10 Major Moves AEW Could Make On Its Debut TV Show

8. Another Symbolic Burial Of WWE

CM Punk AEW
AEW (Ricky Havlik)

This isn't an endorsement. Personally, the big, throne-breaking moment at Double Or Nothing did very little. It felt unnecessary, and it's not as if any sympathy was directed to the target. Cody's coy explanation felt transparent, too. Insulting. He did a better job upstaging Triple H by wrestling a classic in his trademark, unfashionable pace.

But, at the same time, f*ck it.

The visual appeal borders now on the iconic. It generated a talking point, it took some balls in an era where the WWE roster is castrated, and crucially, it generated a monster reaction in the MGM Grand. The AEW fanbase revels in this bullsh*t. They love feeling like a part of the resistance, like their support might help change professional wrestling for the better. Another moment, with more eyes on the product, may represent an irresistible shortcut to the ultimate point of all this. AEW wants to change the world, and who rules it right now?

And, if it feels niche, fawning, desperate - this mudslinging is something that has worked historically. ECW's opposition to the greedy corporate copycats of WCW strengthened the resolve of its ardent fanbase to reject the mainstream. In turn, WCW's anti-WWF campaign conditioned their audience to receive the product as one step ahead.

It felt cooler to be in the know.

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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!