How AEW Has ALREADY Changed Wrestling

Luke Gallows Karl Anderson
WWE.com

AEW’s very television deal has changed professional wrestling.

This arrival of mainstream competition has broken the pay scale of the industry. Drive yourself spine-first into a carpeted step. That sharp pain you will feel is approximate to what the modern wrestler endures when they take a back-first apron bump. For all of this pain, and travel, and monotony, the ’Superstars’ are paid a paltry portion of the revenue WWE generates.

They deserve more, and they are getting more: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, dismayed at their house-show exclusive roles, intimated through the “dirts” that they were intent on leaving WWE. WWE, aware of the competition, swayed them to re-sign by doubling their money and promising a feature role on the flagship.

Bullet Club for life, indeed.

If the Revival do re-sign, they likely will not revive tag team wrestling in an organisation that does not care for it—but they will revive the ability of talent to play two sides against one another.

WWE has counter-programmed AEW’s TV debut by promoting NXT to the USA Network on Wednesday nights. Reports have circulated that the top stars of NXT will receive considerable pay rises consistent with the stars of RAW and SmackDown. The Young Bucks were told by so many insiders that they’d never draw money with their “spot monkey” style, and now, they have effectively forced WWE to spend millions and millions of dollars on placating its own talent. It’s wild: the Bucks have secured more jobs for the boys than even Hulk Hogan ever did.

AEW has also rid WWE of its toxic punishment culture.

CONT'D...(2 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 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!