AEW: The Quiet Revolution

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) isn't a polite guest at the professional wrestling table. It isn't a company that politely knocks on the door. AEW brings the noise, the passion and the chaos. It marches through the door. It brings the fireworks and a rabid and loyal fan base. It boldly asserts that the wrestling business does not have to be boring. AEW is a statement; it is a challenge; it is a movement. It combines the fires of independent wrestling, the internet fandom, the international influence, the enigmatic yet powerful inspiration of 'what if.' It poses the question of if professional wrestling needs another main stage. A place where wrestling can be created, fought, and risked. A place where history can be made and where failures can be embraced and where victories can be epic.

The Rebel Spirit in Independent Wrestling

AEW's genesis stems from the independent wrestling movement and spirit. AEW's All In was a defining moment. It was a showcase that proved independent wrestling is a viable alternative to the WWE monopoly. All In was pitched and created by Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson. It proved that independent wrestling is capable of capturing mainstream audiences. Wrestlers and promoters can sell tickets and create an atmosphere of excitement and engagement.

The Star in the Dark

That Independent Wrestling proved to be a successful business and entertainment model and created a great opportunity for other independent wrestling promotions. AEW's President, Tony Khan, is a wrestling fan and entrepreneurial visionary. The combination of Khan's resources and his passion for wrestling created AEW, the first major startup independent wrestling promotion in the modern age.

AEW was established in 2019 with The Elite as founding members and Khan as the principal driving force. AEW was designed to become a long-term alternative to existing wrestling promotions. This was not simply a matter of recruiting more talent. AEW was built to support longer matches, more athletic competition, eclectic styles from around the world, and unscripted and spontaneous crowd participation to enhance the experience. AEW wanted the viewers to feel like they were a part of the show, and not simply watching from the outside.

After The Early Explosion came Double or Nothing, and AEW went weekly with Dynamite.

After AEW's first major Pay-Per-View, Double or Nothing, production hype was no longer a problem. AEW was ready to operate, and innovative wrestling was showcased. AEW was capable of attracting big names like Jon Moxley. AEW's first benefit was combining star power with coupled wrestling's established and fan favorite personalities. Combining Jericho, Omega, and the Young Bucks and Rhodes brought elite chaos, goal oriented wrestling, and emotional narratives while Hangman Page drew in wrestling's most impressive character evolution and provided some the most coveted insecurity and heart to the craft.

AEW Dynamite needed to be a show that felt like a wrestling event. To keep to this standard, the show had to focus speed, crowd participation, and the highest of match quality. AEW built and innovated the talent in their roster, this was especially true for the young wrestler, Darby Allin, who thrived in the role.

MJF's evolution exemplifies the ascent to one of wrestling's keenest verbal artists, while Britt Baker has shifted from a rising star to one of the industry's most recognized identities. Cassidy has taken a minimalist approach and genius marketing to new heights. AEW has proven to be a versatile, expanded, and multidimensional brand because of all of the contributions from the roster members listed and many more including PAC, Shida, and Rose.

The Covid Era: Daily's Place, The Empty Arena, and The Resilient

With the onset of the Covid Pandemic, the AEW and all other pro-wrestling promotions were forced to move their shows to empty arenas. The rhythmic cycle of sound provided by the audience who were once a vital aspect of the performances, ceased to exist and travel was not the same. AEW and the other wrestling promotions, unlike most of the realms of the entertainment industry, found a solution to provide content. Daily's Place in Jacksonville became AEW's headquarters.

Although the shows were not the most entertaining, wrestling is one of the most humanistic artforms, and elements of that were present. The performers created the audience. AEW's ability to perform on a weekly basis meant that a lot of other companies were having to fight to find a way to keep their business operational. The Air Open structure turned into AEW's Pumping Heart. A half empty arena meant that AEW had to rely on the performers willingness step into the spotlight. While some of those moments were haunting, the contrast was a will to fight and survive "shock and awe" from one side of the barricade to the other with a microphone and steel chair.

Images from that time period have solidified AEW's most legendary moments. An example of that would be Brodie Lee's intense run from the AEW Championship.

His Celebration of Life episode marked a memorable, unrivaled era of wrestling. Debuting in the falling snow, Sting’s return felt almost mystical. The Parking Lot Brawl artfully blended chaos and violence and established AEW's reputation for raw, artistic wrestling. Kenny Omega defeating Jon Moxley and the subsequent alliance of Don Callis and the Impact Wrestling invasion sparked the imagination of the “forbidden-door” theory. AEW's pandemic era was not about merely surviving the worst. It was about the company showing heart as a business, even while under pressure.

The Matches That Built the Myth

For AEW, and perhaps wrestling as a whole, the philosophy is built on the layers of risk, emotion, and most importantly, the match. AEW's best matches exist as the next installment, step, or phase in the ever-developing and evolving story of wrestling. Cody versus Dustin at Double or Nothing 2019 was the first step in AEW's evolution as a promotion, and showcased blood, family, and cathartic release. The Young Bucks versus The Lucha Brothers in the steel cage at All Out 2021 was the definition of an explosive encounter for tag-team wrestling. The partnership of Kenny Omega and Hangman Page, and the inevitable and ultimate confrontation for the AEW world championship, became a long-form story of the collapse of a friendship, anxiety, and the ultimate betrayal, culminating in a masterful redemption.

AEW's fans have witnessed some of the greatest wars in wrestling history. The chaos of a Stadium Stampede and the pure violence of Jon Moxley's title defenses. Emotional battles become epic wrestling matches thanks to talent like Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson. AEW has a unique way of making each match type an emotional weapon. A lights-out match can be the ultimate release of personal anger. A ladder match shows the reckless side of a competitor. Each tag match shows the purest forms of trust and teamwork.

There is a unique magic that AEW conjures that makes you feel a mixture of danger, joy, drama and absurdity, essentially everything that professional wrestling embodies, all at once.

CM Punk's debut in 2021 signaled one of AEW's highest cultural peaks and perhaps their most divisive. The company solidified their reputation with Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole's dual debuts that same year at All Out, and the promotion was further validated with MJF's rise as the company's first fully developed top-tier antagonist. Swerve Strickland's rise to the main event level of the company signified that AEW was losing their fixation on a select group of stars. Furthermore, Mercedes Moné's debut was indicative of AEW's desire to expand their women's division and become a formidable competitor in that sphere, while also uplifting AEW in the public space. Will Ospreay's signing and subsequent matches with AEW has been perhaps the most fitting of all.

The Wrestlers: A Roster Built on Contrast, Chaos, and Belief

Chaos and variety have been central to AEW's roster since the company's formation. Moxley’s wrestling style is predominantly brawling, while Kenny Omega combines his wrestling style with drama and athleticism. The Young Bucks introduce an element of speedy irony, and unfettered creativity that pushes the limits of tag team wrestling. MJF fuses classic antagonist wrestling with 21st Century social media, and Darby Allin's style of wrestling is pain-endurance mixed with a willingness to throw caution to the wind. Orange Cassidy's style is of elite wrestling that employs an absurdist form of comedy.

The AEW Women’s Division features multiple foundational eras and names such as Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, Thunder Rosa, Jamie Hayter, Toni Storm, Kris Statlander, Willow Nightingale, and Mercedes Moné. AEW has faced some criticism due to instances where the company hasn’t focused on their Women’s Division, however, the depth of their pool shows the talent and potential that AEW has. If AEW focused more fully on their Women’s Division, it would produce more captivating matches and stories like the rest of the show.

One of the things that makes AEW stand out is their International relations and talent. Many wrestlers such as PAC, The Lucha Bros., Konosuke Takashita, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Jay White, and Bandido have made AEW feel interconnected to the International Wrestling Universe. AEW’s relations with NJPW, CMLL, Stardom, other talent, and ROH give them more International relations unlike WWE’s more isolated style of wrestling. AEW feels like a Wrestling Multiverse with one ring at the center.

One of the most interesting things about Tony Khan is how he isn’t your average wrestling promoter. He is more than the owner, money man, and executive. He is a powerful superfan. This chaotic yet inspiring combination makes him one of the most interesting people in modern wrestling. Khan’s childhood obsession with wrestling shows some reflection in AEW. It feels infinite in a way that many have missed since childhood.

There are many foundational sources for his texts. AEW's style has elements of territorial wrestling, WCW, ECW, Ring of Honor, New Japan, PWG, lucha libre, and today's independent wrestling.

His influence on wrestling is massive. AEW accomplished a lot as a promotion. Wrestlers now had options, and as a result, contracts had a higher value. AEW forced the national wrestling promotion to give fans a choice on television. AEW is a major promotion that focuses on the quality and quantity of wrestled matches, shown through the AEW's use of promoted matches and sports-like ranking systems. It showcases long-term story arcs and has a diverse cast of wrestlers who do not all share the same corporate speaking style.

His strengths are his passion and enthusiasm. When paired with his resources and connections, along with the ambition to recruit talented individuals, and the media, as well as his knowledge of wrestling and what it has been, he has been a major player in getting AEW onto larger television spots, and on multiple AEW shows. He has bought Ring of Honor, and has been a champion of them for quality and quantity of wrestling during tumultuous times. He has given AEW a sense of personalization and care. While fans may not appreciate his choices, they do believe he has their best interests at heart. In wrestling, this permeates, as that belief translates to caring about the promotion.

His flaws, like AEW's large roster and uneven focus over the televised period, are extremely frequent topics of discussion. AEW is also known for a large number of announcements that replace wrestlers, yet overall, AEW seems like a glorious collection of unfinished puzzle pieces. While he accepts these criticisms well, he has the ambition to make AEW larger than just a small side project.

Building a wrestling empire, with ratings, media rights, fan tribalism, injuries, backstage issues, and constant WWE comparisons, is not easy.

Tony Khan may have expanded the wrestling world. After AEW, fans began to accept the possibility of more than one company in the mainstream. AEW brought back optimism for competition. AEW gave value to wrestlers and showed fans and the industry that there is a place for business in entertainment and infrastructure.

AEW Content: Entertainment without a Formula

The AEW flagship, Dynamite, is known for being all action: quick, loud, and match heavy. AEW has other major platforms like Collision, which has a stronger wrestling first tone. There are AEW ecosystems throughout Rampage, Ring of Honor, pay-per-views, media scrums, special episodes and AEW’s international partnerships. AEW has something to offer everywhere.

AEW’s pay-per-views may be the strongest selling point of the company. AEW pay-per-views are packed with action and offer a long build up to the final climax. AEW’s weekly television may at times be crowded, but the big shows reveal the AEW power of giving the opportunity to stellar wrestlers with the right build.

AEW brings fan culture and entertainment.

Chants, signs, engaging discourse, niche knowledge, and more, are not peripheral elements. They are part of the crowd. This can be cool and overwhelming. AEW feels like it sometimes books for the most informed fan in the audience, and this is why it has a lot of power. It pushes the envelope. It has fans and makes the history of wrestling more relatable and accessible.

Where AEW Falls Short: The Problems Sparked from the Passion

For all its power, AEW is not infallible. The beauty of AEW is that for all its strengths, its weaknesses are just as prominent. AEW is engaging, electrifying, chaotic, emotional, and ambitious. AEW is also all of the following: overwhelming, inconsistent, and irritating. AEW can easily be likened to a crowded buffet full of the best offerings that include dream matches, debuts, factions, titles, and tournaments, but does not provide a clear focus of what the fans should care about.

AEW is often commended for its incredible matches, but the biggest fault is that oftentimes this wrestling is not accompanied with clear story arcs. Because of this a wrestler can be popular one month and completely irrelevant the next. Wrestling rivalries can be promising and explosive and also fall off the map, as can championships.

Opportunities abound when talent and ideas fuse to form creativity. However, having so many hotspots of creativity means that the industry may not be able to focus on each talented employee at the moment they are best.

This is another instance of a double-edged sword. All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has signed thousands of wrestlers from around the world; in addition to wrestling icons, many former independent wrestlers have also been signed. The result is a fully rostered company and leads to a backlog of creativity. The truth is that not all wrestlers can be pushed; not all wrestling debuts are important for the company; and not all wrestling factions can be important. The company has introduced new signings to the company to provide the fans with a thunderous experience, but the experience loses potency when the company is moving onto the next signing while the current talent is being exhausted.

It seems that new signings of women’s wrestling talent have not moved the company in the right direction. AEW clearly has talented and charismatic women and an engaged fanbase, but the women's division is consistently missing out on adequate TV time, dedicated layered story-lines at the forefront of the division, and consistent division-wide focus. While the company has provided women’s wrestling fans with outstanding matches and new characters, the company has continued to depend on one high-profile story while otherwise building a system of contention, rivalries, and characters. While AEW is all about player options, the system being built for their women’s wrestling division does not reflect that.

Damage has been done to AEW's image because of backstage drama. While wrestling has been known to be volatile, AEW's public issues seem to distract from the wrestling. When fans focus more on press conferences, suspensions, departres, rumors, and locker-room drama as opposed to championship matches and title reigns, AEW's product suffers. AEW's image relies on being the passionate alternative and the place wrestlers want to go. When backstage issues take the front, AEW's image suffers.

There are issues with AEW's presentation. AEW's weekly shows can appear rushed, with little to no gaps for the most important moments and segments such as matches, interviews and announcements. AEW's commentary can be very enthusiastic, but it can be too wordy. AEW's segments and presentations are not produced as well as some other promotions, but AEW still has the potential to feel world class. AEW is produced well, but the imperfections show.

AEW's bigger issue is that AEW equates great matches to great stories. Great matches may make the fans pop, but great stories are what make the fans come back. While AEW has legendary and classic matches, they are easily produced; fans returning week to week is the priority. AEW needs to make every single feud or rivalry and every title and championship feel important. Without that, greatness becomes indistinguishable.

AEW continues to be a monumental promotion despite these issues. These are the challenges that lie ahead.

AEW is no longer the fledgling organization with goodwill and shock value as its core components. The wrestling community has transformed AEW into a major wrestling company with expectations and critiques. The very same fans who defend AEW vigorously actually push AEW to higher standards. AEW’s shortcomings are visible, but so is the company’s potential. AEW’s noise must be leveled, focused, and intensified, as that will lead to AEW’s next great leap.

What Comes Next for AEW?

Focus is the next step for AEW. The company has proven it has the ability to function, survive, sell records, deliver superior matches, sign the best wrestlers, and change the dynamics of the wrestling economy. The next step is to refine the company. AEW has to keep its veterans active while allowing room for growth of the younger generation of talent. AEW has to develop its women’s division and make the stories of this division integral. AEW has to make Ring of Honor organized and purposeful. AEW has to balance the wrestlers’ desires for dream matches with emotionally rational stories on a week-to-week basis. Each week of programming must have a purpose and be necessary.

AEW’s international growth potential is enormous. AEW’s growth in London proved the company has the ability to grow beyond the USA. Creating more overseas events, partnerships, and an improved streaming system has the potential to completely change AEW to an international wrestling company. With how fast the media environment is changing, AEW has to evolve and change with the best positioning of AEW across pay-per-view, cable, streaming, and international systems.

AEW has the ability to be creatively bold and grow, but should do so while remaining focused.

AEW needs to balance passion with unpredictability to cultivate its niche. AEW should be the promotion which thrives on variety, from technical classics and lucha brawls to comedic sketches and world-title epics. AEW should seek to answer one of the most difficult questions; why does this matter now? Once AEW begins answering this question, it knows no bounds.
Final Word: AEW Still Feels Like a Fight
AEW does matter. Wrestling fans began feeling AEW and contesting the passion it provoked with arguments and mixed feelings. AEW provided wrestlers with a new challenge and inspired Tony Khan with a new creative focus. At a time when many predicted it, AEW injected danger and passion back into the wrestling world.
AEW is a world of contrasts.
From All In to Double or Nothing, Moxley’s violence to Omega’s brilliance, from Hangman’s redemption to MJF’s venom, from Toni Storm’s theatre to Ospreay’s lightning. AEW embraces the true beauty of wrestling and allows its fans to remain passionate, in a world which has embraced predictability.
In a world that has embraced predictability, AEW thrives on passion.
AEW is still fighting. AEW is still swinging. With all of its greatness, AEW has left a lot to be desired.

AEW pursues what is inherently out of reach: the next pop, the next match, the next unforgettable moment, and the next occasion when fans look at one another in amazement having experienced the extraordinary. The absence of AEW on the landscape didn’t conclude the revolution. The revolution itself is the effort and the risk that is taken with each match. All Elite Wrestling is still working on the production of the next chapter. It could be the largest chapter yet.