10 Bold Predictions For What AEW Will Look Like This Time Next Year
5. Tony Khan Will Calm Down Signing New Talents
The AEW locker room is divided.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reported in the immediate wake of the All Out presser that there was already "big" heat on CM Punk, and by the time his tweet was posted, the infamous melee had already broken out. Punk will have his defenders too, but despite reports of an in-the-trenches atmosphere during the well-received tapings this week, the fact remains that Khan has recruited far too many acts.
Very few programmes feel enormous; there are too many feuds to give real focus. The byproduct is that, because there's so much to rush through, major narrative developments - turns, title changes, heat angles - don’t often resonate as they once did. The All Out ’22 PPV buy number was impressive, but like TV ratings, the ceiling is lowering.
Tony Khan has spoiled the fans, and in doing so, has spoiled morale. With so few spots available on TV, it’s likely that those disenfranchised and under-utilised are feeding “the sheets” those extraordinary stories of unrest, brawls, and overall dissatisfaction. This is what always happens when catering is overstuffed: wrestlers start to talk when they’re pissed off.
And, since nobody is truly moving the needle, the rotating cast device is something we’ll see less and less of as the next 12 months unfold.