5 potential dream matches for Johnny Gargano in AEW - Former WWE Champions, Member of The Elite
Johnny Gargano is a prime example of what it means when someone is described as a franchise player in wrestling. Much like Sting for WCW, The Undertaker for WWE, and Hiroshi Tanahashi for NJPW, Johnny Wrestling represented the life and soul of NXT throughout its black and gold era.
Hell of a run..
Thank you all. ❤️
#JohnnyTakeOver https://t.co/VowS6CEHSg
There wasn't a corner of NXT untouched by the rebel heart as he accumulated reigns with the NXT, North American, and Tag Team Championships. Marquee matches with the likes of Andrade, Aleister Black, Adam Cole, and nemesis Tommaso Ciampa earned him the moniker of Johnny TakeOver as a signal of his in-ring excellence.
But as has always been the case in wrestling, nothing is absolute. WWE decided to reboot their NXT brand earlier this year, returning to the developmental territory it once was to build future stars like Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, and Von Wagner.
The focus of NXT 2.0 has been to emphasize homegrown stars befitting WWE's perception of a main eventer, and as a consequence, we have seen a seismic shift in the roster to fit the new direction.
The change in era has seemingly brought about the end of Johnny Gargano's stay with the brand and potentially the company itself, with his contract set to expire soon and everything pointing towards his departure.
The idea of free agency for such a silky and compelling talent provokes the mind with the promise that a booming independent scene brings. AEW has emerged as the top alternative product to WWE and, as such, represents a landing pad for the kind of talent that can slip through the net of the industry giant.
Should Johnny Gargano decide to become All Elite, former foes like Adam Cole and Andrade await, but who else on the AEW roster could cement the former Johnny TakeOver as Johnny Elite?
#5 Johnny Gargano vs. Chris Jericho
A legend of the business, Chris Jericho was a major contributory factor to the almost instant success of AEW when he signed in 2019. The inaugural AEW World Champion had already established a first-ballot Hall of Fame career with WWE, littered with championships and records.
A back catalog of classics and wrestling who's who list of opponents is evidence of the pedigree of Y2J, having collected dream opponents like trading cards in a career spanning three decades.
But he has never faced Johnny Gargano. Granted, in an ideal world, we would have seen a prime Jericho take on the three-time North American Champion. That's not to say the AEW star can't produce a good match; the personification of natural talent in the ring, and his firm understanding of the fundamentals of wrestling combined with the immense talent contained in Johnny Gargano, would make for a good match even on a bad day.
As a legitimate legend of the business and a staple of AEW programming, Chris Jericho would be a prime introductory opponent for Johnny Gargano in Tony Khan's promotion. He is someone who can cement and elevate Gargano even before the bell has rung.