How AEW’s Secret Weapon Must Return

PAC Chuck Taylor
AEW

Time is at a premium. It would be nonsensical to use it by disappointing the fanbase on a show designed to ramp up the anticipation.

PAC's return suitably bargained for, how will it manifest?

Death Triangle was effectively dissolved by lockdown, in parallel with a potential, mouth-watering trios division. After a listless summer, the Lucha Bros. have since been recruited into Eddie Kingston's new Family stable. PAC, in kayfabe, is going to be pissed off by this development. He will have received Kingston's wink as if it was intended purely for him. His stablemates have deserted him. He is going to blame Kingston for turning their heads, and he is going to target him. PAC Vs. Eddie Kingston is one direction, but the benefit of AEW's stable-oriented storytelling universe means it's far from the only one.

This approach allows AEW to delay and enrich the biggest matches without endlessly running them back. Cody, before finally locking horns with MJF at Revolution, had to first run through his hired guns: the Butcher, the Blade and Wardlow. Similarly, Chris Jericho sicked the Inner Circle and Jeff Cobb on Jon Moxley before their match at the same pay-per-view. Both storylines used this framework to preserve the blowoff ahead of February 29. AEW would be wise to replicate that magic.

PAC isn't getting Kingston first - that's not how good booking works - so he will first clash with Rey Fénix. This serves two purposes. One: it yields an absolutely guaranteed banger. That undersells it.

CONT'D...(2 of 6)

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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!