Brian Cage Has Become AEW’s Biggest Waste Of Talent
When ‘The Machine’ Brian Cage made his AEW debut, he put the entire roster on notice immediately. Walking out with Taz, he ripped a ladder in half on the ramp, looking like an absolute monster. Through a lack of momentum, an underwhelming face turn, and poor booking, Cage has found himself missing from AEW TV for quite some time, and it doesn’t look like there are plans to bring him back anytime soon. For someone with a lot of promise early on, his usefulness looks to have been squandered.
Brian Cage’s Momentum Was On A Downward Slope Ever Since His Debut
Before signing with AEW, Cage had established himself as one of the top names in wrestling outside of WWE, notably winning the Impact World Championship, in addition to other gold around the world. He immediately made a strong impression in AEW, winning the Casino Ladder Match at Double or Nothing 2020, destroying the rest of the field, and looking like an unstoppable monster whilst doing so. Cage’s size set him apart from everyone else in AEW, and with Taz as his mouthpiece, who is an incredible talker, it looked to be a dynamic that worked well.
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AEW’s first mistake was having him thrust into the World Title picture as soon as he walked through the door. He was nowhere near established enough in the company to dethrone Jon Moxley, despite putting on a good performance. Booking-wise, his loss was done well, with Cage refusing to tap despite a lot of punishment, forcing Taz to throw in the towel. There was little capitalizing from this, as Cage ended up becoming just another member of Team Taz, alongside Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks.
After a failed attempt at dethroning Darby Allin for the TNT Championship and losing to Allin and Sting at the Revolution PPV, Cage was on a losing streak when it came to big or meaningful matches. The aura surrounding Cage diminished quickly, as he didn’t pick up substantial victories, with the only thing he had to offer being a championship title that was handed to him by Taz.
Team Taz As A Whole Have Suffered From Poor Booking
Although there is a lot of promise when it comes to the members of Team Taz, with it featuring some of the hottest young performers in the company, the group has suffered from a complete lack of focus or momentum. The faction has lost nearly every feud they’ve been a part of, despite often having greater numbers, and every member, including Cage, suffered from their lack of credibility. Only recently, with the rise of Hook, has Team Taz managed to find some momentum again.
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It didn’t help that before the group had even achieved anything, Cage left, after months of tensions and a slow-burning babyface turn. It is strange that Cage and Starks never aimed to win the AEW Tag Team Championships, as that would have given the group some focus and a fresh team in the division. Instead, Cage feuded with Team Taz, losing all the steam that he had left, and hasn’t been seen since losing the FTW Championship to Ricky Starks in October 2021.
What Could AEW Have Done Differently With Cage?
For whatever reason, Cage was often put in a position where he had to speak. Promo skills were never Cage’s strong suit, and he was never convincing when having to talk. Having someone like Taz behind him was a perfect usage of a manager to hide Cage’s misgivings as to the total package. There were positives to this too, with Cage as a silent monster feeling even more dangerous. However, once he began talking, there was no turning back, and he felt less like a star. This was a self-created issue from AEW, as he never needed to be put in a position to expose his weaknesses, especially with strong talkers around him.
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Another issue with Cage was the FTW Championship. Whilst introducing the belt was a nice call back to Taz’s time in ECW, fans were often left confused – and remain confused to this day – at what the belt is supposed to mean, and if there is any worth actually holding it. Much like the Million Dollar Championship, it is nothing more than a prop, but with it being defended now and again like a legit title, it raises confusion.
Due to his size difference with much of the roster, Cage struggled to get over with a face, especially with unconvincing promos. This has left Cage directionless, due to not being over with the crowd, and a very dense roster to find a place in. He had a lot to offer in AEW, whether it be as a heavy in Team Taz, Tag Title pursuits, or even further World Title challenges, but the surface was barely scratched, and he seems to be one of the most likely to leave AEW once his contract expires.
