How AEW's Biggest Strength Is Also Its Biggest Weakness

Wrestling is about conflict; Omega's vision subverts its strictest definition, in that he aims to create an agonising conflict within the audience as much as mere bloodlust in anticipation of the conflict between the wrestlers. Omega wants to put his audience through textured emotional turmoil through the medium of exhilarating, state-of-the-art athletic performance. This is truly forward-thinking - not since kayfabe's mid-1990s wake has mainstream pro wrestling narrative underwent such a radical shift - and the viewership data would indicate that it is yet to threaten the old way of thinking. Not to will a soul-destroying tweak into existence, or anything, but is AEW's booking too clever for its own good?

Again, consider Omega and Page's awesome title run and that life-affirming match at Revolution. Every phase of offence in those tags and every move executed taken on February 29 intricately built the complex Omega and Page relationship. They fought for one another. They took credit for one another. Page paid tribute to Omega by using his move; Omega covertly or even inadvertently buried Page by not considering to use his when his own arsenal had failed him.

There are babyfaces, heels, one might argue "tweeners", and whatever the hell roles Page and Omega will play when they crush their fans emotionally on the pay-per-view stage. That match, when it happens, will, if they can maintain and intensify its intrigue, have more emotional weight behind it - to its audience - than most any other match in pro wrestling history. But - and Christ, this is depressing - how much does that matter, when you can just whack a match with two belts on the line and pop a better rating?

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