10 Times The AEW Locker Room Must Have Been VERY Awkward
Tony Khan presides over a locker room at war - and some of the battles seem fascinating...
Holy sh*t, the news that emerged from AEW overnight was extraordinary.
Various reports between Sean Ross Sapp, Dave Meltzer, Wade Keller and Joe Lanza depict the promotion as utterly out of control. Festering hatred! Shoot fights! Running away from shoot fights! In toilets!
AEW's creative and backstage problems are almost entirely the result of Tony Khan's undisciplined, greedy recruitment strategy. Bluntly, the roster is far too bloated. There are actually two positives to this, from a schadenfreude perspective. Firstly, because Tony Khan will sign anybody with a second page on Cagematch, it's actually funny that Triple H has picked up the few crumbs even Tony "Let's build Rampage around the Trust Busters" Khan won't touch. Secondly, don't pretend that lurid backstage drama isn't what we're all here for.
To be boring about it, looking at the long-term, none of this is actually beneficial to the company. The enormous roster has normalised the AEW experience. It's impossible to receive everybody as a star because that's not how it works, at all. Remember, during Revolution 2020, when Darby Allin Vs. Sammy Guevara was touted as a future PPV main event? That can't happen now. The path to the top is obstructed.
And, with limited opportunities, unrest grows - which leads to leaks and nights like last night.
Pitting so many volatile egos in one place is a perversely fun - but ill-advised - idea...
10. Those Thunderstorm Creative Meetings
Quick caveat: there's a lot in the way of second-hand speculation here, so consider this list a bit of gossipy, speculative fun.
As has been established, by Joe Lanza of Voices of Wrestling, Britt Baker and Thunder Rosa are "basically mortal enemies at this point".
This must make for a phenomenally awkward backstage atmosphere at all times, since their feud has dragged on longer than Lanny Poffo's cack.
Wouldn't it be a good idea not to prolong an awkward, tense feud for nearly two calendar years between two performers who resent the very sight of one another? It's not as if the matches are particularly great. Their Lights Out match was tremendous, but they've worked stiff and sloppy tags and rushed plunder matches ever since, as if they can't wait to get the f*ck out of the ring.
Baker can't help herself but throw various digs at Rosa's expense, too, which has only exacerbated the situation. Baker sh*ts on Rosa's promos as she's cutting them and openly mocks her lack of professionalism. How does this sort of thing even get pitched?
"I'm going to call you worse than sh*t, and you're going to stand there and roll your eyes. Deal?"
It's funny as f*ck, but Christ. Khan has asked for this trouble just as much as Rosa has asked for the verbal receipts. Rosa's conduct has verged on the disgraceful, but she is being taunted every single week. It's a volatile situation and has resulted in an overlong programme between two heels.
What is this: a Triple H "black and gold" feud?