10 Worst Moments In AEW History

9. The Firing Of Anthony Henry

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AEW

AEW, over its five year lifespan, has repeated virtually every mistake a major US cable company inevitably makes. This is an especially alarming trend, since Tony Khan has spoken on record, extensively, about the fate of WCW. He once said that the promotion acted as a How Not To Guide. 

And yet, he allowed top stars too much in creative leeway. Mirroring WCW’s 1999 decline, Khan, perhaps swayed by the “cinema” gaining purchase in WWE, booked a sweeping melodramatic story between MJF and Adam Cole in 2023. He stole the competition’s homework with the invisible camera vignettes and goofball comedy. 

Khan went too 2010s WWE in 2023 generally. 

Stop-start pushes (Wardlow). The introduction of too many titles. Several names disappearing from TV with zero explanation. 

The worst of this WWE-ification was the firing of Anthony Henry. 

Out of action with a broken jaw, Henry was released from his contract in April 2024, and was seemingly only brought back as a result of public outcry. This was a sad loss for worker’s rights - yet another brutal reminder that AEW was just another ruthless outfit hardly intent on changing the world. 

If it was probably naive to believe that AEW would be an unwavering force for good in 2019, that was definitely the case by 2024.

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!