14 Ups & 4 Downs For AEW In 2020

5. Getting So Many Performers Over

John Silver
AEW

It's astonishing just how many performers have engaged the AEW base in 2020.

This is difficult to qualify, given that there are no live crowds of significant number to back up the online buzz and quarter hour ratings data. But beyond the top crew of main event guys, virtually all of whom are more compelling than they were in 2019 - Mox and Omega in particular - a rising wave of folk hero fan favourites and sh*t-talking heels have emerged to stack the deck top-to-bottom.

John Silver is an endearing dope of a heel who doubles as a goddamn explosive powder keg of a babyface in the ring. Dave Meltzer reported that his live reaction at Full Gear dwarfed almost everybody else's. Orange Cassidy, who ascended to a real singles position with two excellent outings against PAC and Chris Jericho, topped the ProWrestlingTees best-seller list.

Eddie Kingston sold you on a match nobody thought he was going to win by glowing with incandescent fury when Jon Moxley invoked the good name of his mother. His AEW debut with Cody was so well-received, to lead to that seminal TV moment, that #SignEddieKingston trended on Twitter at the expense of every other conversation.

That intro wasn't mark-ish hyperbole. This list hasn't even made mention of f*cking STING...

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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!