AEW's Huge F*** YOU! To WWE (... & Why It Will Win)

AEW Collision Pac Kazuchika Okada
AEW

He’d have signed Kazuchika Okada, if it were up to him and AEW didn’t exist to drive up the asking price. The counter-offer - “WrestleMania, etc.?” - obviously wasn’t sufficient. Despite boasting inordinate cash reserves, WWE is playing a dirt-cheap game and failing at it. At present, it doesn't matter. The WWE pull is too strong among fans. Nothing against the performer specifically - he has a great look, is funny, and has proved that he can go in the right spot - but it’s very much a sign of the times that WWE has signed Tama Tonga from NJPW, where AEW has signed Ospreay and Okada, and the former is automatically going to become a bigger star.

Bigger star, yes, but by the end of 2024, Tony Khan is on trend to receive the “smark” vote.

If you don’t think that matters to Triple H, you’d be wrong-uh.

Triple H wrestled for 25 minutes in virtually every WrestleMania match he ever had because he thought you’d confuse a long match for a great one. He always wanted to be trendy. This is a man who glommed onto the “cool heel” thing in the ‘90s with D-Generation X and launched his big heel turn by saying the word “f*ck” rather a lot to Jim Ross. He also, later in his career, designated himself the ‘Ass-Kicker’.

Levesque built his reputation on signing hot free agents. It’s one of the few things he beat Tony Khan to. For whatever reason, he can’t get the best ones anymore. AEW is giving him the big “F*ck you” at that game, and all he can do is spit his dummy out and throw his toys out of the pram.

So how does AEW “win” here?

AEW wins by doing what AEW set out to achieve from the beginning: to mount a respectable fight as a challenger brand and build its own TV-sized audience. AEW has already won. This cannot be overstated and isn’t stated enough - but it runs deeper.

CONT'D...(3 of 5)

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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!