10 Genius Ways Wrestling Companies Kept You Watching
9. Taz And Sabu Don't Touch
AEW booker Tony Khan has applied his in-depth knowledge of and love for pro wrestling across so much of his product: the decisive, tier-establishing finishes inspired by puroresu; the stable-dominated approach with which the best promotions spawned so many matches at their peaks; the storyboarding and connections that made the WWF of 2000 so compelling top-to-bottom.
Khan was also huge on ECW in his teenage years, and beyond the blood, guts and very lenient officiating, he applied a core principle of Paul Heyman's storytelling to the aforementioned Cody Vs. MJF storyline. By not touching, the rabid base desperately wanted Taz and Sabu to throw down - so much so that Heyman sold ECW's first pay-per-view around the confrontation.
It was a great hype-job not merely because Heyman asked you to project the match in the theatre of your mind for ages: he selected the two wrestlers perfect for the approach. Taz was the most skilled and legit wrestler in the company, where Sabu was the most exciting and unorthodox.
The dynamic was as inspired as the premise.
The confrontation was diffused at every turn, and if it was a bit contrived at times - the lights going out trick was just that, effective though it was for a cheap pop - it didn't dampen the fire.