The Problem With AEW That Nobody Wants To Talk About

by Michael Sidgwick
Cody Rhodes
AEW

It is imperative that AEW does not present itself as anything less than a background meritocracy that quietly develops a sense of prestige and trust.

A great wrestling promotion is only great because it promotes the biggest stars and the hottest action. It shouldn't act as a vehicle to tell stories, but simply a stage on which to tell them. This tactic has worked once, but only for a while. The nWo preyed on the lowly WCW, and the fans, for a while, were willing to rally behind "their" guys. Look at what remained of WCW when it all went to sh*t.

The idea that the company is in any way bad at this is toxic. It's far better for AEW to simply not use the talents that aren't connecting. It's a problem because, insidiously, it gnaws at the idea that AEW is the true wrestling promotion making the great comeback against sports entertainment. In his career-best promo, Cody Rhodes said that AEW was the "Ellis Island" of professional wrestling. The reverence that AEW developed almost instantly can't be sullied. A monster can be reheated.

But that feeling can never be replicated.

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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!