5 Potential Challengers For AEW’s TNT Championship

With the recent unveiling of the AEW TNT Championship at AEW Double Or Nothing 2020, and its inaugural victor Cody’s decree that he will be holding an open challenge on a weekly basis, the hype and excitement around the championship is already huge. Cody’s decision to promise to defend the championship weekly is a clever and understandable move, considering he has already performed on fifteen of the thirty-five previous episodes of AEW Dynamite, and is one of the most consistent wrestlers on the show.

It’s also reminiscent of WCW’s Television Championship and John Cena’s open challenge for his United States Championship, regular title defences allowing the title to grow in reputation and offer opportunities for unlikely challengers to get a chance in the spotlight, similarly to Cody’s matches with Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara and Jimmy Havoc. An extra wrinkle was added when Cody revealed on Twitter that the open challenge would include non-AEW talent, which has helped add to the hype and excitement around the championship.

Matt Cardona, formerly known as WWE’s Zack Ryder, has already hinted to taking the challenge, but below are some choices I feel could be beneficial to the company and audience.

 

Strong Hearts

During the inaugural press conference on January 3rd, 2019 when All Elite Wrestling was confirmed and several wrestlers were announced as joining, AEW also announced that there would be a working relationship with Chinese promotion Oriental Wrestling Entertainment. Their first appearance was at AEW Double Or Nothing 2019, where the trio team of Strong Hearts would lose an entertaining six-man match against the aforementioned SCU.

Since then, their appearances have actually been relatively few and far between, not helped by the ongoing pandemic this year. However, once the lockdown has ended and flights are allowed to begin again, this partnership could be quite suitable for this open challenge.

Having CIMA appear in his role as head coach could set up a fascinating three-week storyline, one where the first two weeks sees Cody battle against El Lindaman and T-Hawk in respective singles matches, before CIMA challenges Cody in the third and final week. This storyline could be beneficial to allowing the personalities of the three wrestlers, especially CIMA, to come to the forefront, as well as allow Lindaman and T-Hawk an opportunity to stand out individually, as opposed to their normal trio appearances.

It would also allow for future opportunities where other OWE roster members could appear in an attempt to avenge/impress their mentor CIMA and allow Cody to wrestle in a different style to normal.

 

Laredo Kid/Dr Wagner Jr

A month on from their inaugural press conference, AEW held a second where they not only released tickets for AEW Double or Nothing, but also revealed a second partnership, this time with Mexican promotion Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. The majority of this partnership has had The Young Bucks and the Lucha Brothers battling over the AAA World Tag Team Titles at two of AEW’s PPVs last year with Kenny Omega also defending his AAA Mega Title twice on AEW television.

The potential for this partnership could make future tours in Mexico a possibility, which could allow for several of the AAA roster to appear on Dynamite, helping increase knowledge of AAA beyond just their home country and also expand AEW into Mexico. This would be a financially beneficial position for both sides and could lead to some excellent new match-ups for Cody.

Laredo Kid has actually featured for AEW previously, having teaming with the Lucha Brothers in a losing effort against The Elite, so he could easily justify wanting to beat The Elite’s friend Cody. As AAA’s current World Cruiserweight Champion, there may be a requirement for either an unclean or non-finish, such as a twenty minute draw, possibly in the vein of NWA World Champions visiting other regions, but this could be a great opportunity to showcase a popular Mexican star in their home country during a tour.

During their time in Mexico, AEW could also feature possible free agent and Mexican legend Dr Wagner Jr, who left AAA earlier this year. Wagner has currently transitioned in the last few years into the unmasked Rey Wagner, but has never featured in an American promotion, but the shock of a Mexican legend appearing to battle Cody could definitely create interest.

 

David Arquette/Stephen Amell

Going down a different route, in an attempt to really increase the feeling of unpredictability (like WWE did with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn answering Cena’s challenge), and to generate some mainstream attention, AEW could have two possible surprise reveals. The first could be to feature David Arquette, who since 2018 has returned to professional wrestling in a respectful attempt to make up for his original run in WCW. During the last two years, he has wrestled semi-regularly for Bar Wrestling, including matches with current AEW roster members Colt Cabana and Jungle Boy, as well as a match with Timothy Thatcher and a Death Match with the maniacal Nick Gage of GCW at Joey Janela’s LA Confidential, which left Arquette with injuries and substantial bleeding.

While the publicity involved would be beneficial for AEW, it might also be the opportunity that Arquette has been looking for to fulfil his aim of finally ridding himself of the shame he feels for his original run in WCW (one that was despite his good intentions). It could also be quite amazing to see the reactions on Twitter if David Arquette were to walk out for a match.

For another opportunity, there is renowned wrestling fan Stephen Amell, who has previously appeared for WWE and Ring of Honor, as well as impressing in a losing effort against Christopher Daniels at All In. Amell has gained a reputation for impressive physical abilities and athleticism during his eight years portraying Oliver Queen in Arrow, which officially ended in January 2020, and Amell has used his popularity to headline a Starz television show called Heels, set in the world of independent professional wrestling.

Amell even tweeted Cody after the announcement, asking if he wanted to help, and production is likely to begin in 2020. With the connection already there, and Amell already proving himself a successful crossover, it would be madness to not take advantage, especially if it were to coincide with any major announcements or even, the premiere of the first episode.

 

Josh Barnett/Game Changer Wrestling

Game Changer Wrestling is a New Jersey-based company with a reputation for hardcore wrestling and shoot-style MMA matches, having previously featured names such as Matt Riddle, QT Marshall, Nick Gage, and specifically Joey Janela. The last three years has seen Janela host an annual Spring Break event, where he promoted and booked the entire event to great popularity, and, in fact, Janela’s AEW contract was designed so he could continue to take independent dates, specifically GCW.

Having a crossover with GCW through their partnership with Janela could offer an interesting opportunity to have Cody defend the championship in more shoot-style or hardcore matches, possibly even including a match with former CZW alumni and GCW mainstay Nick Gage. However, the biggest opportunity would be with the man meant to face AEW’s current World Champion Jon Moxley at Bloodsport 4, Josh Barnett.

A former MMA fighter who has participated in UFC, PRIDE and is currently signed to Bellator MMA, Barnett defines himself as a catch wrestler and has a record of 35 wins to 8 losses. However, he also has a successful history in professional wrestling, having participated in over fifty matches for New Japan and is the current host of GCW’s Bloodsport event, having wrested renowned hard-man Minoru Suzuki to a time limit draw.

He also has a history of answering open challenges, having answered an open challenge by TNA’s World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley on an episode of TNA Impact in a losing effort. Seeing as he already has a connection with Janela and Moxley, a history of answering open challenges and a reputation for a solid wrestling career, it could be a mutually beneficial decision to have him challenge Cody for the TNT Championship.

 

David Starr

AEW’s next PPV is the second edition of Fyter Fest and was recently revealed to have been originally planned to occur in London, England this year, but was made impossible due to the pandemic. However, Khan has confirmed that once possible, there are plans to feature a PPV in England, something that offers tremendous opportunity for AEW as they could utilise local English talent on either Dynamite or Dark. If AEW were to feature in London, I feel the biggest and most surprising choice would be Mr. Independent himself, David Starr.

The current OTT World Champion, Starr has apparently found himself blacklisted from both PROGRESS, having not appeared since Chapter #100 despite a seeming ready-made feud with new PROGRESS Champion and NXT UK-affiliated Eddie Dennis, and Germany-based Westside Xtreme Wrestling, WWE’s latest partner. In March of this year, Starr lost to WXW Unified World Wrestling Champion Bobby Gunns and had his career ended with WXW in the process, hinting that WWE were behind the decision.

With his earnest but controversial comments and his beliefs of unionisation in wrestling, Starr creates interest anywhere he goes, but backs it up with excellent technical wrestling and an ability to draw the crowd in. To have the scourge of the WWE show up at a London show, where he has gained a huge following, to challenge Cody in a one-off match, is the sort of finger-on-the-pulse decision that could increase AEW’s relevance to an ever growing jaded wrestling community. Plus, the idea of a twenty minute time limit draw between Starr and Cody is a concept I would love to see.

These are five different options for AEW to take to utilise their claims of allowing non-AEW contracted wrestlers to challenge for the AEW TNT Championship, whether through their partnerships with OWE and AAA, a possible future partnership with GCW and mainstream actors or a one-off special featuring a wrestler who generates interest and controversy everywhere they go.

There are plenty of other possibilities: newly released wrestlers who take the advantage to get some notice; local wrestlers during any tours AEW take in other countries; the opportunities are endless and it’s the very fact that there is so many possibilities that I find myself excited to see where this title reign takes us. But first of all, Cody has to get past the winner of the Number One Contender’s Battle Royal, Jungle Boy.