Category: AEW

Did AEW Dynamite Deliver a PPV?

Clive BallsLeave a comment

Tony Khan had every right to tout the May 10 episode of Dynamite as a PPV on TBS. The match card was stacked. Ring of Honor World Champion Claudio Castagnoli faced off against ROH Tag Team Champ Rey Fénix, the AEW International Championship and the World Trios Titles would be defended, with a main event of Jon Moxley squaring off against longtime nemesis Kenny Omega in a steel cage. In between we’d get Anna Jay and Julia Hart in a No Holds Barred match and hear from Christian Cage and FTR.

On paper, it really did look like a PPV. But there’s a term in football: the game isn’t played on paper. Just because a card looks good, doesn’t mean it’ll stand up. One thing AEW does well is PPVs. Even when the company has had a rare dip heading into a PPV, it always delivers. So giving a nod to that standard for a TV show was adding pressure.

The opening bout between Fénix and Claudio had the stipulation that whoever won could challenge the other for their belt. Readers familiar with my opinions will know I’m not a fan of non-title matches where a champ can lose in order to serve as a qualifier (or “title elimination match”). It’s my view that if you’re fighting, the gold’s on the line.

Having said that, this was a smart compromise. It served as an eliminator, both could look strong regardless of outcome, and the Tag Titles being in the mix add another permutation. There’s more chance of finding a universe where Donald Trump is a quiet humble man, and Aqua followed up “Barbie Girl” with an album that surpassed Led Zeppelin’s excellence, than you are to come across one where Fénix and Castagnoli put on anything other than a high grade contest. If you don’t enjoy watching these two, you don’t really enjoy wrestling.

It started high tempo and never took a breath. Taz observed on commentary that they were only four minutes in, and there’d already been so much action.

Claudio winning is a shame in the sense it keeps Rey Fénix away from a big singles match but Khan is building the Swiss star into an indestructible force. It would be logical to assume he’ll choose Wheeler Yuta as his tag parter, and that’s who’ll eat the pin when the BCC face off against the Lucha Brothers.

The show definitely got off to a PPV-worthy start but this is where we should remember it is a television show. It would be remiss of Tony Khan to go all in [is that a pun? — Danny] on weekly programming as it’d make the big shows feel less grand. Unlike WWE PPVs that consist of extensive filler, AEW is more action packed which leaves little room for storyline expansion. With this being a TV show, there was need to punctuate the matches with developments.

We saw both Miro and Thunder Rosa return backstage and went to Tony Khan’s office. Both have been sorely missed. Yes, it’s a stacked roster but these two are world class talents. Thunder Rosa especially should be thrown straight back into the world title scene. Miro probably needs to earn some trust with Khan’s creative instincts before he’s main eventing.

Two different ways to progress a feud were also presented. FTR continued their troubles with Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. Mark Briscoe came out to announce he would be the special guest referee at Double or Nothing when FTR’s AEW World Tag Title will be up for grabs. In what was supposed to be a drink to toast the creation of the match, Sonjay Dutt spat the spirit (I’m guessing a fine tequila) into Dax Harwood’s eyes. A blinded Harwood acted on instinct, and during the ensuing melee delivered a piledriver to Mark Briscoe. At this point, it should be mentioned Dutt must be a genius because there’s not a character I despise more in all of professional wrestling.

Dax could play the role of impetuous hothead well. They should lean into his unhinged, hit-first-ask-later side more often.

Christian Cage went down the other path to build his issues with Wardlow. He delivered a speech that begs the question: is Christian the best at cutting a heel promo in the world? MJF has a strong shout but Christian’s are delivered with such callous precision, it’s a close call. He managed to get a dead dad remark in too, just so you know the level he’s aiming for.

There are two types of people in the world. Those who prefer Coke over Pepsi. Those who think Edge is better than Christian. I am not in the Edge camp. Christian is a legend who delivers to a higher standard in every department.

The Trios match between House of Black and Best Friends and Bandido never really recovered from a stipulation that wasn’t fully utilised. It was an average part of the show where no one expected Malakai and his crew to lose. Even Julia Hart won in the match beforehand over Anna Jay. That probably was a better bout than the Trios Title defence, and the women sold the violence well, but it wasn’t on the level we’ve seen from other hardcore female matchups.

Slightly above the middling matches was the Orange Cassidy International Championship defence against Daniel Garcia. Again, no one would have expected OC to drop the belt here. It’s clear that Garcia is in some kind of holding pattern. He loses title matches but always looks strong. He put Cassidy through the wringer, his cockiness being the downfall. For a man who slayed the American Dragon, he needs another notable win soon.

Let’s cut to the chase on the main event. It wasn’t the best steel cage match we’ve ever seen in AEW. But it would never be like the Bucks and the Lucha Brothers. It was always going to be brutal. Bryan Danielson said on commentary that Mox doesn’t even wake up until he’s bleeding. And the blood flowed from both men.

You’d be surprised to hear that Jon Moxely became a top rope specialist, that most of his work was done from said rope. He wasn’t doing is best Rey Fénix impression though, he disassembled the top rope and proceeded to use its hook inside Omega’s mouth before choking him with the rubber covered steel.

Eventually both men went through the front of the cage following a V-trigger. Omega actually took the brunt of the damage, landing awkwardly on the lower portion of the cage.

Next, we entered swerve city. Moxley rolled Omega into the ring, both men now drained from barbwire wrapped chairs and landing on broken glass, and produced a screwdriver. Enter Don Callis, he snatched the tool from Moxley’s hand, pleaded not to be hit, which opened the door for Omega to launch Mox into a turnbuckle. Omega hit the One-Winged Angel, and well, nobody kicks out of that. Technically, Mox didn’t but he wasn’t pinned as Don Callis broke the three-count by  driving the screwdriver into Omega’s head.

The ultimate betrayal.

Was this episode PPV quality? Not quite, it lacked that unquantifiable ingredient that makes AEW PPV’s standout. This is okay. After all, it’s an episodic TV show and on that front we had storyline builds, returning wrestlers and still a couple of matches that were of the highest order.

The main event is one of those highly rated affairs. It wasn’t like the speed and art of the opening match, instead it was an exercise in violence and nuanced storytelling. Some may initially dislike the Callis turn but it is a masterstroke that fully opens up the rivalry between the BCC and The Elite. There is a clear distinction between the good guys and the bad, and it’s okay if you still want them all to win. With these two factions at loggerheads, the fans will never be the losers.

Moxley and Omega added another chapter to their rivalry and with this one, there will never be a thawing of the hatred. Mox has now broken up family. These two are AEW’s Batman and Joker, destined to square off forever, neither able to overcome the other in definitive fashion.

8/10

Tony Khan’s “War”: AEW Collision and What ROH Could Have Been

Clive BallsLeave a comment

First off, let’s be clear: there isn’t really a wrestling war right now. Tony Khan believes there is. Certain elements of the Internet wrestling community think there is (and actively partake in dropping bombs) and talent pretends there is when it’s contract renewal time. But the reality is, there can’t be a war when one company is so far ahead of the other in terms of TV ratings and revenue.

Nothing AEW achieves will put WWE out of business. WWE was recently valued as a $9.3 billion enterprise as it formed a new company following Endeavor’s acquisition and merger with UFC. That combination touted as being worth in excess of $21 billion.

Tony Khan couldn’t get a TV deal for Ring of Honor.

In the war between WWE and WCW, it was a fight to the death. This time—at best—it may slightly affect WWE’s bottom line if AEW continues to grow, and ran live events on the same days as WWE’s non-televised shows. AEW’s arrival has actually generated more chances for wrestlers to work. It’s opened up the wrestling world and brought in more fans, or at the very least, brought back those who had become disenfranchised.

What was notable in the Monday Night War was how WWE had to change its game. Vince McMahon’s natural inclination is to have PG, cartoony characters. When WCW produced an edgier product, Vince had to adapt. The Attitude Era was the result and has been viewed with nostalgia ever since.

In the modern day faux war, Tony Khan is the one holding the edgier, more adult based product. Blood may be banned in Stamford but Jon Moxley is contractually obliged to bleed every time he hears a bell ring. In this generation, the product closer to the Attitude Era has failed to win the ratings battle against RAW and SmackDown.

Eventually, the children currently watching WWE will outgrow it and migrate to AEW. Until then, Tony Khan needs to secure more viewership. Even the acquisition of big WWE names didn’t significantly budge the needle. CM Punk had a great Rampage debut but it didn’t translate into a massive return each Wednesday. Bryan Danielson is beloved by fans as one of the best wrestlers on the planet. He’s in a place now where he gets to prove it. The problem for TV ratings is, not many casual WWE fans care about wrestling, especially if it’s caked in violence.

The best way to directly compete with PG WWE is by creating PG content.

This is where Tony Khan faces a conundrum. AEW has a strong identity and style. Migrating to a PG show would all but kill the company. Its loyal fans (which are an organic fanbase) would leave, in the short-term it would fail to turn the heads of WWE viewers. The chances are, Tony doesn’t even see it as an option. But there are several (imperfect) solutions.

AEW’s TV shows are finally back in the groove after removing Ring of Honor content from weekly programming. Which brings us to option one. Ring of Honor, up to this point, has been presented along the same lines as AEW. Admittedly, its history doesn’t look like the natural fit for a PG presentation. But if you took a highlight reel from WWE’s Attitude Era, that would be a hard sell to a modern day TV exec for a PG Sports Entertainment show. Still, here we are.

ROH could easily be repackaged. The fact is, it failed to secure a TV deal after months of Tony Khan shilling the product on TBS and TNT. It would be superbly optimistic to expect the relaunched Honor Club to recruit a notable subscription count. Not many will pay $9.99 just for a weekly show.

Unless they are going to offer specials like Impact Plus, Tony Khan may need to return to the drawing board and turn ROH into the family friendly version of his universe. Women Of Wrestling’s ratings prove there is a market for a commercially friendly audience. Its ratings trounce Impact Wrestling, which itself is a solid product. He’d find it an easier sell to those in charge of cable channels to pick up a rejuvenated family version of AEW in the guise of a new ROH. There’d be enough separation between AEW and ROH to dispel fears that the PG audience may inadvertently be drawn to the edgier Wednesday and Friday shows.

The market exists to break WWE’s dominance (if not its profits) but the first rule of showbiz is to give the people what they want. The majority clearly want the soft version of wrestling that fills three hours of television every Monday night. Unless brand loyalty is so strong with WWE that people will watch it regardless of what they churn out. We know this can’t be entirely true. Ratings have improved since Triple H’s arrival as Head of Creative, proving it isn’t watched mindlessly by everyone.

Luring the WWE fanbase with a throwback product hasn’t made a significant dent into WWE’s coffers. It’s time to try with a direct imitation. It worked for WWE in the Nineties. DX was a reaction to nWo. The whole vibe of the Attitude Era was taking what WCW started and trying to do it better. History tells us they succeeded.

History has a way of repeating itself. Imitation is the best form of flattery. It’s time Tony Khan flattered WWE by creating a copy so good, it makes loyal viewers switch sides.

The rumoured AEW Collision show could be this vehicle instead of ROH. A two-hour Saturday show would need to resemble Dynamite’s story progression more than Rampage’s pure action dynamic. To differentiate, and prevent Rampage becoming irrelevant, this could be the PG show AEW has on offer. All the reasons listed above for changing ROH can be applied here instead.

Or we have the option to amalgamate and instead of it being AEW Collision, it is a ROH two-hour show called Collision headed by a returning CM Punk. The story is already written: he can’t work with the “children” in AEW and The Elite, so he’s dragged ROH to network telly.

The most outlandish—and biggest risk of all—would be for Tony to create yet another new brand. It would be free from AEW and ROH’s adult orientation and could start on a blank page. It could still use CM Punk in the role described. 

What Collision can’t be is Dynamite-lite, offering nothing new to AEW’s TV library. Being a two-hour show, all signs point to AEW needing a brand split. This would enable them to use their sizeable roster more effectively (and expect more free agents in the coming months following WWE’s buyout). But this alone won’t improve ratings or market penetration.

Tony Khan can’t win his imaginary war, but he can become something more like an equal than an afterthought if he acknowledges there needs to be a flavour for every fan out there. Whether its Collision or ROH he uses as the vehicle for this—or even a new brand—he needs to think outside of his box.

However, if he chooses to keep the new status quo and sit on one million viewers in order to maintain his vision, that should be applauded and respected. What he has created is the alternative many of us craved. And by its nature, alternative is rarely ever mainstream.

FTR with Dax Harwood Live (March 30, 2023) — Review

Clive BallsLeave a comment

In a weekend filled with wrestling, a live episode of FTR with Dax Harwood aired on Fite TV. It clashed with Impact and NJPW’s Multiverse United, so it speaks volumes about those involved that this writer believed it took precedence over a PPV crossover.

I’ve always been one for intrigue. I still slow down for car crashes. On some level, the FTR with Dax Harwood podcast offers a mix of these. You’re going to be afforded some insight, a look behind the curtain, and there’s a chance Dax will say something to anger either a fellow wrestler, the fans, or both.

He’s completely aware of this. Throughout, there were comments made about his tendency to rub people up the wrong way. It was good to see Cash Wheeler offer the sort of support most of us can only dream about receiving from our friends. It’s the strength of that connection which permeates into their on-screen characters. Fans want to fight for FTR.

The cloud of a WWE departure still looms large. Anyone hoping for hints here will be sorely disappointed. There were as many throwaway comments which support the idea as there were working against it. If they are leaving, they’re giving the job for The Gunns every service. The AEW Tag Champions appeared in the middle of proceedings, cut a generic promo, and were escorted out.

Gimmicks never take breaks, ask Mark Galloway.

Special mention for how good Matt Koon is live with an ad-lib.

What came across strong was how Dax has filled his life with good people. Powerhouse Hobbs appears to be the most genuine guy in the business. Despite personal tragedies that would have floored most people, he’s continued to develop into a main event player.

Shawn Spears is an honest speaker. Acutely aware that by not politicking, he’s probably placed a ceiling on his career. But I agree with the ethics of this choice: it’s better to have restrictions placed upon you that represent integrity, than sell your morals and float into corruptible purgatory.

With Wardlow on stage, they spoke of how good The Pinnacle should have been. FTR with Spears and Wardlow could still be repackaged, minus MJF, and cause havoc as a fan-favourite act. It would work because these guys have each other’s backs.

One thing that stood out for me was how this live chat inadvertently highlighted an issue affecting both AEW and WWE. In all fairness, it actually is a bigger problem for AEW. There were two moments in the show when it came to light. The first was when Cash and Dax took a question from a nine-year-old boy. He’d asked what their dream match would be and for what titles.

Dax, attempting to gauge the boy’s knowledge, asked for his favourite wrestler. Dax offered Cena from WWE, Kenny Omega from AEW. Cena probably hasn’t been around enough in recent times for a nine-year-old to appreciate. Kenny is beloved by wrestling purists and fans who have followed him elsewhere. But Orange Cassidy probably engages more with kids, and no disrespect – he is a special talent, and deserves all the success coming his way – OC isn’t a Cena, a Hogan, a Rock.

The silence of the nine-year-old made more sense when Shawn Spears spoke about how he loved the wrestling part but had always been driven by the character aspect. That characters pulled him into the sport. He mentioned Mr. Perfect. This rang so very, very true. He was the first character that pulled me into WWF. As a kid, my finisher of choice was the Perfect Plex. Not a fancy move (a fisherman’s suplex) but cool because I’d bought into the man delivering it.

Perhaps there are too many professional wrestlers nowadays too wrapped up in themselves. They’ve forgotten the goal to get over with the fans. Sure, many big names were notorious for backstage politics, but they used their drawing power to leverage the outcomes they wanted. Nowadays it seems wrestlers learn to politick an hour after learning their first hip toss.

FTR with Dax Live assured us there are genuine good guys in the business, we just need to give them a chance to shine.

FTR Risk a post-WrestleMania Backlash

Clive BallsLeave a comment

The are they, are they not staying? situation regarding FTR’s AEW status drags on. On this week’s FTR with Dax Harwood podcast, his opening language seemed to lean toward an impending exit.

The title and premise of the show was former boss Triple H. This in itself, looked like a pointer of sorts.

That some duly criticised on Twitter. The podcast account even quote retweeted it with the blithe remark: Or, a podcast topic. It would be naive to assume Dax Harwood and Matt Koon don’t meticulously plan the podcast and how FTR aren’t aware of its implications on their career. It’s more than just a place for musing over things, it can be a tool to get things rolling or support the gimmick.

It was telling that Dax stated he couldn’t reveal their decision because they were still under contract. That, taken on face value, would indicate they can’t say anything that could be misconstrued as a breach of AEW terms. Technically, they won’t have been able to hold talks with WWE yet. If they were staying with AEW, there’d be no contractual restraint to making the announcement.

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the once lost art of kayfabe. Resurrected here to make us ponder if they are/are not resigning. As I stated on Twitter, it’s either a great swerve or Dax is trying his best to prepare AEW fans for disappointment. He goes on to ask for understanding in the podcast, that he’s done what’s best for his family.

This could either mean more money with WWE or less dates away from home by staying with AEW.

All the issues that made him leave WWE in the first place could resurface, but if I’d been lucky enough to live out the dream as a professional wrestler, I’d be lying if I said the idea of a big WrestleMania moment wouldn’t prove tempting. But not many will get the Cody Rhodes style perfect return on the Grandest Stage of Them All. And such moments are fleeting and fade fast if the rest of the run is a painful slog.

The uncertainty of their status risks alienating notable portions of their fanbase regardless. From a selfish point of view, this writer wants them to remain with AEW. Both weekly TV shows are watched and every PPV, sometimes the Dark and Elevation get added. As for WWE, it’s only the Premium Live events and the odd highlights package.

If they make the switch, I can’t see me coming along for every minute. Despite Triple H’s improvements to the product, WWE television still fails to match my expectations of what a wrestling show should be. Any spare time would go to NJPW first.

Aside from WrestleMania, there is still more they can add to their legacy in AEW. They could restore credibility to the Tag Team division. Quite how it’s gone from the strongest tag team pool on the planet to having The Gunns as champions is a mystery, a crime, and Tony Khan’s biggest failing since starting AEW.

Having FTR win the belts, and spend a significant amount of time overcoming all challengers, while reclaiming gold from elsewhere, holds more weight than a pop at a WWE event. By staying in, they can be accredited with any rise the company sees, perhaps one day filling a stadium under the AEW banner.

Still, the choice is theirs. But the extended wait risks causing more damage than any pay-off is worth.

Listen to FTR with Dax Harwood on all major providers of Podcasts and via Megaphone.

What AEW Needs To Do Next

Clive BallsLeave a comment

This Saturday, AEW presents Full Gear, a PPV it hopes will help refocus the company after a turbulent few months. The infamous CM Punk media scrum, and the subsequent incident with The Elite, shed light on the company’s internal troubles. But the Punk moment was just the tip of the iceberg. Tony Khan did an excellent job—a service, in fact—providing professional wrestling fans with a real alternative.

While WWE unloaded, Tony Khan relentlessly recruited. Sometimes less, is more. In this case, it’s become the law of diminishing returns. The Punk episode was the epoch of the problem. Since then, weekly TV has become lacklustre. AEW always had a vibe, a feel—and even when it was finding its feet—a sense of direction. We were all pulling in the same direction. Now, it feels a little lost. 

AEW has always delivered when it comes to PPVs. These are the things that need to happen following Full Gear.

Get ROH Out of Here!

This writer was excited when Tony Khan announced he’d acquired Ring Of Honor. The pandemic made me venture to wrestling promotions (via streaming) I’d normally overlook. ROH being saved went well with that sentiment. It was good that their video library would be added to AEW’s (and not form part of the WWE Network).

Tony was obviously happy with his new toy and wanted to show it to his TV execs. That’s cool. Let’s help ROH get a TV deal. But that effort has become all consuming. Constant ROH plugging has suffocated everything that made AEW stand out. At one point, I’d have happily paid extra for a ROH Fite TV subscription. Now, I’m not sure I’d dive straight into a YouTube ROH stream. He’s over saturated his own product with another of his products.

If Ring of Honor had been the answer AEW fans were looking for, Tony would never have needed to create AEW.

Following this Saturday’s PPV, ROH needs to be quietly shuffled to one side and away from Dynamite and Rampage. Perhaps this means Chris Jericho should drop the title. He’s too big of a name to be pushing a promotion that doesn’t have a TV deal.

Make Dark and Elevation Relevant

Elevation isn’t the show we’d been sold. That’s long in the memory now, but the description from day one should have been: a slightly bigger version of Dark. The problem for casual fans is the Dark shows are primarily used to boost wrestler rankings (we’ll get to those in a minute) and help green performers get used to the industry. 

There’s nothing wrong with either of those pursuits.

But there needs to be separation and purpose added. Dark should be the pure training show. Where new talents expect a squash but are given time to breathe, learn, perform in front of an audience (the studio is especially good for newcomers), and get used to the feel of a big promotion.

Elevation should be the place the performers go to compete for—don’t groan—the Dark titles. Men, Women’s, and Tag Team belts exclusive to the Dark brands. I know, I know, people think there are too many belts in AEW already. There isn’t: they’re just mismanaged. And if we get rid of ROH gold on AEW TV, the number of AEW titles is okay.

We all begged for Trios Titles and the All-Atlantic has the potential to become something more than a simple secondary title.

Dark needs titles to give matches more meaning. And the rule can be added that once a wrestler has appeared on Dynamite or Rampage a certain amount of times within the last six months, they are ineligible to participate for the Dark belts.

Bring Back The Rankings

A simple one: just bring back the rankings. It was a unique feature that made every match mean something. Let’s not have eliminator matches or convoluted round-robin tournaments. Let’s just use the rankings ladder. (And start a separate rankings and match record for ROH so they can’t appear on AEW shows.)

Bring Back The MIA Talent

At the end of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is told: “Everything you were looking for was right there with you all along.”

Tony, everything you needed was with you all along. You didn’t need to sign every former WWE free agent (to be fair, he passed on a few), you didn’t need to buy another company [enough on the ROH digs —Danny], there were enough AEW originals that were ready to flourish. Some of them were, only to be pushed aside or allowed to stagnate. When Orange Cassidy beat Jericho, it should have made him headline a PPV by now. Hopefully, holding gold now is the start of that journey.

There could have been more Britt Bakers, MJFs, and The Acclaimed type natural breakouts.

The talent that saw AEW as the light and made the switch haven’t been rewarded. Miro and Malakai Black being the obvious examples. It’s time to get back to focusing on what made AEW great for the majority of its three+ years.

We want to see the AEW faces that have been sidelined because of over-acquisitions and meandering storylines. With the pool of talent at Tony’s fingertips, we shouldn’t have so many repeat matches. And we should never see Jeff Jarrett in front of the camera or Jay Lethal (who is a top talent) wrestle on what feels like every show, every week.

Spread the airtime, build new stories.

AEW will be fine.

There have been many positives, even in the turmoil. Jon Moxley has matured into the focal point and person capable of lifting a company onto his shoulders and running with it. He’s had help from Jericho and Bryan Danielson. William Regal (who will probably betray him this weekend 😂) has been stellar. Proving, some signings really have worked out. The women’s division keeps getting stronger and has a depth of talent now unrivalled anywhere.

Following Full Gear, AEW needs to get back to doing what it does best: simply being AEW.