Good wrestling alone will not reverse current trends in AEW’s business or output, but the flashes of greatness that appeared in plain sight during certain Continental Classic matches last night may one day expedite a philosophical shift the company probably needs.
There were moments during Brody King Vs Andrade that had you roaring and barking as loud as the House Of Black’s monster himself. It doesn’t hurt that CJ Perry’s client is Yolk Jones right now either. Amidst speculation that he’s not long for All Elite Wrestling, he seems keen to leave enough visual memories of his time here after a run that’s mostly flattered to deceive. And yet again, that couldn’t be applied to this undercard tournament ripper.
Andrade snapping King’s streak was realistically a far bolder move than booking him to double break Bryan Danielson’s eyeball. This is the commitment he’s apparently been craving since landing in AEW, and if he can continue to return the same in kind, the end of this middling relationship stands to be far more satisfying than the beginning.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back almost 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 60,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
