Jim Ross Wants To See Guys Who Actually Look Like Pro Wrestlers Featured On AEW Television

[Rollie Forbes]

Jim Ross believes Powerhouse Hobbs and Wardlow could perhaps be used more consistently by AEW. JR did a a K&S WrestleFest virtual signing and during the conversation, he was asked who in AEW might underutilized.

“Probably Powerhouse Hobbs,” Ross said (per Fightful). “I’d like to see more, consistently, more of him and Wardlow. Two guys I have my eyes on.”

He continued, “We have a lot of guys who are really close to breaking through to the next level, which is great. They’re learning and getting better. That’s their obligation. They work a great schedule. They have a chance to work out, train, and take care of their bodies when they’re off. They don’t travel as much as other companies. I like where we’re headed as far as the young guys are concerned.”

 

[Wolfpac]

He’s not wrong.

Hobbs has definitely been misused horribly.

 

[Cattle Mutilation]

Not much of a Wardlow fan to be honest.

 

[Metal Face]

Wardlow is cooked

TK's trash booking cooled him off when he was hot last year

 

[Hey_zeus]

They've been booked into the ground. Boffem

 

[dh86]

They both have woeful speaking ability and won’t ever be good enough in the ring like Gunther or Brock. Tony wants to protect 30+ people on his roster from taking losses when the midcard needs to be fighting each other and trading wins and losses & getting better.

 

[Jmare007]

I feel Wardlow needs a year working Japan to get a more appealing in ring style. Or go to Mexico and get a more appealing gimmick/personality. Once that happens AEW could really evaluate what they have in their hands. I don't see dude improving from the level he's at right now by staying in AEW. And if he stays at this level, he should not sniff a bigger push than what he has already gotten.

Hobbs on the other hand truly needs a showcase so I'm all for him being a big player in Collision.

 

[Cattle Mutilation]

I feel Wardlow needs a year working Japan to get a more appealing in ring style. Or go to Mexico and get a more appealing gimmick/personality. Once that happens AEW could really evaluate what they have in their hands. I don't see dude improving from the level he's at right now by staying in AEW. And if he stays at this level, he should not sniff a bigger push than what he has already gotten.

Hobbs on the other hand truly needs a showcase so I'm all for him being a big player in Collision.

I’m sure it’s not the case but Wardlow just seems like a guy that wants to be pushed but isn’t doing anything to improve or change.

I feel like that’s where a guy like Arn and the coaches needs to step in behind the scenes and give him the business. If he doesn’t want to listen then move on from him.

He hasn’t been booked well post-MJF match and MJF fukked him over too, which certainly hasn’t helped, but he’s got to put in the work too.

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

Need more meat in the ring

 

[Jmare007]

I’m sure it’s not the case but Wardlow just seems like a guy that wants to be pushed but isn’t doing anything to improve or change.

I feel like that’s where a guy like Arn and the coaches needs to step in behind the scenes and give him the business. If he doesn’t want to listen then move on from him.

He hasn’t been booked well post-MJF match and MJF fukked him over too, which certainly hasn’t helped, but he’s got to put in the work too.

The MJF stuff hurt him, sure, but he was still never going to be able to keep that momentum at his current level. I have no idea if the guy putts in the effort needed to improve but most wrestlers need to work in different enviroments/promotions and in front of different crowds before really understanding how to do the job at a higher level. It's very rare that wrestlers are able to figure that out in just 1 promotion, and Wardlow for sure doesn't look like a guy that can be an exception to the rule.

 

[Rollie Forbes]

I feel Wardlow needs a year working Japan to get a more appealing in ring style. Or go to Mexico and get a more appealing gimmick/personality. Once that happens AEW could really evaluate what they have in their hands. I don't see dude improving from the level he's at right now by staying in AEW. And if he stays at this level, he should not sniff a bigger push than what he has already gotten.

Hobbs on the other hand truly needs a showcase so I'm all for him being a big player in Collision.

Mexico is the last place that Wardlow should go, IMO. Creh leaves the mat too much as it is, he doesn't need to add anymore dives or flips to his moveset (word to Lance Archer).

I think Wardlow would be better served if he could learn to work like a hoss and focus on power moves. They need to send dude to MLW or Impact and let him get his head knocked off by Moose or Alex Hammerstone for a while.

You're right about Hobbs. Breh already has the talent, he just needs some regular tv time so that he can go to the next level.

 

[Cattle Mutilation]

The MJF stuff hurt him, sure, but he was still never going to be able to keep that momentum at his current level. I have no idea if the guy putts in the effort needed to improve but most wrestlers need to work in different enviroments/promotions and in front of different crowds before really understanding how to do the job at a higher level. It's very rare that wrestlers are able to figure that out in just 1 promotion, and Wardlow for sure doesn't look like a guy that can be an exception to the rule.

The man never should have given up working the indies after coming to AEW. He only had 83 matches over 6 years in the indies prior to coming to AEW. He has 175 career matches. A typical NJPW wrestler or a WWE wrestler who goes on the house show circuits does that in two full years or less.

Most of the younger/newer wrestlers in AEW who have actually improved are the ones still putting in work on the indies. Sky Blue, Acclaimed, Daniel Garcia, Top Flight, Lee Moriarity are a few that come to mind.

Many of the ones that came to AEW and just acted like they were made men/women because they were getting paid a lot are the same or only barely better than they were before they signed to AEW. Like Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, HOOK, Luchasaurus, and Jade to name a few.

Just because you got to a big promotion and make a lot of money doesn't excuse you from not working to improve your craft.

 

[VegetasHairline]

Wardlow could have been AEW's version of Goldberg, but as always, Tony Khan messed it all up.

 

[Jmare007]

Many of the ones that came to AEW and just acted like they were made men/women because they were getting paid a lot are the same or only barely better than they were before they signed to AEW. Like Darby Allin, Jungle Boy, HOOK, Luchasaurus, and Jade to name a few.

Just because you got to a big promotion and make a lot of money doesn't excuse you from not working to improve your craft.

Jade is another example of that, she needs to work everywhere for 1-2 years and she'll probably be set for life in terms of being a performer, the only thing she lacks is reps and experiencing new crowds and environments.

Darby did put in the work though, he worked a ton places for 3-4 years before getting the AEW gig.

Not familiar with the rest to have a serious opinion about their prior work.

 

[Jmare007]

Wardlow could have been AEW's version of Goldberg, but as always, Tony Khan messed it all up.

You give Wardlow the full Goldberg push and AEW fans would get pissed off at him and the company like it was WWE.

And Wardlow doesn't have 1/4 of the presence of Goldberg, and not even close to the charisma.