10 Times Wrestling Fans Got What They Wanted (But Didn’t Realise)

5. "We Want Finishers To Mean Something Again"

trish stratus mandy rose
AEW

This take simply isn't accurate; in AEW, finishers mean something because finishers settle the result of every match. There are very few disqualifications (even though several matches should have ended via DQ). Chris Jericho's Judas Effect had a 100% success rate for almostb three years. Kenny Omega's One-Winged Angel remains totally effective. Bryan Danielson has also answered a related complaint by building several finishers and not relying on ruined, wasted signatures.

AEW is a promotion deep in its details; Jon Moxley has to resort to wicked, spiked variations of his Paradigm Shift to put his most spirited opponents away.

FTR's Big Rig is massively protected. AEW built Hangman Page's title reign, exquisitely, around the potency of the Buckshot Lariat. Bianca Belair's KOD is an established kill-shot. WWE did a hideous job of selling the gravity of the moment at WrestleMania 38, but Baron Corbin's End of Days had been protected for well over a decade.

The days of the melodramatic kick-out face are waning.

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!