10 Wrestling Fan Complaints That Absolutely Suck

9. AEW Needs A Secondary Title

OMEGA DRAW
Scott Lesh Photography/AEW

Some fans believe that AEW requires a midcard championship - to create a sense of purpose within that midcard - without analysing how a midcard championship functions or used to function.

"Midcard championship" is essentially an oxymoron. It's also a synonym of "best of the rest", and particularly in a company with one roster, a company that does not tour, there's an air of consolation surrounding the prospect. The NWA territories required a regional champion to legitimise its top stars and create a framework around which to book its cards when the champ wasn't in town. The WCW World Television Championship was distinct from the World Championship through its initial shorter time limits. The WWF's Intercontinental Title served a more pragmatic, business-minded function, in that it enabled the secondary house show loop to draw - and the complexion of the Golden Age holders compelled fans to project future headliner potential onto them.

There is no need for AEW to introduce a something-to-do title because the real something to do is a long, arduous and rewarding quest to the real pinnacle. Darby Allin's character arc has proven a revelation, in that he gets over in spirited defeats in which he shows more and more each time out. This is richer and more interesting than winning a title arbitrary to a region or weight class, and it's not as if AEW - thus far - has struggled to create compelling storylines outside of the title pictures.

AEW introducing a midcard title is as pointless as the midcard title has become.

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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!