10 Wrestling Worst Nightmares Right Now
4. Shaq Sucks
On March 3rd, All Elite Wrestling will present a (delayed and slightly derailed) celebrity bout for one of the only times in the company's short history. And this isn't a gaming industry magnate getting to live out a dream on a pre-show.
The opposite by every conceivable metric, Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet's battle with Shaq and Jade Cargill appears cut from an an old-school wrestling cloth Vince McMahon himself would be proud of. One of the biggest names in the history of basketball will step between the ropes, and AEW will hope that lapsed NBA fans will find something other than Chris Jericho's physique to talk about on Twitter afterwards.
History offers mixed results on just how well the idea will go, but a clunky lead-in has added a certain extra pressure. The whole thing has felt like an unwelcome distraction for the typically locked-in Cody character, and O'Neal has made a joke of things in much of the build.
Hopefully the match serves as a showcase for Cargill and Velvet with Cody carrying the load, and AEW at least haven't asked people to pay for it at Revolution. That'll make the most of some additional eyes - unlike the half-baked alternative.