How AEW Has ALREADY Changed Wrestling

In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that the promos delivered by Rey Mysterio, Bayley and Sasha Banks used bullet points and not a verbatim script. Finally, perhaps, the lame, artificial and alienating stranglehold WWE has for years placed on its talent might be loosening.

This is a clear response to the excellent, viral promos delivered by AEW’s top stars. Jon Moxley has put himself over expertly as a no-nonsense response to the nonsensical Dean Ambrose character. Chris Jericho has reverted to the old ideal of a moneyed World Champion with wonderfully irreverent, belligerent promos. Cody’s articulated, impassioned material has justified his dual role as Executive and talent. AEW’s top talent is awake and attuned to the timeless formula of promotion. In hilariously poetic contrast, WWE creative is literally sleeping on the job—but not, perhaps, for much longer.

The mere existence of AEW has already enabled the WWE roster to earn more money, respect, and agency. And this isn’t limited to WWE: the ingenuity required to get over on a bloated Independent circuit is being rewarded. Orange Cassidy just secured a mainstream gig, as did the diminutive Marko Stunt. These moves have proved controversial, but wrestling is for everybody now. The days of cookie cutter developmental graduates are long over. For better or worse, mainstream wrestling is exponentially braver and more interesting a place than it has been for years.

AEW hasn’t changed the grim classification of pro wrestlers from independent contractors to employees, who won’t benefit from health insurance nor a pension insuring the long, painful life after in-ring competition. You might look upon AEW as a vanity project, a promotion that hasn’t yet merited the big (and perhaps alienating talk), or a glorified “outlaw mud show” funded by a “money mark”.

But, already, the company deserves a genuine, Chris Jericho-sized ‘Thank you’.