Why AEW Should Be Worried About The New WWE

Vince McMahon is out, Triple H is in, and AEW may have lost its USP...

Triple H AEW Tony Khan
WWE/AEW

Triple H's first official show as head of WWE creative offered only fleeting glimpses of what to expect from Raw and SmackDown following Vince McMahon's retirement.

Raw opened with a brawl-in-progress between SummerSlam opponents Logan Paul and The Miz, delaying the promo train's arrival at the station by a few minutes. Roman Reigns told handpicked Vince prospect Theory "Your Daddy's not here anymore," referencing the Money in the Bank winner's real-life and kayfabe situations. Alexa Bliss pulled "belt" from McMahon's Bumper Book of Banned Words. The comedy-first 24/7 Championship was nowhere to be seen.

Beyond that, a standard episode of Raw with a singles disqualification leading to a tag team match, testicle gags, and banana skins. A solid if unspectacular show typical of its recent form.

This was to be expected. Huge chunks of the script would've been written prior to McMahon's resignation. Only 11 hours had elapsed between the Triple H announcement and Raw hitting the airwaves. WWE is in the final week of a pay-per-view cycle, with established stories, narratives, and character dynamics to be blown off on Saturday. These circumstances made expecting wholesale changes on Triple H's first night fanciful.

Nonetheless, this is an exciting, interesting period. Any slither of change would've felt refreshing after 40 years of Vince-penned material and while Triple H's ascension doesn't necessarily guarantee a revitalised, revamped product, it at least opens the possibility of one. "WWE will never change because Vince" is now irrelevant. You are allowed to hope again.

Even if WWE's Monday and Friday programming isn't likely to turn black and gold overnight.

CONT'd...

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.