How Tony Khan's Biggest Mistake Will Change AEW Forever

Orange Cassidy
AEW

AEW is the promotion that respects history and continuity to an extent that even sees Tony Khan adhere to WWE's canon. Malakai Black in AEW sold an eye "injury" "suffered" in one of the worst WWE storylines ever, for f*ck's sake, and yet the audience is going to be told that Punk hates the few wrestlers willing to work with him. It just feels off. Not even bittersweet; just...fake. The idea of Punk working grudge programmes with wrestlers who are not Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks, and mustering up a fake conviction that he actually despises other wrestlers more, is not believable.

Removing Punk from the equation, Collision still risks a new set of problems.

In one sense, the idea of a brand split is not drastically removed from Khan's booking vision. He works hard to separate much of his top talent in the usual course of business. As an example, MJF and Hangman Page have not directly interacted for years. The idea is to make what is surely an inevitable top programme feel like an event of a show-down when it actually happens.

Still, AEW already promotes a World and International title. A second Dynamite-tier show might necessitate a second World title, and if so, that idea is also bad. Another compromise, another dilution. The World title feels prestigious precisely because it is so difficult to achieve in storylines. Kenny Omega had to craft an intricate masterplan just to get it. Hangman Page had to overcome a mental health crisis just to get it off him. Somebody dethroning Global champion CM Punk shortly before or after what used to be an event of an AEW World title switch is a bleak, diminished prospect.

The move to a soft or hard brand split also risks yet more locker room unrest. If the ire towards Punk isn't overstated, being told to work Saturdays might not be too dissimilar to arriving in Deep South Wrestling in 2006 as a developmental prospect. Tony Khan is already stretched with the weird, self-imposed obligation to book Ring Of Honor, in addition to AEW Dynamite and Rampage and his two other full-time jobs. The quality of AEW has dipped since the summer of 2021. Two more hours of TV will only exacerbate this trend. All recorded pro wrestling history backs up that take.

CONT'D...(4 of 5)

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Contributor
Contributor

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!