10 Unrecognizable Pictures Of Current AEW Wrestlers In The Indies

AEW is a reasonably new wrestling promotion with a ton of young, budding stars. However, most of their talent have wrestled for years, if not decades, before signing for Tony Khan's company. With time comes change, and there have certainly been some dramatic changes in some of the roster's looks.

Fans may think that the character they see on TNT now has always looked that way, but most have taken years to discover their look. Some may look closer to their 2021 version than others, but there's a guarantee that these photos will make fans question what was going on with their look and attire during their days on the independent scene.

10 Malakai Black

Before Malakai Black had his name or any variation of that name, he was known on the independent wrestling scene as Tommy End. Black looks a lot different; he still had many tattoos as he started getting tattooed when he was 20 years old, but since he's been wrestling at the young age of 17, his appearance has changed.

Black was a major star in the European wrestling scene before going to NXT, where most wrestling fans would get familiar with him. It is a little odd to see him without the iconic crescent moon tattooed on his face or the Kali tattoo on his sternum.

9 Ruby Soho

Ruby Soho, then known as Hiedi Lovelace, looks completely different than the AEW superstar fans see now. As Lovelace, Soho wasn't covered in tattoos, had short colored hair, and sporting anarchy leather jackets. She had more of a typical wrestler's looks with most of the personality coming through in her gear.

Wrestling fans may not be able to point out just who this photo is at first, but even without the piercings, gages, black makeup, and the aesthetic that fits Soho's personality, she was still racking up titles and wins in promotions like Shimmer, Chikara, and Stardom before the WWE came knocking.

8 Adam Cole

Adam Cole looks a lot different in his Combat Zone Wrestling days than today. Cole began wrestling for CZW when he was still in high school, which explains why in this photo, he has a smooth face and is much less muscular than he is in AEW.

Cole has gone through many looks in his time in wrestling, from chin strap beard and shoulder-length hair to ponytails and goatees. Now in AEW, it looks like he understands himself and his looks as the long hair, scruffy beard, and leather jacket give off the vibe of a badass character that he is portraying in the ring.

7 Dax Harwood

One of the more extreme changes is Dax Harwood's look from his independent days in promotions such as CWF and AWA to the one that we see on Dynamite every Wednesday. Harwood has been known as a modern-day wrestler who maintains the look of someone like Arn Anderson in his Four Horsemen days.

However, as the photo above shows, Harwood used to sport long hair and a goatee. It also shows the progress that Harwood has made physically too, as he looks to be in incredible shape now. Overall, this iteration of Harwood does not fit the image of what FTR is now, but surely he was still all about the no flips, just fists.

6 Young Bucks

The Young Bucks have always been criticized for looking like Hardy Boyz ripoffs. In their days of TNA as Generation Me and on the independent scene, those critics may have a point. The Bucks look like they could play the stunt doubles in a Hardy Boyz biopic.

However, in AEW, they have created their own look with the shoes, jackets, earrings, and overall style. The Bucks attire will always pay homage to the likes of the Hardys, Shawn Micheals, etc., but it is much less of a rip-off now and more so respect for those they grew up idolizing.

5 PAC

PAC is one of the most impressive-looking athletes in the entire world right now. He is able to contort his body to perform spectacular aerial moves in AEW while looking like he has not seen a carb in years. PAC's look now perfectly exemplifies his ability to be a world-class high flyer who can at any time become a threatening brawler that makes him unique for his size.

However, in this photo, a young PAC looks much less frightening and kinder. PAC has since created a constant angry look, combined with his giant beard, which gives him a stern look that cannot be imaginedlooking at this photo. The Newcastle native also made sure to be seen rocking his favorite football club's kit.

4 Sting

The Icon Sting has gone through one of the biggest look transformations in all of major wrestling when he went from "Surfer Sting" to suddenly doing a complete 180 on his look to the Sting we see today.

However, before he was even the face-painted, hyped-up surfer character that was battling Ric Flair in classic matches, he resembled a football jock with a strong jawline and teamed with The Ultimate Warrior. Though their looks fit now, fans might not want to show Darby Allin this photo if they wish the two to remain mentor and protege.

3 Miro

Miro, aka Rusev, did not spend a ton of time on the independent scene before he was picked up by the WWE and was put into Florida Championship Wrestling. When he was in the indies, he was known as Miroslav Makaraov or simply Miroslav, which is Miro's first name. While still portraying the Bulgarian brute character he is known for, Miro's appearance looked different than today's.

Miro sported a beard and short black hair, wearing a singlet to the ring instead of his boxer shorts that he wears now. Also, it is clear that although the photo above shows a young Miro in tremendous shape, he has worked on his physique to look even better in 2021 than he did in the early 2010s.

2 The Blade

One of the most dramatic transformations in the last decade is AEW's The Blade. Fomrerly known as Braxton Sutter, he had made himself a known name on the indies, wrestling for promotions such as CZW and ROH. However, The Blade at one point looked almost nothing like he does now.

In the 2010s, The Blade went from having short died blonde hair with a clean-shaven face (nearly the exact opposite of what AEW fans see now) to long brown hair. Now in AEW, The Blade is with his tag team partner, The Butcher, as a bald, bearded enforcer for Matt Hardy.

1 Kenny Omega

It is hard to imagine that at one point, loads of independent wrestling fans knew Kenny Omega as a curly-haired blonde wrestler with a bit of a generic look to him in Ring of Honor. Omega was a plucky young upstart that looked much smaller and less intimidating. He came to the ring in all black or sometimes colored trunks but was still one of the best junior heavyweight wrestlers in the world.

Omega now looks as though he is from a video game, with every facet of his attire seemingly detailed and thought out, and his physique shows that he hit the gym much more and makes it believable that he is genuinely the best wrestler on the planet, as he claims to be.