5 Reasons why AEW should sign Shane Taylor

AEW is firing on all cylinders at the moment after acquiring some of the top free agents in wrestling with Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and CM Punk in the past two months. They have gone from strength to strength, but the company still has room to grow. There are a variety of free agents that just became available and could make an immediate impact on the promotion.

At the top of a lot of fans' lists has to be someone like Shane Taylor. The 35-year-old has been a standout on the independent scene dating back to his underrated tag team with WWE superstar Keith "Bearcat" Lee. The leader of Shane Taylor Promotions has assembled a group of men to fight for a movement to take over the wrestling scene.

With Shane Taylor on the open market, there should be a bidding war to acquire his services. There aren't many competitors in the business today that possess his size, in-ring ability, and promo skills.

In this listicle, let's take a look at the five reasons why AEW should sign Shane Taylor.

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#5 AEW has fresh new opponents for Shane Taylor

Whenever a free agent comes into AEW, fans become fantasy bookers and wonder about the many dream matches that are at their disposal. With someone like Shane Taylor, this proves to be as true as the others. Whether it be in singles action or multi-man battles with Shane Taylor Promotions, there is so much that holds a great deal of potential.

When looking at the AEW roster, Eddie Kingston holds many similarities to Taylor. The two men are exceptional talkers and characters that hold a level of authenticity, which isn't always seen in today's wrestling stars. When Kingston or Taylor speak, fans listen because they believe everything they are saying. They are both also physical workers who have a hard-hitting style.

Powerhouse Hobbs is an up-and-coming superstar who continues to improve week after week. Going head-to-head with Shane Taylor could help in his progression and have another seasoned vet to model himself after. Brian Cage is another veteran with plenty of experience around the world that could make for an intriguing matchup for Shane Taylor as well.

Jon Moxley has proven to be one of the best babyface promos in recent wrestling history. Shane Taylor has made for a remarkable heel character, but he also has a loyal fanbase that wants to root him on. Matching up with Moxley, who can play either role as well, can help in both men's trajectory on where their careers are going. There are simply a litany of performers who match up well with Taylor.

#4 Shane Taylor's promo ability could be an asset for AEW

AEW is the home of professional wrestling for a number of reasons. It isn't just about having a fantastic in-ring product, but it is also because they have some of the best talkers in the business today. From Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston to Chris Jericho and MJF, many performers produce entertaining promos on a weekly basis.

Shane Taylor will feel right at home with all these spectacular promos. He speaks with such conviction and purpose. His words hold weight and make a powerful impact on fans. Shane can either make fans hate him by speaking his truth or he can make the crowd rally behind him. These are great signs for anyone coming to a company as rich with excellent talkers as AEW.

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#3 Shane Taylor could be considered a homegrown mainstream star for AEW

Although Shane Taylor has achieved some success in his former home promotion as well as on the independent scene, there is a certain section of fans who might not know of everything that he has achieved. Coming to AEW will open some eyes to a performer like Taylor, who has been tearing it up wherever he has gone in the past seven years.

Eddie Kingston spent 20 years on the independent scene, but his arrival in AEW has made him feel like a homegrown star due to not having an identifiable presence on promotions like WWE, IMPACT Wrestling or NJPW. Shane Taylor can find himself in a similar position. Some fans have accused All Elite Wrestling of prioritizing stars from other promotions, but Taylor doesn't have that stigma at all.

#2 Shane Taylor Promotions could instantly become a top AEW faction

AEW has a surplus of factions that have become the focus of the top programs in the company. The Elite has the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, Adam Cole, and the Young Bucks. They have dominated the main event scene since the early days of the promotion and have seen different members change over the course of the past two years.

On the very first episode of AEW Dynamite, The Inner Circle was formed. With Chris Jericho as the leader at the helm, Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, and Ortiz joined Le Champion to assemble this super group. They were in the first two Stadium Stampede matches and the first Blood and Guts match. On their backs, another stable was born with MJF's Pinnacle.

All of those factions are just the tip of the iceberg. There is the Death Triangle, Best Friends, Dark Order, Team Taz, and more, but Shane Taylor Promotions brings something completely new to the table. They are a group of African Americans who fight for the movement of representation and getting opportunities that has been denied to people of color.

Shane Taylor Promotions has earned its status as one of the best stables not signed to a major wrestling company. Taylor has all the potential to be a world champion, while Sons of Savagery could be the top contenders for the tag team titles. If AEW wants to have the best trios division and eventually titles, Shane Taylor Promotions should be on their list of signees to get immediately.

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#1 AEW needs a ready-made African American main event star

Fans have very little to complain about with AEW because they have done an excellent job of listening to their fanbase. However, a major issue has been that their main event scene lacks diversity. Kenny Omega, Bryan Danielson, Hangman Page, MJF, Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Adam Cole, and Jon Moxley are all top stars in their own right, but they all have something in common.

Although the AEW roster also has performers like Andrade El Idolo, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Rey Fenix to represent the Latino community, the African American stars either seem to be in the mid-card or still being built up. All Elite Wrestling has signed performers like Scorpio Sky, Dante Martin, Lio Rush, Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricky Starks, and Lee Moriarty, but none of them get time in the main event spot.

Some of those competitors are still young and growing, while others lack an intangible to break through to the next level for AEW. This is where signing someone like Shane Taylor could be beneficial to addressing this issue for the company. As previously mentioned, Taylor is a tremendous talker and has the size, presence, and aura of a headline act.

Shane Taylor also has a hard-hitting style and strength that makes him a formidable matchup for any of the top stars in the promotion. Wherever he decides to go, he has to be seen as a must-watch talent. AEW has a problem that can be addressed immediately by signing Shane Taylor as soon as possible.