Former NXT wrestler wins AEW debut on Dark

AEW is playing moneyball with WWE’s cuts. Blake Christian, formerly known as Trey Baxter, arrived on the scene to win his debut match in AEW during Dark.

Christian landed on the radar of many when he advanced to the final of the Super X Cup tournament in Impact in January 2021. He parlayed that exposure into signing with WWE in February 2021. Christian wrestled under the name Trey Baxter for five matches in NXT with a 1-4 record. He was released from the WWE universe in November 2021.

Now, Christian is getting a shot with AEW. The man himself debuted during the latest Dark taping, which aired Tuesday night (March 22, 2022). Christian went to battle against former Impact X-Division champ Rohit Raju. The match starts at the 20:56 mark of the broadcast. The bout was quick, but it was electrifying and competitive.

Christian showed off his athleticism with a handspring corkscrew kick, split-legged moonsault, standing Spanish Fly, and a springboard 450 splash for victory. Fans of Rohit should enjoy his performance as well considering the short format of the contest. Christian starts off his AEW career 1-0. Don’t be surprised if he is on Tony Khan’s radar to soon be All Elite.

Christian thanked the fans for their support.

In an update on other former NXT talent, Marina Shafir competed on that same episode of Dark. Her match against Leila Grey starts at the 51:56 mark. Shafir was dominant with strength and agility. Her submission ability earned the win. Shafir’s AEW record improved to 4-0.

Do you think Blake Christian would be a good fit with AEW? Would you like to see Marina Shafir on AEW’s main shows?