10 Ways AEW Has Made Other Wrestling Unwatchable

9. Atmosphere

Chris Jericho
Twitter (@RyanClarkWZR)

Pre-lockdown, AEW hosted the hottest crowds in North America.

Enthused about the blank slate and the immense promise AEW slowly realised, by February 2020, with Dynamite on fire, the live crowds responded in full, roaring voice. This was hardly performative but rather informed by the excellent episodic quality of the TV. A week after MJF brutalised and embarrassed Cody in Huntsville, the Austin crowd blasted him with nuclear heat. Cause. Effect.

Post-lockdown, AEW set the standard for emulating the real atmospheres of old. Made coherent by the existing babyface and heel divide illustrated the the dual tunnels - reports of high morale also encouraged in head canon that they weren't being held by gunpoint - the trenches spirit somewhat made up for this surreal and deflating new context. Austin Gunn was so hyped up and so loud that he felt like 100 men by himself.

Full Gear felt like the wrestling of old had returned. With a crowd of around 1,000 distanced fans (some of whom still need to practise better mask etiquette), when the best matches peaked, they brought the noise and the emotion back.

It was almost moving: an echo of reality far better than the ThunderDome's eerie impression of it.

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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!