Ace Austin lost again on Saturday, and it may be the best thing he has done in AEW.
Austin fell to Claudio Castagnoli in 12 minutes in the opening round of the Continental Cup on the August 8 Collision. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that the performance changed how people in the company see him.
As far as Ace Austin’s standing, I think he did himself a world of favours with this performance because people are talking about him, including in the company, being very impressed by him. I don’t know that it’s going to get him a bunch of wins, but I do think it will get him some television time.
Austin debuted in AEW in August 2025 and has gone 5-13 on television in the year since, with most of those wins coming in multi-man matches alongside his Bang Bang Gang stablemates. He has won one singles match.
He has also been used as a name for other people to beat. Austin has challenged unsuccessfully for the TNT Championship, the AEW International Championship, the AEW National Championship, the ROH World Television Championship and the ROH Pure Championship.
That is a long way from where he came from. Austin was one of TNA’s featured performers before signing, leaving as a three-time World Tag Team Champion with Chris Bey and a three-time X-Division Champion.
