In 2022, the future seemed bright for DDT Pro-Wrestling star Konosuke Takeshita. The former Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion rose through the AEW ranks by having incredible matches against Jon Moxley, Hangman Page, Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli. When Takeshita turned on Kenny Omega and The Elite at Double or Nothing, his position on the card was clearly getting higher.

Before Takeshita’s heel turn, the new AEW star was getting over with the crowd. Takeshita showcased that he could get hang with the big boys in AEW and the only ingredient that was missing was a character that could firmly place him at the top. Aligning him with Don Callis was a smart move.

Callis is a tremendous talker who knows how to generate heel heat. In fact, his first promo following the shocking heel turn is one of the more memorable AEW moments in 2023. That heat transferred over to Takeshita, who had finally found a persona that transitioned him into a top star within the company.

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Konosuke Takeshita Was Getting Over As A Heel

Don Callis was essentially Takeshita’s Paul Heyman. Guys like him are why managers are so valuable in the first place. Managers help cover the weakness of said talent and put them over strong. Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Jim Cornette, and Dutch Mantell have also gotten over some of the best talents during their time because of their incredible performances as managers.

Takeshita beating Kenny Omega on paper is pretty sound. “The Cleaner” was AEW’s longest reigning world champion and Omega is well protected in the company. This should've been a huge win that skyrocketed the new AEW star into the upper card. Takeshita didn’t have to win the AEW World title. MJF was quite busy with numerous names on the card so him becoming the next champion was slim to none.

However, that win should’ve elevated him to become either the next International or TNT Champion. In fact, he could’ve gotten his win back from Moxley by dethroning another former AEW World Champion. So the problem isn’t that Takeshita beat Kenny Omega. It’s the fact that his win ultimately meant nothing in the long run.

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Takeshita Has Done Nothing With The Win Since All Out 2023

This all comes down to Tony Khan’s booking. What’s the point of giving Takeshita such a huge win if there’s no long-term plan for him as a singles act? Wardlow was booked poorly following his huge win over MJF in 2022, but he was at least given a lengthy run as the TNT Champion soon after.

The AEW star has now been relegated to Rampage status. There was a world tournament following All Out and he was mysteriously absent. The Continental Classic could’ve been an excellent showcase to remind viewers why he was gaining steam earlier in the year. But Takeshita has seemingly been forgotten since the formation of the Don Callis family.

This underscores one of Tony Khan’s major issues with booking. Lance Archer, Hook, Miro, Daniel Garcia, and Powerhouse Hobbs all suffered a loss of momentum because creative didn’t have any long-term booking plans for these men. Kenny Omega’s singles loss was wasted on a guy who ended up being directionless for the remainder of 2023.

Tony Khan may pick up Takeshita's push in 2024, but by then it’s too late. As previously stated, Takeshita didn’t need to win the world title. Hell, he didn’t need to win any of the mid-card titles. He could’ve feuded with one of the major upper names like Bryan Danielson or Hangman Page. The point is that Takeshita should continue to keep the momentum going by getting huge wins against name opponents.

Jon Moxley recently stated to Bleacher Report, "I've never seen a belt get anyone over... People get belts over. They come and go, and they're devices. If you treat them as important, they become important. If you treat them like a joke, they become a joke."

The former AEW World Champion is right. It’s why Wardlow’s run after Double or Nothing is widely considered a failure despite winning the TNT title. His run was treated as a joke and it ultimately became meaningless and forgettable because of the lack of quality feuds or even a decent amount of character development.

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Kenny Omega’s Rare Singles Loss Could’ve Gone To Someone Else

If AEW didn’t have immediate plans for Takeshita then they should’ve given the win to someone they know they’ll push going forward. Though Swerve Strickland had been taking nothing but losses before his feud against Hangman, a big win against Kenny Omega would’ve done him wonders as well. Takeshita can get hot once again.

Don Callis can still get heat on the mic and the rising AEW star just needs another feud that can catapult him out of the cold rut he’s currently going through. But Takeshita’s loss of momentum is a deeper issue that AEW desperately needs to address soon.