6 AEW Stars To Be Repackaged

As AEW continues to evolve in its own brand of athletic storytelling, so do the characters that make up the heart of the brand.

With some having found success with their current characters to others that have gone a bit stale, there are some AEW stars that could use a refresh.

Here are six AEW stars that could use a character reinvention by way of being repackaged on TV.

6. Anthony Bowens

Since the breakup of The Acclaimed, Max Caster has gone on to his ‘Best Wrestler Alive’ gimmick, but we need to talk about Anthony Bowens.

Bowens not only has the individual charisma and connection with the audience to be a singles star, but his athletic abilities make him an asset in the ring as well.

A natural babyface that fans love to cheer for, Bowens has energy that is not all that common in AEW – pure likeability.

Anthony Bowens absolutely deserves a singles run in AEW to truly show off what he is capable of in the ring and on the mic.

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5. Wardlow

Another AEW star that remains missing in action is Wardlow. He was last seen on AEW TV over a year ago losing a match against Samoa Joe via referee decision at Big Business on March 13, 2024.

Without a clear timeline on how long he is signed to AEW, there was a note from fellow AEW star Matt Taven that Wardlow was recovering from a knee injury.

Whenever he makes his return, Wardlow could do with a repackaging since he technically may still be a member of the now defunct heel version of the Undisputed Kingdom.

In a group as their heavy handed enforcer or just destroying men alone as a singles star, it would be great to see Wardlow back in the ring.

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4. Dark Order

There are three members of the Dark Order that are still together – Alex Reynolds, John Silver and Evil Uno – but they haven’t had an interesting storyline in a while.

While Reynolds and Silver are typically tag team partners, Silver has not had any matches in AEW in 2025 so far.

Reynolds has appeared in ROH, where he has most recently been teaming with Evil Uno under the Dark Order banner.

All three stars could benefit from a refresh moving forward whether they are together as a group or individuals.

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3. FTR

While there is seemingly a character pivot underway with Dax Harwood showing off an angrier side as of late, the FTR tag team could still use a repackage.

The perpetual good guys have been fan favorites in AEW, but of late, have bounced between alliances and storylines too much to have a legitimate moment of their own.

Believable as legitimate real-life rebels, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood have the incredibly rare ability to galvanize fans behind them to potentially take on a heel authority figure.

The history between FTR and the Young Bucks is deep enough that the four could easily create a magical reinvention of the classic wrestling trope – badass versus the boss.

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2. Jack Perry

While he already went from ‘Jungle Boy’ to ‘Scapegoat’, it might be time for a new character refresh for Jack Perry.

While the former AEW TNT Champion has been absent from in-ring competition in AEW since losing the title to Daniel Garcia back at Full Gear in November 2024, he has still be in action elsewhere.

He had a losing bout at the NJPW/CMLL/AEW crossover Wrestle Dynasty for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title against Yota Tsuji but has yet to return to AEW TV in 2025.

Perhaps the new year will bring a new character for Perry who could leave the broken down short bus behind for a similarly luxurious jet-set life enjoyed by the Young Bucks.

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1. Chris Jericho

With crowds continuing to provide a mixture of boos and woos for Chris Jericho, perhaps his ‘Learning Tree’ gimmick has run its course since neither emotion is particularly evocative.

That doesn’t mean that Jericho will actually fade away from the spotlight, but rather has an opportunity to reinvent himself yet again.

What if Jericho’s entire character became his “retirement”, embarking on an extended farewell tour but with a catch.

He could refuse to reveal when that retirement will be, setting up an endless number of years of hijinks and chicanery in the name of ‘he’s retiring soon’ and/or finally announces a retirement match… only to change his mind after the fact and refuse to leave.

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