Wardlow said that the AEW Universe would all be in his world at some point, and he solidified that claim by defeating his evil boss, MJF, and winning the coveted and prestigious AEW TNT Championship. It is not as common for a dominant ‘big guy’ to be a great babyface and resonate with the fanbase as well as Wardlow has done in his career. He is truly a special prospect for the division, and no one should ever blink during his matches because he might just squash every opponent that comes his way in seconds with his patented Powerbombs. Nonetheless, as a fighting champion, he still has a lot to prove.
Indeed, Wardlow is still in the early stages of his title reign. Henceforth, it is unlikely that he will lose the title anytime soon, especially since he is still quite green and needs time to get his feet wet in the mid card before transitioning to the main event scene. With that being said, Wardlow needs some competition that will get him ready for the main event scene once he drops the title. He ran through Orange Cassidy last week on Dynamite’s Fyter Fest. However, that’s not enough. The following will identify and expound on three brand new opponents for AEW TNT Champion Wardlow.
3.) Andrade El Idolo
Andrade El Idolo has not been involved in anything important since joining the AEW roster. His run in this company has been a major dud. He is way too talented to be wasted week after week, so he should at least be contending for the TNT Title at some point in order to showcase his talents and potentially help create a story that matters. Due to the lackluster momentum Andrade currently holds, he has no business dethroning Wardlow right now. However, a match between them could be fun and help remind the fanbase why Andrade should continue to be in the conversation for title opportunities.
2.) Christian Cage
Christian Cage recently turned heel on Jungle Boy. Once Christian solidifies his heel turn and finally avenges Jungle Boy for eliminating him from the Casino Battle Royal at AEW Double or Nothing 2021, he will move on to a ‘one more’ singles title opportunity. His ability to outwork everyone could mesh well with Wardlow’s power in the ring. Christian will either put Wardlow over here as an even bigger monster or go on a massive heel run with the TNT Title to put over Jungle Boy for the babyface payoff in a rematch down the line. It would be long term booking at its finest.
1.) Adam Cole
Adam Cole is the ideal heel to topple Wardlow for the TNT Championship. He already contended for the AEW World Championship against Hangman Adam Page earlier this year and failed to capture the title. Although Cole is a renowned main eventer, it would not hurt to see him make the mid card championship as prestigious as the world title. Cole has that ability to make anything work in pro wrestling due to his versatility and undeniable talent. Also, he still has yet to solidify his victory in the Owen Hart Tournament with a championship victory. This would be the ideal spot for him right now.
Conclusion
What happens in Wardlow’s world stays in Wardlow’s world. Although all three opponents may seem like major threats to his title reign, Wardlow should not lose that title anytime this year. The mid card is vast in AEW, so these three opponents should merely be PPV opponents. Wardlow has a plethora of enhancement talent that he can run through on weekly shows in order to prove his dominance as a fighting champion and prove his worth as a future main event player. His story is just getting started, and it is time for him to finally fulfill his own dreams as champion rather than live in someone else’s shadow.
