10 Things AEW Stopped Doing That We Really Want To See Again

6. The Every Week Guarantee Of An Opening Match

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AEW

In a recent, gradual and somewhat concerning development, AEW has experimented with its established, winning format; both CM Punk and MJF, and last week Adam Cole, have started broadcasts with a long opening verbal segment.

The MJF and Punk stuff is gold, but to be slightly pedantic, one too many weeks were spent exchanging televised Twitter barbs before the rivalry made sense within AEW's win/loss rankings framework. Last week's Cole-led promo train however was pure WWE fodder. It was far from actively horrible, and the coming together of Cole and Britt Baker was in interesting development, but it hardly set the tone for a white-hot night presented by the critically acclaimed wrestling alternative.

The weekly ritual of an opening banger is or was quietly crucial in establishing what AEW Dynamite was: a wrestling show that stood as something different to WWE's bizarre sports entertainment monstrosity. The promo is as much a part of the game as the match, but the former doesn't exist without the latter. The endorphin rush of a fast-paced struggle energises the fans in the arena and the viewer at home. It locks us in the spell.

So why the change?

Are AEW attempting to flirt with WWE's format to draw a share of their audience, and at what cost? Isn't it more important to succeed as the alternative?

 
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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!