The Aussie Open tag team of Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis are now officially part of AEW. The much-tipped move has come at a surprising time, as it was revealed this week that Davis underwent surgery for a torn meniscus and the team relinquished the IWGP and NJPW STRONG tag belts.
We look at what to expect from Aussie Open becoming full-time AEW roster members now.
What to Expect from Aussie Open in AEW
Aussie Open In A Nutshell
Stop reading this and run up to the nearest person you can find. Scream ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ in their face and see what happens. It’s highly likely that ‘Oi, Oi, Oi’ was shouted back at you. That or you’re wiping blood off your face.
This classic Aussie chant can be expected to ring out across AEW shows as Fletcher and Davis put on the type of fast-paced and exciting matches that has seen them heralded as one of the best tag teams in the world. Sounds fun? Can’t wait I bet you’re thinking. Why haven’t we already seen the best of them in AEW already?
Why Not Earlier?
Aussie Open has appeared in AEW on a semi-regular basis since first debuting at the beginning of June 2022. However, their commitment to NJPW has stopped them from frequently appearing on AEW programming and building any stream.
They were initially used mainly as muscle for United Kingdom stablemate Will Ospreay.
That changed this year, as the team begun to appear on AEW TV more frequently.
But this week, Aussie Open were forced to relinquish the IWGP Tag Team Championship and the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship when Davis was forced to undergo surgery.
They're one of the top tag teams in the world, and now it's official:
Aussie Open @kylefletcherpro + @DUNKZILLADavis are ALL ELITE!Incredible match tonight Kyle Fletcher on @TBSNetwork on Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite, and get well soon, Mark Davis!
Congratulations #AussieOpen! pic.twitter.com/S0Cjt9ZTUT
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) May 25, 2023
When Will Aussie Open Actually Be In An AEW Ring?
Kyle Fletcher took on Orange Cassidy in a banger for the AEW International Championship on this week’s AEW Dynamite. We can expect Fletcher to continue to appear on AEW TV to build hype toward Davis’s return.
Tony Khan choosing to sign Aussie Open now signals they won’t be involved in AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on June 25, 2023, as Davis is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.
It seemed a no-brainer that Aussie Open would appear on the show taking on an established NJPW team. Aussie Open has feuded with Best Friends on and off in AEW so that was an option.
But the dream match would have been FTR vs. Aussie Open.
FTR and Aussie Open had arguably the match of the year last October at NJPW Royal Quest II in London. Putting this match on display at a major AEW pay-per-view would make a lot of sense.
Aussie Open becoming part of the AEW roster signals the match could take place again – in London.
Sensational show tonight by @njpwglobal Royal Quest II. Stick FTR vs. Aussie Open on any card and it’ll be match if the year candidate.
Brilliant card from top to bottom! pic.twitter.com/THHt0AGGpU
— Laurence Gibbons (@GibbonsGob) October 1, 2022
All In Wembley
Aussie Open was formed in the United Kingdom and is still held as a darling of the UK scene. Fletcher and Davis both came from Australia to the UK to continue their wrestling training.
They shortly formed the Aussie Open team. Between 2017 and 2021 they won the tag team championships for RevPro, wXw, PROGRESS, ATTACK! and Defiant.
They then headed to Japan where they began their quest for World domination. Their matches in NJPW have rightly seen them viewed as one of the best tag teams on the planet.
The team returning to the country that made it in front of 72,000 fans at All In Wembley would be a fantastic moment. Should Davis not be at full sharpness by then, we could see them involved in a six, or eight-man tag match.
FTR & CM Punk vs. Aussie Open & Will Ospreay anyone? Although you feel there might be more marquee single matches in the plans for Punk and Ospreay.
What To Expect From Aussie Open In AEW After Wembley
Aussie Open took 11th place on the PWI 2022 list of top tag teams. High-profile appearances for AEW between now and the end of 2023 should see them climb closer to the top spot by the time the next list is released.
Expect them to feud with AEW’s top tag teams such as Blackpool Combat Club, The Acclaimed, Young Bucks, Lucha Brothers and Best Friends.
Eventually, Aussie Open will hold the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Wembley could be too soon for this but that could be the spark to a storyline of Aussie Open taking the gold from FTR. We know how AEW love a multi-year storyline so don’t expect this right now.
Fletcher has also promised the NJPW fans that – despite signing with AEW – they will continue to appear in Japan.
The sky is the limit for the duo in AEW, and we will see how things play out for the exciting tag team.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night.
