The Secret Critical Mistake AEW Keeps Making

by Michael Sidgwick
Adam Copeland Worcester
AEW

Adam Copeland cutting promos about how “great” it is that AEW exists; Dax Harwood appointing himself as the company mascot; to a lesser extent, Will Ospreay’s relentless drive to put the promotion over: AEW adores its own reflection and wants you to stare lovingly at it up and down the card.

The worst bad faith grifters will tell you that AEW books for a niche audience with its constant stream of “random” “bangers”. They are wrong - wrestling is itself a storyline vehicle and the many storylines AEW books are really rather easy to understand - but they’re also half-right, even if they don’t know why. AEW, increasingly, books for those who already love it and want that love to be reinforced. The persecution complex that very much exists - to be AEW is to be constantly under attack - has almost unconsciously infiltrated the storytelling model.

In reality, to be AEW is to do wrestling storytelling to an elite level. It’s time that Tony Khan grasped that all over again and started showing people that AEW is great without telling them.

AEW as the saviour of wrestling has long since become a cheap gimmick. ‘AEW’ can’t be the stakes. AEW should be the backdrop to the stakes.

Personal issues draw money. Hatred draws money.

AEW as the storyline driver is doing as much to draw houses as AEW the company in 2024.

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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!