10 Ups & 10 Downs For AEW In 2019
7. The Devil’s Playground
Hardcore wrestling isn’t for everyone, but integrating it into their product’s fabric has given AEW a unique selling point in mainstream wrestling - though they may want to avoid leaning too hard on these stipulations, lest they become crutches.
The Lights Out Unsanctioned Match is effectively AEW’s signature bout now. Kenny Omega’s Full Gear failure has also established it as Jon Moxley’s domain, guaranteeing whoever eventually topples ‘The Purveyor of Violence’ a huge rub. Elsewhere, we’ve seen All Out’s Cracker Barrel Clash deliver genuine innovation and creativity, and a cluster of other hardcore bouts delivering to varying degrees, with the company careful to avoid spamming the hell out of them on Dynamite. Not booking these things every single week was a smart move.
Some adjustments are necessarily (a rough-around-the-edges Jimmy Havoc scrapping on TNT doesn’t provide good optics, sadly), and some critics will shout “garbage wrestling!” regardless of the inherent psychology in a match like Omega vs. Moxley, but it’s becoming an important part of AEW’s identity. You can’t scratch this itch without going to the smaller stages.