Shining a Light on AEW Dark: Abadon

AEW’s weekly YouTube show ‘AEW Dark’ has presented a platform for independent wrestlers to showcase themselves to an audience of over 200,000 each week. For fans of AEW Dark, they have been given the experience of seeing a number of talented superstars like Will Hobbs, Top Flight, and Red Velvet get their start within an AEW ring. Each week we focus on one talent from AEW Dark who has stood out and shine a light on them to give an idea about who they are and where they come from. 

Our focus this week is on a very interesting character who has really made a name for herself based on her character work alone over a short period of time. Only wrestling for just over two years, Abadon has quickly become a name to watch in the pro wrestling scene. This incredibly talented wrestler has consistently turned heads with her fantastic character work that leaves the viewing audience questioning just how crazy she really is. 

Making her debut for AEW on their Dark programming just ahead of the pandemic, Abadon quickly became someone to keep an eye on. I was fortunate enough to be in the audience in Denver to witness Abadon’s debut first hand. This was my first experience watching Abadon perform, but she was clearly well known by many in the audience. Despite facing Hikaru Shida, one of the more popular babyface talents on AEW’s roster, Abadon’s local support was evident as the crowd chanted her name, and at times chanted for Abadon to ‘Eat her soul’ – a signature line from the superstar. While Abadon was not on the winning side of this matchup, her in ring skill and character work afforded her the opportunity to join AEW in a more full time position with the company just a few months later. 

While Abadon’s career is just getting started, with just two years of in-ring experience, her passion for the product spans decades. Influenced at an early age, it was a match between Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold in 1996 that caught Abadon’s attention and interested her in the product. Later on, female talent like Lita inspired the notion that this could be the career for her. Abadon’s influence isn’t solely from the wrestlers she saw on television, her mother also had aspirations of being a wrestler before giving birth to Abadon. Now, Abadon carries the torch pursuing a dream she has in common with her mother. 

Abadon got her start in professional wrestling by training with Rocky Mountain Pro Wrestling, an independent company out of Denver, Colorado. She trained with Curtis Cole, Severino Corrente, Matt Yaden, and Dustin Uhrick, all notable Colorado based talent. She made her professional wrestling debut after only three months of training for Rocky Mountain Pro in January of 2019. She wrestled back to back nights for two different promotions, Rocky Mountain Pro and Respect Women’s Wrestling. The first night provided an opportunity to just work on her ring work, while on the second night, she was able to take on more of her character role and begin experimenting.

Initially, the major influences for Abadon’s character stemmed from the gothic nature of Marilyn Manson and others within that realm of music. Abadon also credits some of her inspiration to the role of Brandon Lee’s character in “The Crow”, but wanted to add more of an edge of horror to it. This character work is something that has made Abadon stand out among her peers, as she truly takes on a completely different persona. From the paint that transforms her face, to the blood spilling out of her mouth during her entrance, Abadon’s dedication to the character is incredible.

For more recent inspiration, Abadon has looked to metal bands, especially Japanese Metal bands. One band and performer in particular who has been an influence on Abadon as she grows as a character is Kyo, of the metal band, Dir En Grey. After seeing the band perform live a number of times, Abadon recognized the beauty in the way the performer moved on stage and his facial mannerisms, so she incorporated aspects of it into her own performance. 

Abadon continued to work and train with Rocky Mountain Pro Wrestling while also performing for other local Denver promotions as well. She has worked in promotions such as LLL and Respect Women’s Wrestling. Despite her short history of working as an independent wrestler, it’s undeniable that the effort put into both being a fantastic character and a growing talent is very impressive. 

In her short time with AEW, Abadon has been a dominant part of the women’s roster only suffering two losses, with both coming from current AEW Women’s champion Hikaru Shida. Abadon was given an opportunity to train with the AEW roster prior to the show in her hometown of Denver, before eventually getting an opportunity to wrestle on the card for AEW Dark. During this workout, Abadon clearly made a good impression and was signed just a few months later. 

Abadon has a bit of a different journey than the current crop of independent wrestlers turned TV superstars. She didn’t get an opportunity to really travel and expand her resume as a wrestler because the pandemic hit just one year into her journey of professional wrestling. She was given an opportunity by AEW shortly into her career and has made the best of it, clearly gaining support online as many appreciate her character work.

While the story of Abadon is not traditional, she has clearly begun making a name for herself within the ranks of the AEW Women’s roster. From the support of her hometown crowd on her debut performance on AEW Dark, to a fantastic winning streak, earning her a championship opportunity against Hikaru Shida, Abadon has made the best of every opportunity presented to her. Still very young and early in her career, Abadon will continue to grow and impress the more she is able to train and work with the incredible trainers and talent AEW has at their disposal. 

Whether it be scaring kids at local Rocky Mountain Pro Wrestling shows, or threatening to eat Hikaru Shida’s soul, Abadon has consistently worked to stand out. The more she can grow as a talent, the more people will gain an appreciation for her unique style. Abadon’s incredible journey continues to show women everywhere that being yourself can get you a long way if given the right opportunities. Now, Abadon has an opportunity to continue growing as a talent and become a major force within AEW’s women’s division.