10 Awesome AEW Booking Moments Nobody Ever Talks About

3. The Dark Order Corrupt Anna Jay

Jon Moxley
AEW

The greatest indictment of AEW's Women's division, a paradox from which there's no escape nor much willingness to escape, is that this unreal depth of care and imagination is never applied to it.

With one, rule-proving exception.

Anna Jay, a student of QT Marshall's, impressed in a major way in a loss to Hikaru Shida. It was her sixth (6) match ever, and she kept up with her senior opponent in a fast, suspenseful contest that incorporated several dramatic submission transitions. She was rewarded with a deal and the full works of the "Anna Jay in action!" star treatment.

This was inspired. It was presented as an obvious win - "in action" is the tell for a short, showcase performance - and Anna Jay herself was presented as starry-eyed Suburban babyface dreamer grateful for the shot. A nightmare awaited her beyond the white picket fence in the form of Abadon, who destroyed her to no resistance. Devastated, Anna was preyed upon by the Dark Order, who recognised and subsequently corrupted that innocence to turn her heel as '99'.

A shocking and convincing blindside gut-punch booking manoeuvre, it was so inspired that it yielded yet more cynicism over the state of the division. They can work their storytelling magic with unrefined resource.

The appetite just isn't there.

 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!