10 Things WWE Doesn't Want You To Know About AEW

1. The Brutal Truth Behind AEW's Mission Statement

Cody Dustin Rhodes
AEW

WWE doesn't want its fans to know about AEW, and will label it "pissant" or "blood and guts", to undermine it because it came into existence through how rampantly unpopular WWE is.

It's wild; a group of enterprising performers paired up with a billionaire and said, basically, "WWE is pretty awful right now, so let's create a product that is its exact opposite". WWE created its own competition by becoming a carcass, creatively, and inviting vultures to its stench.

WWE feels lame and meaningless. AEW funded what was cool, and stripped back the niche comedy to implement a results-based sporting framework. WWE feels heavily scripted and is, of course, written. AEW books, doesn't script, and allows its performers to connect with crowds as themselves. WWE does not listen to fans; AEW refines itself as it evolves, almost abandoning the comedy of Being The Elite outright and shortening its pay-per-view runtimes. WWE will simply not acknowledge certain cities, if they are not deemed glamorous; AEW promotes every show with a localised slant.

Ultimately, given the vast resources and profile and history WWE can use and market, AEW should by rights not exist - and it only does because WWE is so drastically out of touch with its fanbase.

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!