The AEW roster is a gifted one filled with talented performers who are capable of putting together jaw-dropping matches. There is a range of styles and experiences on the show, and that is something that has helped the company get off to such a great start, despite the fact it is still early on it its lifespan.
However, while the roster has enjoyed a lot of success both in and out of AEW, that doesn't mean everything has been perfect for them. There are a lot of wrestlers who have struggled and had moments of failure, whether that is in the storyline or reality, in or out of the company.
10 The Young Bucks (TNA Run)
The Young Bucks are one of the greatest tag teams of all time, and they have had amazing success all around the world no matter where they have worked. The duo was crucial in creating AEW in the first place, which will likely go down as one of their greatest successes in the business.
However, their time in TNA wasn't one of their strongest runs. They worked as Generation Me during this time, but they couldn't connect to the level that they have done since, with this being a failure of a run for them.
9 CM Punk (Not Headlining WrestleMania)
CM Punk has won countless major titles, whether it was in WWE, ROH, or AEW, and he has been the top star in all of those promotions. However, the one major failure of his career is the fact that he never got the chance to headline WrestleMania, arguably the biggest wrestling show of the year.
Punk was involved in some big matches at 'Mania over the years, from facing Chris Jericho to competing against The Undertaker. But despite his best efforts, Punk was never able to be involved in the final match of the night.
8 Keith Lee (WWE's Main Roster Run)
Keith Lee is a truly impressive athlete who is capable of doing things that few others can, and that is what makes him such a joy to watch inside the ring. He seemed to have all the tools that Vince McMahon would typically love, but his main roster run ended up being a disaster.
It was a huge failure for him as he didn't get the push that he deserved and there was a complete lack of focus surrounding his character. Even though he put in great work, this run was a failure that fans won't be looking back on.
7 Chris Jericho (Losing His Undisputed Title)
Chris Jericho has achieved a lot throughout his time in the business, and he will go down as one of the greatest to ever lace up a pair of boots because of that. However, his loss at WrestleMania 18 was a failure for him as his time as the Undisputed Champion ended in lackluster fashion.
While this was largely down to the poor creative that he was given to work with, Jericho wasn't able to kick on and make it work. It's a shame because he would deserve more at that particular time.
6 Ricky Starks (Beaten By Powerhouse Hobbs)
Ricky Starks is someone that AEW has certainly got behind straight away, making it clear he is going to be a big star for the future of the industry. However, during his big feud against Powerhouse Hobbs, Starks suffered a major failure during their major PPV encounter at All Out in 2022.
This was supposed to be a breakout moment for Starks but instead, the company opted to give Hobbs a win here. That wasn't a problem, but the fact that Starks lost in just minutes was what made this such a failure for him.
5 Swerve Strickland (Hit Row Released)
Swerve Strickland is operating at a high level right now as he gets the chance to run his own faction, putting on some great matches at the same time. However, the last time he got to lead a group he ended up suffering his biggest failure as the entire group were released from WWE.
Even though Strickland was a great leader and someone who put together some great performances during that part of his career he couldn't do enough for them to survive, which was a shame to see.
4 Jeff Hardy (Personal Demons)
Jeff Hardy's in-ring career has been a fantastic one that has led to a lot of success both as a tag team and a singles wrestler. However, he has certainly gone through his fair share of trials and tribulations along the way and that has seen him deal with some difficult failures.
Unfortunately for Hardy, his DUIs and failed wellness policies on the big stage in front of everybody, and that has led to people questioning him at times. Fortunately, Hardy has always been popular and the wrestling community has often come together to support him.
3 Bryan Danielson (Not Taking Down The Head Of The Table)
Bryan Danielson is someone that has often overcome the odds that have been stacked in front of him, and that is why he has become such a beloved character over the years. However, his final storyline in WWE saw all of that change as he was unable to take down the Tribal Chief.
Whether it was the WrestleMania 37 main event that also featured Edge, or the singles match he had with Roman Reigns, this was one obstacle that Danielson was seemingly unable to achieve.
2 Toni Storm (Getting Pied)
Toni Storm has been one of the best women's wrestlers in the world for a long time now, and while she got to showcase that in NXT the same cannot be said for her main roster run in WWE. Thankfully, AEW has quickly put her career back on track as her work has once again been a lot of fun to see.
However, in WWE she suffered her biggest career failure when feuding against Charlotte Flair. On paper, this seems like a great opportunity, but the reality was that it led to her being embarrassed as she was literally pied in the face.
1 MJF (Dominated By Wardlow)
MJF has enjoyed an incredible push throughout his career thus far, whether that has been in MLW, the independent scene, or since joining AEW. He has enjoyed major victories, titles, and featured storylines which have all helped him to become one of the biggest names in the business.
However, his biggest failure to date came when feuding against Wardlow. The former friends collided at Double Or Nothing in 2022 and it would be Wardlow who completely dominated the match, emphatically destroying MJF as he struggled to put up a fight.