12 Times AEW Was Better Than Literally EVERYTHING

1. Whenever AEW Built A Major Match

AEW Sting
AEW

Truthfully, while AEW has broadcast some of the best promos in wrestling history, from 2019-2025, Dynamite hasn’t featured anywhere near enough. The emphasis on action is AEW’s key selling point, and that is astute, given the competition they face - but it’s hard to shake the idea that the high concentration of matches could mean so much more, if AEW just stuck a microphone in front of some of the best talkers ever more often. 

CM Punk is definitively one of them, and his stuff was sensational. The signature venom was still there, the wisdom of his ‘Old Man’ character at times profound. Jon Moxley knows his way around a graphic threat with a screenwriter’s panache. Hangman Page’s rhythm is outstanding; his fiery self-belief works so well, since he’s careful to be meek with his opening comments. Eddie Kingston and MJF need to feud at some point over the next few years, because holy hell, together, they occupy the perfect face versus heel match graphic. Imagine what that would look like - or better yet, sound like. 

What’s more irritating about AEW’s relative lack of interview segments is that it’s a promotion in which so many people find themselves. Will Ospreay had improved a lot in New Japan, but in AEW, he evolved into a man drenched in offbeat charm and irresistible determination. 

Toni Storm was a dork before joining AEW; now, she’s one of the funniest wrestlers ever. Ricochet was defined by how sh*tty he was on the stick. He sh*ts confidence in 2025. 

AEW might not be the best ever promotion for interviews, but it’s not far off, and could easily become 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 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!