Developing career rivals is a task for creative because there needs to be chemistry there. AEW couldn’t pit Powerhouse Hobbs and Wardlow into a storyline and come back in 2024 saying “This is a continuation their rivalry” if there was no chemistry in the 2023 series of matches.
Instead, you just have two hosses slapping leather in a separate but related series. If anything, it’s the start of a new feud between the two.
To fans they would be two contemporaries who happened to face each other frequently. A good example in WWE was the rivalry between John Cena and Brock Lesnar as opposed to the feuds between Cena and Orton.
AEW Could Use Some Career Rivalries and Jack Perry vs Hook Could Be One of Note
In AEW, there are opportunities among the younger talent for organic career rivalries. One potential rivalry is Jack Perry versus Hook.
Now Hook has been pretty established a favorite of the crowd for his skill and presence at a young age and there’s apparently some interest from WWE in the second-generation talent.
Jack Perry, a second-generation entertainer had a good babyface run as Jungle Boy formerly of Jurrasic Express. Views on his heel turn have been mixed as while he is an athletic, talented young worker—the Jungle Boy gimmick gave him some extra appeal. As a heel, he’s been somewhat exposed for lacking charisma.
That is the opposite of Hook who has charisma but isn’t exactly at that point where he can hold his own on the mic. Neither was Taz at this period in his career, but he benefited from good managers/handlers such as Kevin Sullivan for a period.
Perry would either need to find that burgeoning mic wizard in him or find a strong manager as a heel since—the heel typically runs the mic stuff harder than the babyface. Or least they’re even as the babyface should rarely run circles around the heel on the mic but it happens.
As it is now, Hook-Jack Perry is more of a rivalry in that there is some history between the two, there’s some animosity in the story, and there’s a prize that they’re fighting over. Their bouts have been very entertaining as well and they will only get better with more ring time together.
That’s where it becomes dicey because AEW shouldn’t spam their matches like WWE with the early main roster Charlotte-Sasha matches. There should be time between their showdowns or a period where they don’t face off one-on-one even in a tournament setting.
What do you think of Jack Perry and Hook being career rivals in AEW? Do you see any other potential rivalries that you’d like for the company to explore? Let us know in the comments!
CHECK IT OUT: Get The Overtimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
