Exposing The AEW Bias Myth

Jon Moxley Kenny Omega
Lee South/AEW

Just listen to the crowd noise between a typical episode of WWE RAW and AEW Dynamite. RAW is largely silent. Dynamite is almost always very loud.

WWE and AEW are wrestling promotions. Each promotion exists to promote talent and and the matches they are performing in and will later perform in. On the objective basis of crowd volume, AEW is doing a significantly, audibly superior job of promoting its talent. This is inarguable and resistant to the old arguments: the old debate, of smark cities, no longer holds weight: AEW just created a furnace in the cold depths of Pittsburgh.

The USA Network is unhappy with WWE RAW’s ratings decline, hence the imposition of the 24/7 Championship and the RAW Reunion, and the response of hiring Paul Heyman. TNT is thrilled with Dynamite ratings. The show has over-performed against projections. AEW is more effectively serving its fanbase and paymasters. Critical acclaim and commercial success are not mutually exclusive, but this new, engaged fanbase exists for a reason. WWE’s dwindling audience is dwindling for a reason.

This sh*t isn’t hard. It really, really isn’t hard to grasp. It feels like kicking Homer Thompson in the shin: AEW literally exists because WWE is so provably unpopular. AEW exists because WWE has in recent years driven off a significant number of fans.

And what happens, when a pro wrestling critic, analyst, journalist, whatever, attempts to create an objective framework to gauge the quality of a match, on which personal taste has no bearing?

CONT'D...(4 of 5)

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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!