5 AEW stars who can hand Hook his first loss
AEW is all in on the Hook Hype Train. Since debuting on Rampage against Fuego Del Sol in a squash match, the upstart has thoroughly impressed fans worldwide.
The Team Taz member looks like he just rolled out of bed, but his grappling skills have taken the AEW audience by surprise. Rampage has slowly become “The Hook Show,” with the young star bulldozing his way through opponents on Friday Nights.
Hook's praise from the wrestling industry has been far and wide. Even wrestling veteran Jim Cornette professes to be a fan and has offered his opinion on how AEW should book Taz's son going forward.
"If you did it every week, then you would expect him to imminently be involved with something, which would be a little fast for him because he’s brand new. If he comes out every three weeks and has a match like that and it’s maybe excerpted or video highlighted or talked about in a training packing, or a promo, or a b-roll over a 30-second interview on a show in the middle?"
The former manager wants Tony Khan to feature the young star prominently on AEW programming.
"You keep him out there and you keep people aware of his presence without shoving him down their throats because the weekly wins are for guys you bring in to get over to use now; and that’s not a guy that’s had two matches. So it needs to be a little slower, a little more drawn out, and you don’t want to [do that]," Jim Cornette said.
The undefeated Hook is now on a collision course to face Danhausen. He was recently confronted backstage by the Very Evil One during the latest edition of Rampage. The latter was backstage destroying a packet of chips when Hook spotted him during an interview.
He was clearly fed up with Danhausen and pushed him back into the wall. The Handsome Devil then spoke for the first time on AEW television, saying that Danhausen had his attention now. While it might not be logical for Danhausen to defeat Hook, who else could realistically hand the young star his first loss?
#5. Former AEW TNT Champion Sammy Guevara
Tonight I get one more chance at undisputed gold. #Destiny #AEWBOTB2 https://t.co/4BneSVIOFN
Former TNT Champion Sammy Guevara and real-life girlfriend Tay Conti are fast becoming the most detestable heel couple in AEW. Judging by the crowd's adverse reaction to the duo every week, imagine the rub they would get if Guevara were to hand Hook his first loss.
The Spanish God lost his TNT Championship for the third time after coming up short against Scorpio Sky in their ladder match main event on Dynamite. It seems like he won't be able to figure into the championship picture for the time being.
Putting Hook up against the former Inner Circle original will make for a great clash of styles. Grappler vs. high-flyer. Technique vs. finesse.
Hook's debut was against Fuego Del Sol, a wrestler who sold for his offense brilliantly and who was similar to Sammy in many ways. Not only can Sammy replicate the same performance, but it's also guaranteed that the crowd will get into it and root for both men.
#4. Fellow Team Taz member AEW's Ricky Starks
Team Taz's run in AEW has been a hit and miss so far. There were high hopes for the faction when Brian Cage, Ricky Starks, and Powerhouse Hobbs first joined forces with ECW legend Taz as the mouthpiece. Sadly, Cage barely appears on television, while Starks is the only one holding gold as the unrecognized FTW Champion.
However, Ricky does seem like the most likely breakout star in the group. He has it all: the look, wrestling ability, and natural charisma. Some AEW fans even pointed out his passing resemblance to The Rock.
Starks is obviously not on the level of The Great One yet, but the wrestler has all the tools to be the next big thing in AEW. But in terms of popularity, Hook has overtaken him in this regard. It is also interesting to note that Starks and Hobbs have remained heels while Hook is quite clearly a babyface.
This could cause friction between the two Team Taz members down the road and end up in a blow-off match. The battle between Starks and Hook could make for intriguing television, especially if Starks is the one to end Hook's winning streak.
#3. Adam Cole
Adam Cole needs to regain momentum after unsuccessfully challenging Hangman Adam Page for the AEW World Championship. On top of that, he was caught in the middle of a cold war between the Young Bucks and ReDragon.
The Panama City Playboy needs a couple of statement victories as he turns his attention towards Double or Nothing and the Forbidden Door event. The best way to garner instant heel heat is by handing Hook a shocking defeat.
Cole is higher up the food chain than Hook, and a budding rivalry between the two will surely elevate the young star. Win or lose; the Handsome Devil has a chance to showcase his abilities against the former NXT Champion.
Adam already has experience guiding a rookie to a decent match, judging by his previous bout against current SmackDown commentator Pat McAfee. Hook will definitely benefit from their encounter, especially if he gets a win in return.
#2. CM Punk
@OfficialTAZ @CMPunk Send HOOK! The feud we all want! https://t.co/PwrgrDEpZg
Hook and CM Punk will inevitably meet in the middle of the ring. The Straightedge Superstar's promo on Team Taz, where he asked to "Send Hook," helped launch a thousand memes. While it was a throwaway line at that point, it created a groundswell of viral support for the young rookie. Hook definitely owes Punk for the extra boost in exposure he got from the rub.
While it's not out of character for Punk to put Hook over if it meant elevating a star of the future, it is too early in the Handsome Devil's career to be beating a potential AEW World Champion. However, Hook would look amazing in defeat against the Second City Saint.
This doesn't have to happen anytime soon, but it only feels appropriate that the guy that helped start the Hook hype would be the one to elevate the youngster to the next level. Here's hoping that AEW plays their cards right and pulls the trigger when Hook has gained enough momentum to take on Punk.
#1. MJF
MJF is one of the top young stars in AEW, even more so than Hook. After signature victories against the likes of Chris Jericho and CM Punk, MJF is returning the favor and helping the next crop of talents in the company. The Salt of The Earth's feud with former bodyguard Wardlow is a good example for the same.
If there is one person who will gain satisfaction from ending Hook's unbeaten run, it surely will be MJF. Imagine the gloating promos he would cut after defeating the rookie.
A program between the wrestlers could be saved for further down the road. With Hook's talent and clear upside, they could easily main event an All Elite Wrestling pay-per-view somewhere down the road. It is up to Hook to realize that potential.