AEW Vs. WWE: Head To Head

This comparison is specific to WWE in 2019.

This is the entity with which AEW is in competition. Increasingly, the old WWE no longer exists. It’s little use clinging on to projected concepts of bringing back prestige to the Intercontinental Title, or of believing in WWE’s latest acknowledgement of the dire state of things. Kevin Owens detonated a Pipebomb on last week’s SmackDown, echoing the burial Seth Rollins laid at the feet of Constable Corbin late last year. Corbin, who “sucked”, went on to headline Fastlane, retire Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 35, and then headline four consecutive pay-per-views: Money In The Bank, Super ShowDown, Stomping Grounds and Extreme Rules.

On that basis, we can expect Shane to headline SummerSlam, Clash of Champions, the upcoming, unnamed Saudi Arabia show (WWE Consulate Carnage?) and Survivor Series, following which he can harangue Mike Rome into referring him as the ‘Sole Survivor’ for months on end.

That is a facetious, obviously, but that is the mentality WWE has conditioned within the fanbase: distrust, or outright gallows humour. This is the entity with which AEW is in competition.

WWE wins the war of reach by default. It is safeguarded financially for the next five years—but customer money is more essential long-term than even the most exorbitant of rights fees, and they are locked in competition with AEW for that most valued commodity.

But AEW isn’t quite the utopia it has framed itself as…

*NXT doesn't count. AEW is at war with the main roster. As a ticket-selling entity with a premium cable TV deal, and big international deals announced and yet to be announced, it is already a bigger entity than WWE developmental.

WWE depresses the fandom midweek—and cruelly inspires them on Sunday nights.

Within the trademark, slowed-down, we’re-telling-stories pace, the elite roster excels on pay-per-view. But not consistently. AJ Styles is the most prominent example; his match with Seth Rollins, at Money In The Bank, wasn’t so much a dream match as a dream fight, in which awesome moments of counter precision were framed within gripping, unvarnished physicality. Daniel Bryan is superb at elevating his opponents in matches as tremendous as they are unique to his brilliance. He has perfected the purity and safety of WWE’s broad storytelling.

But AJ did different stuff at a crawl with Ricochet, Kofi Kingston hasn’t wrestled a great match since capturing the WWE Championship, and the in-ring action is too often undermined by deliberate pacing and or poor-to-average featured players (Lacey Evans, Baron Corbin).

AEW’s best output is more diverse, more rich, more expressive, and more dynamic. Cody Vs. Dustin Rhodes was an emotive, blood-soaked masterpiece; Kenny Omega hasn’t even begun to peak in his new home, but has shown glimpses of his epic explosiveness; the charming-cum-brutal joshi element is unlike anything seen on U.S. soil; the tag team division is as deep as it is exhilarating in a high-octane gear WWE simply never reaches…

SCORECARD: AEW 1-0 WWE