10 Ups & 10 Downs For AEW In 2019

4. Foggy Tag Rules

As tedious and detrimental to the product as listening to Jim Ross audibly complaining about the inconsistencies in AEW’s tag team rules has been, the man has a point - though these grievances should probably be aired in private, not on live television.

The rules and their application remain all over the place. Tag ropes aren’t held, the legal man/woman often changes without a tag, bouts often play out in a manner similar to the Tornado stipulation without this being specified, and “referee’s discretion” gets pushed to its absolute limits, with officials conventionally ignoring these and other discrepancies. It’s confusing and frustrating, as the promotion has a couple of options available to rectify this:-

1. Clarify that AEW tag team matches are fought with lucha rules, meaning a new wrestler can enter the ring without a tag if their partner’s feet touch the floor on the outside.

2. Clarify that all AEW tag team matches are fought with Tornado rules.

3. Follow the bloody rulebook.

The division’s depth is wonderful and the standard of matches high, but these problems are a millstone weighing it down. It’s a weird discrepancy, given who’s in charge, and one that must be fixed.