Ranking Every Major Current Wrestling Storyline From Worst To Best

9. Dr. Britt Baker Vs. Thunder Rosa

Orton Fiend Moxley Fenix
AEW

Hardly ambitious, in that it follows an NXT-adjacent formula of beat-downs and receipts, the two women involved have almost shamed the apathy of the material and the narrow TV time they have been allocated to get it over.

Initiated and built with post and intra-match attacks, it's not hugely interesting. Attempts have been made to engineer a grudge beyond this loop, but it's all quite retrograde. Baker called Thunder Rosa ugly, Rosa got pissed off and beat her down. It's not cruel, because Rosa isn't, but it's not great, either. There's something more, surely, in Baker resenting Rosa's presence since she isn't even part of the division that Baker is the face of.

This should have dented Baker's pride and driven those attacks - how good is that division, really, when Tony Khan partnered with the NWA? - but that would bury it. Actively, and not tacitly, which AEW can be fairly accused of doing. Which is really worse, in the end?

Happily, Rosa and Baker are great at selling these brawls with fury and urgency. It feels alive when it has no right to.

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!