14 Ups & 4 Downs For AEW In 2020

In which Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, and so many other men ascend to greatness. But the women...?

by Michael Sidgwick
Boat Hangman Page
AEW

This is a take that won't do away with those bias accusations, but f*ck it: a list like this can't just comprise of moments of individual brilliance, because we'll all be here longer than it takes MJF to cut a promo. Those promos are still pretty good, MJF, and don't worry! You'll get the praise you long for imminently!

Just consider the abundance of low key wonders to illustrate that point:

Hangman Page swigging from a pitcher in a marvellously irreverent sight gag; a remarkable spree of ****-level TV bangers so consistent that greatness has become the norm (PAC Vs. Darby Allin; Le Sex Gods Vs. Best Friends; Ricky Starks Vs. Darby Allin; so many more); Chris Jericho calling Vanguard a "piece of sh*t"; the initial presentation of Anna Jay and how that fed so perfectly into the turn and the insidious motives of the stable that led her astray; Lance Archer sending some poor motherf*cker head-first into a ceiling; Wardlow taking down Luchasaurus with a flying headscissors; Marko Stunt dying, RIP, in a pair of ghoulish squashes; Chris Jericho blasting Clownico le Clown flush in the temple with the Judas Effect; Fénix taking your breath away every time he stepped in the ring; Sammy Guevara eating a superkick from a springboard in an all-timer of a sell; Orange Cassidy's iconic smirk in the face of PAC, who almost broke into a smile himself just like everybody else did.

AEW is better than even the more positive critics receive it. But it's not quite perfect.

Advertisement
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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!