3 Ups & 6 Downs From AEW Dark (Dec 10)

by Andy H Murray

1. Life Or Death

Big Swole
AEW

Comfortably the best thing on the entire show was the Big Swole feature, with the new signee getting over huge as a result of this extremely well-produced video package.

Engaging, charismatic, and infectious, she brought her "big personality and Swole mentality" early, before diving into her life's most traumatic phase. Her heart stopped beating in April 2008. She was brought back, but told she'd been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and had just 30 minutes (!) to live, necessitating emergency surgery during which two feet of her intestines were removed.

Swole survived, obviously, but was told she'd never have kids or never be active again. She was broken down. This situation sent her "spiralling out of control," but she rebounded, got pregnant, gave birth to a daughter, and found her place in wrestling - highlighted by the heartwarming clip of Kenny Omega offering her a full AEW contract.

Words like "can't" shouldn't be in anyone's vocabulary, she said. It's hard to think of a more effective summary than that.

Bits like this show that there are personalities hiding within AEW's women's division: they just need an opportunity to stand out. Here's hoping that unlike the recent Shanna package, this one gets the full Dynamite treatment - her upcoming bout with Emi Sakura could use some extra juice.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.