The All Elite Wrestling Discussion Thread

[Jaysin]

Playing catch up on Dynamite. I LOVE Kris Statlander. She’s got tremendous upside.

 

Taz was surprisingly good on commentary. Much better than his TNA and WWE performances. He seemed genuinely interested in the product and that really enhanced the experience for me.

[cappyboy]

Whether this particular story becomes something worthwhile or not in the long term, would it really have hurt them to let other women actually talk on TV? My sarcasm about the "Microphone Championship" stemmed from the complaint that they're only willing to give promo time to Brandi. It'd be also have been worth complaining if the only people in the men's division who get mic time are Jericho and Cody, even though they are legit the best at it in the company. Right now, there seems to be some unwritten rule that prohibits women from doing something other than having random matches. I've already given up trying to make sense of why 3 women who are not No.1 Contenders are randomly getting a title match with no build up.

 

I think I'd probably be more concerned about this if they were an older company. AEW's still in its infancy where being a televised product is concerned. I view this essentially like how Dark Order started off. They didn't look like much either until the recruitment videos started. Or Allie. She made not have said much since the turn. But she's more distinct as The Bunny since Butcher and Blade showed up than just being the pretty, curiously single-named blonde facey-face she was beforehand. If we get to 2021 and the state of affairs is still as you describe it, I'll be more inclined to be concerned. But with AEW having been in the wider eye for so short a time, I have no trouble giving them slack where this goes.

[Peppermint Rage]

I've already given up trying to make sense of why 3 women who are not No.1 Contenders are randomly getting a title match with no build up.

 

was going to be Kris, but she was double booked, AEW having already promised a title match, gave us the four way, I believe the RL explanation and the kayfabe one are the same here.

[Questlove]

Brandi is now approaching go away heat with me after last night's show, that was hard to watch. Dr. Luther was an interesting addition I'll admit

[milamber]

Dark:

 

- Moore vs Kong was a standard squash. The women's division could use more jobbers. Looks like they are prepping Kong for a big match in the near future.

- Hybrid 2 & Sabian vs SCU was good.

- Billy & Austin Gunn vs Spears & Jobber match got cut for some reason. Cody announced that Austin Gunn has been signed so maybe they have other plans for his debut.

 

Dynamite:

 

- Page & Omega vs Private Party was great. I love it when PAC snaps. LOL at Hangman walking through the crowd drinking beer.

- Statlander vs Riho © was good. I enjoyed Brandi being a bitch and crapping on everyone. Yeah... the Nightmare Collective are low hanging fruit as far as stables go but at least it's finally paying off with more storylines for the women. Looks like we might get Statlander & Shida vs Kong & Mel at Revolution.

- Daniels vs Sammy was solid. Gave Sammy the win and continued the beef between Daniels and Penta. Fun stuff with the Dark Order. I like when wrestlers are involved in multiple storylines. It makes the show feel more connected instead of just a bunch of random segments.

- Lucha Bros vs Dustin & Cody was a good classic style tag match.

- MJF needs a better theme. DDP was a nice surprise.

- Jurassic Express vs Best Friends & Cassidy was great.

- Loved the Mox Joins the Inner Circle fake-out. I'm glad they didn't drag it out because it was too obvious he just trolling Jericho. The bottle to the head reminded me of the Jericho/Punk feud.

[milamber]

947,000 viewers (almost on par with last week), 0.36 demo. AEW ranked #6 in the Cable Top 150 and #36 in viewership. This marks the best back-to-back weeks for AEW since October.

 

Q1: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs. Private Party – 1,013,000 viewers

Q2: Omega/Page vs. Private Party – 944,000 viewers (lost 69,000)

Q3: Riho vs. Kris Statlander – 961,000 viewers (up 17,000)

Q4: Sammy Guevara vs. Christopher Daniels – 913,000 viewers (down 48,000)

Q5: Dustin & Cody Rhodes vs. Lucha Bros – 941,000 viewers (up 28,000)

Q6: MJF/DDP promo – 941,000 viewers (even)

Q7: Jurassic Express vs. Best Friends & Orange Cassidy – 897,000 viewers (down 44,000)

Q8: Jon Moxley/Inner Circle segment – 970,000 viewers (up 73,000)

 

With next week's Bash at the Beach line-up I think they could reach 1 million again.

 

- The Young Bucks vs Hangman & Omega vs Santana & Ortiz vs Best Friends (AEW World Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match)

- PAC vs Darby Allin

- Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida vs Awesome Kong and Mel (with Brandi Rhodes)

- MJF, The Butcher, The Blade (with The Bunny) vs DDP, Dustin Rhodes, and QT Marshall

- Sammy Guevara vs Jon Moxley

[Jaysin]

Watching Dynamite. I hate Nightmare Collective and Dark Order quite a bit.

 

It was cool seeing Cody and Dustin pick up a tag win though.

[Self]

AEW need to get some new ideas. Three recruitment gimmicks in one night. Another mystery man emerging from under the ring while Excalibur unhelpfully screams his name. DDP harping on about how being on TV is big deal.

 

Jericho and Moxley remain a delight. This was also my favourite Pentagon/Fenix performance in terms of personality. Page is becoming a favourite now he has a character.

 

SCU Daniels remains embarrassing.

[Jaysin]

Brian Cage reportedly signed a multi year contract with AEW

[milamber]

Brian Cage reportedly signed a multi year contract with AEW

 

They need some more big guys with experience like Cage and Harper. Fingers crossed Melissa Santos joins him when her contract is up... although she just denied he's signed in a tweet. Probably received an offer, though.

[Kitarzu]

Dynamite extended on TNT until 2023 and a new show on the Warner media platform

[Jaysin]

<p>The Nightmare Collective is pure trash. Brandi’s character sucks and she’s awful in the ring.</p><p> </p><p>

Also, Luther isn’t a legend and it’s annoying listening to the commentary try and insist that.</p><p> </p><p>

Mel might be the only bright spot in this trash heap.</p>

[milamber]

<p>Dark:</p><p> </p><p>

- It's about time they released Dark in 60fps like BTE.</p><p>

- Legends stuff was fine. Educational for anyone not familiar with Memphis wrestling and they kept it brief.</p><p>

- Cutler vs Darby was good. Best showing from Cutler to date.</p><p>

- Nyla vs Shanna was a fun teaser for a possible No DQ match at Revolution. </p><p>

- Gunn Club vs Spears & Avalon was OK once they actually started wrestling.</p><p> </p><p>

Dynamite:</p><p> </p><p>

- Page & Omega vs PnP vs Best Friends vs Young Bucks was one of the most entertaining Dynamite matches ever. The right team won. Omega and Page can turn on each against SCU and fight at Revolution.</p><p>

- Always enjoy Cody's promos. He really knows how to sell a story.</p><p>

- Mel and Brandi vs Statlander & Shida was the weakest match of the show but the result was good. Shida as a babyface in peril would have worked better with Kong than Brandi. Shame she was sick.</p><p>

- Dark Order with their unseen boss makes me nostalgic for Lucha Underground.</p><p>

- Sammy vs Mox was good. Sammy's commercial cue cards are always a highlight. I hope Mox wrestles with an eye patch next week. Aubrey to the rescue!</p><p>

- Butcher, Blade & MJF vs QT, Dustin & DDP was solid. DDT is probably in better shape than Undertaker and they were able to protect him in a tag match. Blade's premature balding look is bad. He would look better if he shaved his head and grew his beard out.</p><p>

- PAC vs Darby was great.</p>

[BlueStar]

Plus: AEW can be found on YouTube or elsewhere (for Europe). We get Raw and Smackdown on paid TV here.

 

My 0.02: most of AEW (mainstream) looks great.

 

Can't get into Young Bucks or Omega (honestly, lack of charisma, psychology, spots-that-make-no-sense....Omega is the worst for me at that). And yeah, sometimes they look like WCW99 but hey...they got plus-points. At this stage, WWE got a bunch of talented guys that are going nowhere....even worse, some are getting released...(Luke -cough- Harper)

[milamber]

<p>3 weeks in a row over 900K. That's a good baseline.</p><p> </p><p>

From the Observer:</p><p> </p><p>

"TNT wanted essentially to move Dark to television, but AEW’s idea was to keep a weekly Internet show and try and do a second show as a brand name show. The announcement of Taz as signing a new multi-year contract has to do with him being one of the announcers set for the show. Taz was in Miami this past week announcing Dark. He will announce Dark more frequently, but the announcers spot on that show is expected to rotate like it has been the past few months.</p><p> </p><p>

Since the value of the new deal, when throwing in the ad revenue split, would be worth more money than New Japan grosses through all revenue streams over the course of a year, and will make AEW profitable, it would officially make AEW, as far as revenue goes, the No. 2 pro wrestling company in the world.</p><p> </p><p>

Since its inception in October, AEW has skewed the youngest of any pro wrestling show on television as well as the highest in viewers per home, meaning more family and friends watch the show in groups than any other show. AEW is also the leader in adding viewership via DVR numbers, particularly in the 18-49 demo where only 57 percent of their viewership watches live."</p>

[nerodragomir1]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="BlueStar" data-cite="BlueStar" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Plus: AEW can be found on YouTube or elsewhere (for Europe). We get Raw and Smackdown on paid TV here.<p> </p><p> Can't get into Young Bucks or Omega (honestly, lack of charisma, psychology, spots-that-make-no-sense....Omega is the worst for me at that).</p><p> </p><p> I agree. I never saw the appeal of The "Not so Young anymore, not sure why they call themselves that still" Bucks. Kenny "Muh Art" Omega hasn't been good since he left the incredible booking of New Japan. I honestly think NJPW can take any guy with some athletic ability & a decent look & turn him into a superstar. I want to like Omega but something seems off now. Matches are fine but I ended up like a short guy with a half painted face more than any of the Elite guys. Darby Allen has a really enigmatic persona, great music that fits his character & a unique wrestling style in the way that he doesn't care what he does to his body. He has a better gimmick & character than anyone else in the Elite. Well, except for Cody but I don't count him being in the Elite.</p></div></blockquote>

[Jaysin]

<p>Darby is great but he needs new gear. The short shorts and leggings is a terrible look.</p><p> </p><p>

Also, why did Moxley go back to stupid street clothes?</p>

[BlueStar]

For AEW I hope they don't end with having the bookers (Bucks, Omega, Cody) ending up as the guys that go over (see WCW with Nash, Hogan, etc).

 

I'm fine with an (over-worked) Page vs Omega feud (even if I don't get the Page/Omega tag-team chemistry...and I think both are okay but nothing else). Old Bucks are fine as Gatekeepers....(I think Kazarian and Daniels will fill those roles the next year after pushing Sky) but please, nothing else. Like him or hate him, Jericho -overweight, out-of-date to quote the Manic Street Preachers- has more in the tank than that part of The Elite.

 

I hope AEW doesn't go WCW but pushes guys like Darby and Sky. I might even add Page to that, even though I think he's pretty bland. PAC is doing well. Cody vs Porter should give the latter a rub. I think they are set to pull off something special.....(and I think the main members of The Elite will prevent that, making AEW WCW-2020). Hope I'm wrong.

[milamber]

For AEW I hope they don't end with having the bookers (Bucks, Omega, Cody) ending up as the guys that go over (see WCW with Nash, Hogan, etc).

 

I'm fine with an (over-worked) Page vs Omega feud (even if I don't get the Page/Omega tag-team chemistry...and I think both are okay but nothing else). Old Bucks are fine as Gatekeepers....(I think Kazarian and Daniels will fill those roles the next year after pushing Sky) but please, nothing else. Like him or hate him, Jericho -overweight, out-of-date to quote the Manic Street Preachers- has more in the tank than that part of The Elite.

 

I hope AEW doesn't go WCW but pushes guys like Darby and Sky. I might even add Page to that, even though I think he's pretty bland. PAC is doing well. Cody vs Porter should give the latter a rub. I think they are set to pull off something special.....(and I think the main members of The Elite will prevent that, making AEW WCW-2020). Hope I'm wrong.

 

All of the Elite will win titles at some point. They are too popular not to. But I could see them spreading it out. Young Bucks are likely to be Champions this year.

 

Cody, MJF and Darby will probably circle around the secondary title when's it's introduced. Maybe Page could use it as a stepping stone to the World title (something WWE should have done with Reigns and the US title before his first big singles push).

 

Either Omega or Mox will beat Jericho this year. I think Page will win the World title either in 2021 or 2022. The longer the build the better.

[BHK1978]

Darby is great but he needs new gear. The short shorts and leggings is a terrible look.

 

Totally agree. I don't watch AEW much (Aside from MLW I really do not watch any wrestling at all.) but I was watching After Dark over my friend's house and I asked him, "Is Darby wearing nylons? What the hell is up with that." I just looks odd and he has a cool look with the half painted face and half non-painted face. He sort of give me a Two-Face vibe, but that ring attire has to go.

[Self]

Half way through Dynamite. Show started well enough, with a fun cluster-tag and solid Cody promo, but the Nightmare Collective match was the worst. And Brandi was one of the better parts in it, actually showing some personality and cowering from the babyfaces as she should. Mel looked like it was her first match. Shida seems terrified to make contact with any of her moves. Statlander missed two in a row, complete with leg slapping right in front of the camera. My wife really wants to like that division, but it looks so crappy.

 

Lovely shot of Luthor having a polite chat with Justin Roberts during the match too.

 

Really digging Sammy Guevera. I don't think he should be pushed any further (not for 5+ years) but give him a pay rise. I would have liked a little less of a beatdown on Moxley in the middle of the match, as those nearfalls were inventive enough to really take him up a notch. Effective when intense... but he can't help but showboat.

[Jaysin]

Other than Statlander, I don’t like AEW’s women division. They really need to invest in it to make it even watchable.

[Captain Kayfabe]

Other than Statlander, I don’t like AEW’s women division. They really need to invest in it to make it even watchable.

 

I really like Statlander & Shida, but agree that it's definitely their weakest area.

[Jaysin]

I really like Statlander & Shida, but agree that it's definitely their weakest area.

 

I liked Shida at first but her offense gets weaker every match. Her strikes have become downright awful.

[Captain Kayfabe]

I liked Shida at first but her offense gets weaker every match. Her strikes have become downright awful.

 

Yeah, not sure what happened there. Wondering if she potatoed someone previously and is being overly cautious now?