Lio Rush recently made his debut for All Elite Wrestling as the wild card entrant I’m the Casino Battle Royal. While Rush is still under contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling, he is still able to work future AEW shows.
The former NXT Cruiserweight Champion adds on to a stacked roster of highly talented lightweight wrestlers, including Sammy Guevara, Rey Fenix, and Jungle Boy.
There is enough on the roster for AEW to be capable to create it’s own championship division. However such a division might create a glass ceiling for lightweight workers who could be suitable challengers for the main AEW World Championship. The few years old wrestling company also is likely giving much thought on how many Championships they want to add, to not diminish the value of their current belts.
The solution could be for AEW owner Tony Khan to take advantage for the “Forbidden Door”
AEW has working relationships with other wrestling companies like Impact Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. NJPW recently had their U.S. Champion and AEW roster member Jon Moxley defended his title against Yuji Nagata on an episode of Dynamite.
Current lightweight division champions include Impact Wrestling X Division Champion John Alexander, NJPW Jr. Heavyweight Champion El Desperado, and AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid.
Laredo Kid has made appearances for AEW, teaming up with Penta El 0M and Rey Fenix to face teams including Young Bucks and Brandon Cutler as well as The Good Brothers and Kenny Omega.
AAA World Cruiserweight Champion could be used as an excuse to use Laredo Kid more especially as there would be a built in feud with Rush. When Rush was the MLW Middleweight Champion, he faced Laredo Kid and won a title-for-title match on the February 10, 2021 episode of MLW Fusion, yet never was recognized as champion, and AAA booker Konnan (who also made a cameo at Double of Nothing) would even say Rush lost the title at an “untelevised event”.
There is enough of a story to build up a Championship match on an episode of Dynamite.
Lio Rush could also challenge against
NJPW Jr. Heavyweight Champion El Desperado as there’s already a precedent of NJPW Championships being defended on AEW television and other NJPW talents including Ren Narita and Rocky Romero have also made appearances.
Alexander is currently in the middle of a run as X-Division champion, defending the titles against NJPW’s El Phantasmo and former champion Ace Austin, and recently defeated TJP in an hour-long iron man match. If AEW wanted to expand their working relationship with Impact Wrestling, Alexander would be a great export.
With the world opening back up, the potential options are expanding on how the wrestling world could take advantage of the Forbidden Door. This creates opportunities for wrestling companies to have their champions and championship showcase on another stage and increase their worldwide recognition.
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