How AEW Has Actually Answered Its Biggest Complaint

This is not too dissimilar to, say, MJF complaining that Jon Moxley is the lunkheaded brawler to his purist technician, even if it wasn't true. The difference being, of course, that Jon Moxley is an incredible strategist and Steve Bruce sets up with a five-man defence at home to minnows in the League Cup.

FTR, proponents of an old school style, seethe at the spectacular aerial fare of Private Party, the Young Bucks and the Lucha Bros. Kenny Omega had to prepare for Mox by testing himself in the hardcore domain in a Dark match against Joey Janela. So many AEW programmes are driven through style and indeed strategy; Cody, in particular, will take notes from his coach's strategy guide and even modify his weight to match his opponents. The point is that, in AEW, many of the wrestlers have perfected a certain discipline that they hold very dear. Their craft is emphasised as a storyline driver, thus creating the impression that they are sportspeople, athletes, more than they are performers. This is a "sports-centric" feature of the alternative, but it's not all of it.

In the competition, titles are either held by wrestlers who are afraid of wrestling matches (Bayley) or swapped between teams because the belts don't match the colour scheme of the brand (the Street Profits and the New Day). In the alternative, as in - yes! - real sports, the titles are built, very carefully, to mean something. AEW used the term sports-centric not as a promise not to do comedy skits but to create a promotion with a sporting purpose that trickles down everywhere.

Jon Moxley is over as the man because he wins often, he wins decisively, and he wins as a result of the sheer range of his skill. As a result, his AEW World Championship is a virtually unattainable symbol of dominance. It's not just the wins.

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