5 Best AEW gimmicks of 2021
AEW has become synonymous with excellent professional wrestling, but the company has provided fans with so much more than that.
The stars of the promotion have produced stellar in-ring action and promos over the course of the past 12 months. Some of these competitors have become the best characters or gimmicks in the industry.
2021 saw many men and women in All Elite Wrestling evolve into even more diverse personas. MJF added to his already superb heel schtick by masterminding his betrayal of the Inner Circle and forming the Pinnacle, while Darby Allin earned even more fans with his relationship with Sting. Rising stars like Jungle Boy, Sammy Guevara and Dante Martin all stepped up and progressed their careers.
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With all these awesome characters developing over the past year, the end of 2021 is a perfect time to look back on how all these gimmicks entertained consistently. From quality promos and angles, these are the personalities that shined brightest. Let's take a look at the five best AEW gimmicks of 2021.
5) Former AEW World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks - Sneaker and fashion douchebags
The Young Bucks in less than 5 seconds. https://t.co/dSeT8NixVz
The Young Bucks reigned as the AEW World Tag Team Champions for much of 2021, but their run went into high gear following the April 7th episode of Dynamite.
On the show, Matt and Nick Jackson turned heel on Jon Moxley and reunited with their former Bullet Club stablemates in AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers.
The following week, the Young Bucks debuted a new look. There were no more streamers and bright colors, but they wore expensive sneakers and gear that made them doubly as obnoxious as many fans thought was possible. Along the way, Matt and Nick added mannerisms and trash talk that made them even more detestible.
The Young Bucks were more than capable of retaining the AEW World Tag Team Titles on their own. However, they used the help of Don Callis, Brandon Cutler or any other Elite member to get the job done. The creators of Being The Elite know how good they are, yet are willingly taking the easy way out.
The sneakers, attire and facial hair elements of this act can't be understated. The Young Bucks brag about how much they pay for their sneakers, which infuriates the fans. They also wear lavish gear that is ridiculous yet heat-inducing.
Over a period of a few months, the Young Bucks and other Elite stablemates were changing their facial hair weekly, becoming one of the biggest takeaways of AEW.
The Young Bucks have evolved into ridiculously over-the-top characters, becoming the television hit that many critics thought they could never become. They've even retained the heat after key losses to Lucha Bros., Christian Cage and Jurassic Express.
2021 will be remembered as the best character evolution yet for Matt and Nick Jackson.