputed Kingdom. At this year’s Forbidden Door, he returned to television having joined the Don Callis Family. This wouldn’t amount to much, as he suffered a torn pectoral muscle during the PPV and currently sits on the shelf in recovery.
Wardlow’s singles ascension came at a troubled time for the company, having lost its World Champion CM Punk due to a freak injury and MJF spending the summer off TV. Since then, he’s fallen victim to a lack of creative direction and injuries forcing any momentum of his to be moot. For someone who fashioned himself as a free man upon release from servitude, Wardlow finds himself as a background player more than he may realize. At 37 years old and injury-prone, one must wonder what the future holds for Mr. Mayhem next time he emerges.
Kamille
Kamille’s claim to fame pre–AEW was her time in the National Wrestling Alliance, being the enforcer of Nick Aldis upon her debut in 2018. A brief partnership between the NWA and AEW saw Kamille make an appearance as NWA World Women’s Champion at the 2021 Dynamite: Homecoming broadcast.
Reports of Kamille’s signing with AEW hit the online sphere in April 2024, revealing she had been on the company’s payroll since February. She debuted in the summer at Blood & Guts as an associate of Mercedes Moné where she laid out Britt Baker. She’d go on to wrestle seven matches between July and November, mostly consisting of brief squashes before losing her most recent to Kris Statlander. In her last on-screen appearance with the company, Kamille separated from Moné and turned face during an interview segment for the Thanksgiving Eve Dynamite special.
As of writing, she’s still listed on the company’s roster and no indications have been made of her departure. Kamille carries presence thanks to her physique and could benefit any act seeking a heater, no matter their gender. Her role in the NWA laid a formula for what her partnership with Moné could’ve been like, yet that failed to materialize. At only 33 years old, she could bounce back and find a spot on the card if the company gave her the opportunity.
Malakai Black
Following his sudden release from the WWE in June 2021, Malakai Black returned to wrestling a month later in a surprise debut at night one of AEW’s Fyter Fest event. Emerging from the darkness, Black left an impact having roundhoused Arn Anderson and Cody Rhodes. Fans were ecstatic to have seen Black, this being the first show in AEW’s return to national touring and him having spent the previous months mostly sidelined.
Black squashed Rhodes in quick fashion at Dynamite: Homecoming, laying him out afterwards when the American Nightmare left his boots in the ring. After beating Cody again at the first Grand Slam show, Black took his first loss a fortnight later after Rhodes performed a Tiger Driver ‘98 in a bloody encounter. While Black continued to make appearances for the company in the next few years, he never carried the same air about him following this loss. Even after forming the House of Black, he struggled to break out beyond the midcard into the main event role many had penned him for.
In February of this year, news broke of Black’s departure and he’d rejoin the WWE soon after. Like other ex-WWE Superstars who’ve become All Elite, Black’s time became mired in dirt sheet speculation regarding his contract status and backstage reputation. Namely, reporters believed Black to have been selective about taking losses and was trying to maneuver his way to an early release. He also experienced hiatuses due to his health, especially regarding his back and mental well-being. It’s a shame that things didn’t end up working out between Black and AEW, as he seemed like a shoe-in for World Champion upon his debut.