Tossing Salt Presents:
Stay or Go: An In-Depth Analysis of the Full Rosters of AEW & The WWE
AEW Women & Non-Wrestlers
November 12. 2022
DougMaynard.com

Over on YouTube on the Jim Cornette podcast, The Jim Cornette Experience, the esteemed wrestling historian and legend, Mr. Jim Cornette, along with co-host Brian Last, took a very detailed look at the entire roster of All Elite Wrestling. They tried to determine, one by one, if the talents on the roster were worthy of being part of AEW and having a wrestling contract for a national promotion. It was a very insightful and interesting listen and you should go check it out.

And it got me wondering. I’m no Jim Cornette, but I’ve been told I’m a good judge of talent and have a good mind for the business. If I was to take a look down the line at the AEW roster and each talent, what would I do with them? Keep them? Fire them? Teach them how to do the hokey-pokey and shake it all about. Well, there is only one way to find out. So starting now and over the next few days, we’re going down the lists of the AEW and WWE rosters. I will look at each person and give my take, in a few words, as to the potential they have and if I would suggest keeping them, letting them go, finding a different role for them, or what. This should be fun.

So buckle up the safety belts and get ready for a wild ride. We’re finishing here with the women of AEW, as well as the non-wrestler personalities that frequent our TV screen when AEW is on the air. After this, we’ll move on to the WWE. But for now, let’s wrap up AEW. And away we go.

Women & Non-Wrestlers

Abadon: This one doesn’t use pronouns and I’m not sure if he/she/it is a man, a woman, or whatever. Politically correct doesn’t work for me and the wrestling I’ve seen from this animal/vegetable/mineral doesn’t work for me either. They’re gone.

“The Bunny” Allie: She looks good, but what else does she do? Her wrestling skills are not impressive, nor do they seem to be getting any better. She’s gone.

Anna Jay: I like her even though her talents in that ring are lacking a bit. She has potential and seems to be trying to get better. She stays for now.

Athena: As a performer, she’s good. WWE could have used her much better. I think she might have a bit of an attitude problem, being unnecessarily stiff in that ring, so that would have to be addressed. But I’d keep her.

Diamante: Is she even on the roster? I remember seeing her work an NWA show a while back, but I didn’t know she was All Elite as well. She’s a good worker. I’d keep her and use her more often if possible.

Dr. Britt Baker DMD: A good wrestler and one of the top women on the AEW roster. And unlike most of the other women, she can actually work, talk, and have a good match. She’s staying.

Email Sakura: Who? I think this is one of Kenny Omega’s pet projects. She’s gone.

Hikaru Shida: Look at what I said about Sakura. The same applies here. She’s gone.

Jade Cargill: I wasn’t a fan of hers to start, but she is getting better and adds a lot to the AEW product. She stays.

Jamie Hayter: She’s not the best, but she has shown glimpses of getting better and having some good matches. She has work to do, but I’d keep her around.

Julia Hart: From what I’ve seen, I’m not impressed. She’s gone.

Kiera Hogan: This lady, if used correctly, can wrestle and be a strong talent for AEW. They haven’t really used her much as of yet, but she deserves that spot on the roster and I’d keep her.

Kris Statlander: A talented performer who can wrestle, talk, and hold her own with anyone. I’d keep her.

Leila Grey: Who? I had to look her up to even see who she is. She’s out of here.

Leva Bates: See Leila Grey. The same applies here. She’s gone.

Leyla Hirsch: I’ve seen her wrestle a few times with Impact and the NWA, but I didn’t know that she was part of the AEW roster too. She’s a good worker. Keep her.

Madison Rayne: Rayne had a great career as part of Impact Wrestling and can actually work a good match, talk, tell a story, and do everything needed to take a match or opponent to the next level. Thus far, AEW has used her as a jobber. She deserves better. I’d keep her.

Mercedes Martinez: A good performer, but a little injury prone or so it seems. But with AEW, that tends to happen a lot. They need some good agents/trainers to slow everyone down a bit. Mercedes is a woman who can do it all. She stays.

Nyla Rose: A decent worker who has charisma and stands out from the pack. She’s a keeper.

Paige VanZant: A great look and legitimate background, but she wrestled what? One match? And then she vanished. She doesn’t want to be in AEW and she adds nothing to the product. She’s gone.

Penelope Ford: She’s not much of a wrestler, but she does well as a valet and completes the package with Kip Sabian. I’d keep her as part of AEW, but only to use as a valet, nothing more.

Rebel, not Reba: Just her name confuses me. She’s got potential and seems solid in the ring. I’d keep her, but expect some improvement over the next six months, or her employment would be re-evaluated.

Red Velvet: She’s the Eva Marie of AEW. She’s gone.

Riho: She weighs what? 85 pounds? One of Kenny Omega’s pet projects. She’s gone.

Ruby Soho: WWE dropped the ball with Ruby and she has the talent and skills to be a big star for AEW, just so long as she’s not getting awkwardly dropped on her head. Ruby stays and gets a big push.

Saraya: I’m torn on this one because I don’t think she should be wrestling again, especially not in AEW, where the talents are so careless so often. But that being said, she’s a good wrestler, has a good personality, and is very popular with the fans. I’d keep her, but try to limit her in-ring episodes as much as possible.

Serena Deeb: She is awesome and has a job for as long as she wants one, be it in the ring, behind the scenes as a coach, trainer, producer, or whatever she wants. She stays.

Tay Melo: She’s okay in the ring, but her best talent is drawing heat and working as a valet with Sammy. I’d keep her.

Thunder Rosa: I like her and think she is a good performer and more importantly, has charisma and a personality. She’s safe.

Toni Storm: She’s a good worker with a good look and good mic skills as well. She’s not a Charlotte Flair, but she can hold her own and have some good matches. I’d keep her.

Willow Nightingale: This woman is a strong performer who has really made an impact with the NWA and Impact Wrestling. She’s a recent addition to AEW and looking to make her mark. I’d definitely keep her around and see what she can do. She stays.

Yuka Sakazaki: Another one of Omega’s playthings. She’s gone.

Managers/Non Wrestlers

Alex Abrahantes: A Lucha manager for Luchadore wrestlers. As I’ve said repeatedly, if AEW ran shows in Mexico or South America, he would be great. They don’t and he’s somewhat irreverent as a result. He’s gone.

Arn Anderson: A Hall of Famer and one of the Original Four Horsemen, why AEW doesn’t have Arn all over their television, I have no idea. He’s under contract, but they don’t use him. I’d have Arn as a coach, an announcer, a manager, making statements for management, or anything he wants to do. It’s Arn freaking Anderson. He should be managing, aside from son Brock, add Brian Pillman Jr. & Griff to the mix. He stays.

Dan Lambert: Lambert was very impressive as an old-school style manager and he was great at getting heat. And then he just vanished. What is up with that? Lambert is money. He stays.

Don Callis: Helping with creative, Callis would be a big asset for the company. But there is that Omega connection and that makes a big difference. He’s gone.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts: Jake Roberts is a legendary wrestler and Hall of Famer, but he brings absolutely nothing to the table as the manager for Lance Archer. He’s gone.

Jose Garcia: If Andrade is gone, which he would be, what does AEW need with his manager? They don’t. He’s gone.

Mark Henry: Mark is an announcer and has name recognition, but when did he last actually do commentary for a show? I can’t remember. I like Mark, but I’d probably let him go.

Mark Sterling: He’s annoying, but has the potential to be a very good manager. He stays.

Negative 1: It’s Brodie Lee Jr. He’s more of a mascot than anything else, but he’s a good kid. I like the way that Tony Khan and AEW are looking out for Brodie’s family. He stays.

Stokely Hathaway: He’s another good old-school style of the manager. I like him. He makes me laugh. He stays.

Taz: I’m torn here because Taz does nothing for me and never has, but he’s a good commentator. I’d keep him around.

Vickie Guerrero: Excuse me! Vickie Guerrero. She’s a Guerrero. She’s staying.

William Regal: Tony Khan should step back and William Regal should be the on-screen face of AEW. Be it a manager, coach, agent, member of creative, or whatever he is willing to do, Regal definitely stays.

And there you go. That’s the end of AEW and my thoughts on the men, women, and others that work there. I’m exhausted. Damn you, Cornette. Coming up next, it’s the WWE and the talents of RAW and Smackdown. Watch for it.

And with those words, it’s time to close up for now. My thanks for reading. Comments, thoughts, and any questions are welcome and very appreciated. Subscribe to the blog and share. That would be greatly appreciated as well. And with that, I’m out of here. Keep your eyes open for more as this epic journey continues. I’ll catch you later and see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!