A Defence Of The Most Controversial Wrestling Match Ever

by Michael Sidgwick
Jon Moxley
AEW

If pro wrestling was regulated, every talent in the scope of it would wear protective headgear. Maybe, hopefully, it will be, one day. At Full Gear, Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley created an unforgettable display of pro wrestling violence, and enough of it was a display. That hideous spiderweb bump was a back bump, and that barbed wire, a theory Alvarez put forward, might have been worked. The real power of sequence A might have informed the visual effect of B and C, and if Moxley and Omega do not look like Jun Kasai when they next appear on TNT, we should get an idea of that.

AEW created a storm of controversy on Saturday night, but that wasn’t the extent of it. Jon Moxley emerges from this as the most badass wrestler on the planet. The Lights Out stipulation, seen initially as a bit goofy and retro, feels now like the feud-ender, and it’s assured as such however AEW approach it going forward. The tone of the match is disturbing, but if AEW reduce the level of violence, people will if anything feel relieved.

AEW created a mythology of violence that the schedule will allow to breathe and register.

Whatever you thought of it, it's going to mean something.

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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 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!