10 Most Important Days In The Creation Of AEW
Timeline of a pro-wrestling revolution.
With the promotion's TNT debut on 2 October and next pay-per-view, Full Gear, on 9 November (featuring the re-booked Jon Moxley vs. Kenny Omega clash), All Elite Wrestling fans have a couple of big dates to look forward to over the next few months.
2 October is particularly important. Mainstream professional wrestling hasn't had a true ratings clash since TNA's knuckle-headed decision to air Impact opposite WWE Monday Night Raw, resulting in a predictably disastrous defeat. The experiment was abandoned after nine weeks. This time, WWE are the aggressors, having moved NXT to USA Network months after AEW's weekly Wednesday slot was announced, sparking this new Wednesday Night War.
While show quality is always subjective, following AEW's growth has made the past 12 months infinitely more interesting than the 12 before them. This will only intensify once All Elite start airing their weekly shows. Wrestling wars are fun and with WWE sending their most acclaimed brand to compete with AEW, Wednesdays should leave viewers spoiled for choice.
Let's take a look at the days that shaped this pro-wrestling revolution. Even if All Elite Wrestling fails, it'll be one hell of a story...
10. Cody Rhodes Leaves WWE (22 May 2016)
Stardust became "the star that left them on the dust" on 22 May 2016, when Cody Rhodes was granted the WWE release he'd tweeted about the day before:-
Professionally, Rhodes was in a rut. Competing primarily on Main Event and Superstars at the time he was let go, Cody was frustrated by his perceived misuse, citing WWE's decision to persist with the Stardust character long past its sell-by date and the refusal of several pitched ideas amongst other peeves. Thus, he was released during a period of major roster upheaval, with Wade Barrett, Damien Sandow, Hornswoggle, and others all leaving during the same month.
Cody's departure was a big story that year. A smart worker and tenured second-generation star, he had floundered in an environment that should have allowed him to flourish. None of it was his fault, so of course he valued himself more than WWE's push.
Afterwards, Rhodes' marketing nous came out as he released a list of wrestlers he'd like to face upon his no-compete clause's 19 August expiration. The likes of Adam Cole, Kurt Angle, and The Young Bucks all featured, and he wrestled Zack Sabre Jr. in his first post-WWE match that very day.