Credit: All Elite Wrestling

The 4 Best Opponents for Andrade El Idolo to Face in AEW

Erik Beaston

Andrade El Idolo's debut on the June 4 episode of AEW Dynamite not only created a buzz for the company on the heels of its Double or Nothing pay-per-view, but it also created several dream matchups for the third-generation competitor.

Whether it is against a current or former world champion or a bright young star destined for big things, the potential exists for Andrade to tear the house down for many years to come in Tony Khan's company.

Who are the best opponents for him right out of the gate? Which matches will cause Dave Meltzer to hand out stars like candy on Halloween?

Let's take a look.

Kenny Omega

The most obviously great match to be had with any wrestler on this list is a showdown with Kenny Omega.

Fans in Mexico will get to see that play out August 14, when Andrade challenges the AAA mega champion in the main event of that promotion's biggest event of the year, Triplemania XXIX. Both men are extraordinary wrestlers, among the best in their field, and their styles are such that they should mesh extremely well come bell time.

One can only hope the AEW faithful have the opportunity to see the match play out in a Tony Khan-owned ring, perhaps as a rematch of said encounter.

If so, the company could well have its Match of the Year candidate, especially if Andrade can find the El Idolo who tore the house down with Johnny Gargano in Philadelphia for the NXT Championship in 2018.

Jungle Boy

Imagine the overconfident, egotistical Andrade entering a match with Jungle Boy and underestimating the talents of young Jack Perry, only to find out that he is in the ring with a world-class young competitor destined for greatness.

Jungle Boy has repeatedly proved an ability to perform up to the level of his competition, oftentimes wowing the crowd with the intensity with which he delivers his offensive arsenal. We saw it with Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin and, most recently, against Christian Cage in the final moments of the Casino Battle Royale at Double or Nothing.

He has a match with Kenny Omega for the AEW world title coming up, and while he is unlikely to win that, it will likely give him the confidence to go toe-to-toe with any world elite wrestler as he continues to implant himself at or near the top of the All Elite roster.

That Andrade has a history of working great matches with a variety of styles does not hurt the prospects of such a match.

The next option on this list, though, may be El Idolo's toughest styles clash to date.

Jon Moxley

Andrade encountered quite a few styles of wrestlers during his time in NXT and WWE, but one would be hard-pressed to point to find a match that pitted him against a walking buzz saw like former AEW world champion Jon Moxley.

Mox incorporates a hard-hitting, smashmouth, brawling style. There is no stop in him. He pushes forward, doesn't worry about how pretty any of his stuff is and is as likely to choke an opponent out as he is to finish him with the Paradigm Shift.

He would present a unique opponent for Andrade, who is a visually stunning professional wrestler, what with an arsenal of reversals and counters learned in the rings of Mexico and fine-tuned in the Performance Center.

The dichotomy of the characters and their in-ring styles make this, arguably, the most intriguing match on the list but one that could well end up being a game-changer for Andrade as he looks to shed all preconceived notions about him.

Christian Cage

Christian Cage is a wrestler's wrestler.

He has never been the flashiest, most dynamic performer, but he could routinely be counted on to deliver the best match of any show he performed on. He has also never crossed paths with Andrade, who very much became that sort of performer for WWE well after Captain Charisma was gone.

A match between them would likely be damn good and, more importantly, give Andrade a rub in front of an audience that knows of him but has never seen him compete in an AEW ring.

For Cage, it would provide the potential for his first great match with the company, reminding fans why he was such a coveted get in the first place.

   

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