10 Booking Decisions AEW Should Make Before Double Or Nothing 2023

6. Quit The One-Offs

Jon Moxley MJF Tony Khan
AEW

Psst! It's called the "Forbidden Door", and it's a sweet premise designed to show that AEW plays well with others. That's all well and good, but the idea has run its course in 2022. Seeing workers stop by for a cup of coffee before dashing back off to Japan (for example) is now tiresome.

Worse, All Elite's announcers hype up these mini-invasions as the biggest thing to ever happen on pro wrestling telly. Y'know what happens when you constantly claim the inconsequential thing you just booked topped the last? Yeah, people stop believing it and subsequent signings that are major shed some sparkle as a result.

Admittedly, even Tony knows the "Forbidden Door" scheme has been done to death. He's started moving away from calling it that, and yet these little excursions persist. That needs to stop before Double Or Nothing 2023, because it only presents AEW as a pro wrestling pick n' mix rather than a company with clear direction.

Nail that door shut.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.