10 Ways AEW Is Better Than WWE

1. Pay-Per-View Weeks

Hangman Page Edge
AEW

The easiest way to state it is thus: when WWE presents a pay-per-view, the timing almost catches you by surprise, whereas when AEW presents a pay-per-view, the week ahead of it is excruciatingly long.

But the AEW fanbase doesn't mind the wait. They luxuriate in it. They are excited, having invested heavily in the various storylines expertly plotted across television - the last three weeks of which are invariably phenomenal in terms of wild angles and superb go-home promos.

If anything, the promise of an AEW PPV is so vast that some fans approach the weekend with a sense of anxiety. People worry that some matches might go long, won't get enough time, won't act as a worthy payoff to a feud that has elicited intense emotional investment within them. Yes, this is the most "Sidgwick" take imaginable, but f*ck it, it's true: AEW fans worry that PPVs will be too good, so good that they will exhaust the crowd.

WWE PPVs in contrast are built with can-they-co-exist angles, contract signings, and the bleak threat that various matches won't even matter because, being the first in a cycle, the result will inevitably get reversed the following month.

Wrestling never ends. It's very easy to feel disillusioned or spoiled by even your favourite promotions because the grind is relentless - but AEW is capable of evoking a premium, must-see feel in the Content Era.

 
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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!