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When former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley made his return to the company earlier this month, fans speculated who would be his first rival. In the aftermath of Moxley's return match, he was confronted by Bryan Danielson while making his exit through the crowd.
The American Dragon stood in Moxley's way and simply clapped in his face, seemingly planting the seeds for a future feud.
But that wasn't exactly the case. Instead, Danielson proposed that the two former WWE Champions join forces and forge an alliance. It's a mouth-watering prospect as these two veterans could possibly lead their very own stable of young talents and run the company as they see fit.
It got us thinking about possible combinations Tony Khan could come up with to mix it up with the other established teams currently in the company.
Here are 5 unlikely alliances that just might work.
#5. Unlikely AEW alliance - Bryan Danielson & Jon Moxley
Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley were previously rivals in WWE. They were part of The Shield and Team Hell No waging war throughout mid 2010s. They are definitely no strangers to one another, which makes their proposed partnership even more intriguing.
Speaking on the Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards panel, Renee Paquette gave her take on the storyline between her husband and Bryan Danielson. Renee said that she loves what had gone down between Moxley and Danielson so far and is now watching the storyline develop like the viewers at home:
I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I had no idea what was going on between them. I was just watching Rampage like everybody else and I was like, wait, what's happening here, to see Bryan watching Jon on his return match and just that moment that they had back in the crowd and what not... I was like wait what's going to happen here so I loved that and I think its so cool. There's so much history between Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson, I cannot wait to see what's going to happen there. It's cool to remove myself from that situation as a wife and as a friend and be like, I just get to watch this as a fan. Hell yeah. (22:17 onwards)
While they might have different in-ring styles as brawlers and technicians respectively, their undeniable star power has drawn comparisons to the Two Man Power Trip duo of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H. Imagine if CM Punk joins them to make it a trio. We could be seeing a modern version of the NWO in All Elite Wrestling.
#4. Unlikely AEW alliance - Danhausen and Orange Cassidy
AEW's recent signing Danhausen has aligned himself with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends. He's yet to wrestle on the company's signature shows, Dynamite and Rampage, but thanks to his oddball gimmick, he is still a hit with fans.
Another comedy act that is hugely popular with the audience is Orange Cassidy, who is the promotion's resident slacker. While they have wildly different characters, both stars represent the goofier side of pro wrestling. It's no surprise that Tony Khan would pair them together. Historically, we have seen more over-the-top duos work, such as The Hurricane and Rosey or The Oddities in WWE. This pairing might just work in the long run.
#3. Unlikely AEW alliance - Thunder Rosa & Mercedes Martinez
On a recent episode of AEW Dynamite, Thunder Rosa and Mercedes Martinez engaged in the latest chapter of their rivalry: an intense No Disqualification match.
Rosa might have come out victorious, but afterwards, both wrestlers were attacked by Women's Champion Britt Baker and the gang. It looks like they have kicked Martinez from the group for her failure to defeat La Mera Mera.
This could see the two Latina stars set aside their differences and fight a common enemy. With both talents wrestling an intense, physical style in the ring, they might just mesh well as a duo going forward. They have certainly earned each other's respect after the brutal war they've put each other through.
#2. Unlikely AEW alliance - Keith Lee & Mark Henry
During his debut match on AEW Dynamite, Keith Lee's in-ring dominance led veteran commentator Jim Ross to compare him to a younger Mark Henry. The similarities are there for all to see. Both are similar-sized heavyweight wrestlers and have held multiple Championships in WWE.
Now that Henry has taken on a backstage role in the company, this could be the perfect way to bring him back on TV while giving the rub to Keith Lee. Seeing the two behemoths together would make for an awe-inspiring sight. They could even team up occasionally if Henry decides to get back in the ring for a brief run. It gives Lee an ally to back him up against a roster full of factions and alliances.
#1. Unlikely AEW alliance - Sammy Guevara & Darby Allin
Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara are the future of All Elite Wrestling. They have both been TNT Champions and most recently battled in an intense main event match for the title. Heralded as two of the company's four pillars, their daredevil ways have gained a huge following from the fans.
Now that they are both babyfaces embroiled in a rivalry with Andrade and the Hardy Family Office, it only makes sense for the two young stars to team up to have each other's backs.
