3 AEW Storylines That Were Dropped Way Too Soon

AEW pulled the plug on some promising stories very early. [Image credits: AEW YouTube]
AEW pulled the plug on some promising stories very early [Image credit: AEW's YouTube]

Over the years, AEW has produced some incredible stories on its television. From Hangman Page's redemption tale to the iconic feud between Mariah May and Toni Storm, All Elite Wrestling has delivered numerous engaging storylines to its audience since its inception.

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However, not every angle has reached its desired conclusion in the Jacksonville-based promotion. As the head of the creative department, Tony Khan gets to decide which storylines should be continued on television and which ones should be shelved.

TK has pulled the plug on some intriguing angles in the past, which could have been a massive success had they continued. In this article, let's look at three AEW storylines that were dropped way too soon.

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#3. Daniel Garcia should have ended up as Bryan Danielson's ally

In 2022, Bryan Danielson set his sights on Daniel Garcia. The Red Death was still with The Jericho Appreciation Society at this moment, and Danielson wanted him to join The Blackpool Combat Club.

The American Dragon urged Garcia to embrace the persona of an excellent technical wrestler instead of pretending to be a "sports-entertainer," as Jericho had wanted him to. The former TNT Champion remained in a dilemma for several weeks, wondering which of his all-time favorites he should side with.

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Ultimately, Daniel Garcia chose The Lionheart over The American Dragon. In the October 12, 2022, episode of Dynamite, the 26-year-old star interfered in the ROH World Title bout between Jericho and Danielson.

The Red Death nailed Danielson with his ROH Pure Championship, allowing The Learning Tree to get an easy three count. It was one of Tony Khan's biggest errors as a booker.

Daniel Garcia did not benefit much from his alliance with the JAS in the long run. Things could have been a lot different for The Red Death had he joined forces with Bryan Danielson.

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Fans would have loved the dynamic between a veteran Danielson and a student Garcia. The audience could have witnessed Garcia's growth as a supreme technical wrestler right before their eyes.

The Red Death could have been in an even more prominent spot if he had chosen The Blackpool Combat Club over The Jericho Appreciation Society. Daniel Garcia could have had a meteoric rise as a babyface in 2022-23, but TK decided not to pull the trigger on his face turn.

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#2. Jeff Jarrett's retirement tour did not happen

Earlier this year, Jeff Jarrett announced that he had signed his last-ever contract as a talent. Double J revealed that he had re-signed with All Elite Wrestling, and he intends to become the AEW World Champion during his final run.

The decision received huge backlash from the AEW audience. While some criticized AEW for putting the spotlight on 58-year-old Jeff Jarrett, others accused Tony Khan of trying to compete against John Cena's retirement tour.

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The Last Outlaw did get into a mini-feud with MJF, but the two men never had a singles encounter. Jeff Jarrett's last match on AEW television came in January 2025, when he lost to Claudio Castagnoli.

It was a rather surprising decision from Tony Khan to remove Double J from the promotion's weekly programming. After kicking off his farewell tour, Jarrett deserved to end this ride in a memorable way.

While he wouldn't have become a champion, Jeff Jarrett should have gotten a title shot against Jon Moxley at some point. After losing to The One True King, Jarrett could have set his sights on the TNT Championship.

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At All In: Texas, Dustin Rhodes became the TNT Champion, much to the delight of the AEW audience. Tony Khan could have done something similar for Jarrett, who could have retired at the end of his TNT Championship reign.


#1. MJF's alliance with The Hurt Syndicate should have continued in AEW

Following his loss to Hangman Page at Revolution 2025, MJF was approached by MVP for a possible alliance. However, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin opposed the idea of MJF joining The Hurt Syndicate.

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The Devil spent the next few weeks trying to win the trust of The Almighty and The Gold Standard. The Salt of the Earth eventually succeeded in his attempts, as he officially joined the faction in May 2025.

At All In: Texas, MJF emerged victorious in the Casino Gauntlet match. Once The Devil secured a guaranteed World Title shot, cracks began to appear within The Hurt Syndicate.

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Bobby Lashley accused MJF of being selfish and self-absorbed. The Almighty then gave MJF a "thumbs down," confirming his exit from the group. In the following weeks, MVP and Shelton Benjamin also agreed to end the alliance with the Long Island native.

Tony Khan might have missed a trick by taking MJF out of The Hurt Syndicate. The former AEW World Champion could have played a similar role in The Syndicate as Sami Zayn did with The Bloodline.

The Salt of the Earth's eventual rivalry with Bobby Lashley could have been even more memorable had he stayed in the faction longer. AEW could have explored the power struggle between MJF and Lashley a lot more effectively, but they decided to cut short this storyline instead.

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Edited by Sanchari Bhattacharya
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