10 Times AEW Turned Trash Into Treasure
6. Miro
In a rare example of AEW turning treasure into trash, the rankings system has been abandoned.
The principle behind it still exists, to an extent - Bryan Danielson recently had to defeat several names in a series of eclectic and sensational matches to earn a shot at World champion MJF at Revolution - but too often, the lazy Eliminator gimmick has replaced the compelling intricacy that once drove characters into major matches.
The old system was super effective when deployed thoughtfully. Consider the gauntlet match that determined the number one contenders to World Tag Team champions Kenny Omega and Hangman Page at All Out '20, and how it teased the prospect of a first-ever in-ring meeting between FTR and the Young Bucks. But it was not perfect. Miro's debut underscored its imperfections.
Tony Khan argued that he couldn't push Miro as a serious threat immediately; Khan was nowhere near ready to have him lose, but if Miro won too often and too early, logically, he'd have to compete in a World title match. When the system was devised, Khan possibly hadn't thought through the implication of signing a free agent monster heel.
Still, this didn't justify Miro's first persona. A half-decent idea - as 'The Best Man', Miro was meant to be the best all-rounder in the promotion - but his feud with Best Friends was so wacky that his aura all but vanished. Arcade Anarchy was very fun, but the stakes were so low and the feud dragged on for ages. It was punishingly dull.
Miro was subsequently reinvented as a psychotic God-fearing monster bound to unleash the violence from on high. He was legitimately scary in the role, and the presentation of his Redeemer character was world-class. He also was the Best Man - a great hoss who measured his vulnerability to perfection, creating palpable drama in matches totally unique to AEW, and needed just 30 seconds to build his feuds with a screenwriter's panache.