10 Bad Habits AEW Must Kick RIGHT NOW

10. The Chase Is Too Often Better Than The Run

Is Tony Khan better at building stars than simply presenting wrestlers as stars?

What he does is actually more impressive. Creating stars is the most difficult task facing a wrestling promoter - Vince McMahon built his empire on the back of Antonio Inoki and Verne Gagne's work - and Khan is fantastic at structuring a push.

Wardlow seethed in the background before showing his appreciation of the crowd and discovering his agency at the same time. Hangman Page told a bold and emotionally resonant mental health story, somehow, in the silly context of pro wrestling. Wheeler YUTA across every TV match in 2022 showed that bit more tenacity, fire and endurance in what was a masterclass in crowd psychology and character development.

Wardlow's run hasn't worked out as expected outside of a great defence opposite Orange Cassidy. Hangman's in-ring work was special, but his main event storyline with Adam Cole was overshadowed. Wheeler YUTA might be turning heel, as was foreshadowed on this week's Dynamite, but he just sort of existed as a babyface after his breakthrough moment. Shouldn't a turn only happen when a character has ran its course?

The money is in the chase, and Khan is proving the adage to be true - and someone like Wardlow isn't helped by the super-stacked roster around him. Whenever he has a middling week or two, suddenly, about 15 wrestlers start looking good with the TNT title Photoshopped around their waist.

Inviting the comparison isn't the only byproduct of the aggressive recruitment strategy...