All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Bandit
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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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That was a weird segment.

Konosuke Takeshita became a star in one night. People are saying he's like the modern Barry Windham.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Takeshita was very good. He's a good size too.

And the toothbrush stuff was weird.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Watch these if you haven't, they're pretty funny.

Why is Hobbs shirtless and oiled up for a sit down interview? :olol:




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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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According to Dave there was no AEW presence at the WB/Discovery upfronts, which he's indicating isn't a good sign. Plus I think all the pro-AEW folks have left too, so once they come up for TV right renewals it's not looking too promising. AEW do have the financial backing to continue on but they really do need TV to make it a viable alternative. Ratings wise they could easily be replaced by movie re-runs and such.

Maybe a streaming deal would be viable nowadays but they'd be nowhere near the ballpark WWE would be getting in TV rights. If WWE manages to go all in with NBC it leaves the door open for Fox but I don't know if the current AEW product would be suitable content wise. A PG AEW could open more doors for them with increasing popularity in the same demographics WWE is currently aiming at. The AEW product isn't too far apart from WWE anyway they'd just have to tone down certain elements.

Think their current TV deal is up in 2023 so things could change by then but right now unless ratings are up and they bring in the right demos I'm not sure if WB/Discovery would want AEW on their channel(s). Especially if they are rebranding and you get a repeat of the end of WCW. The plus for AEW though is that they are not owned by WB/Discovery and could fall on their feet with a TV network that will be behind them. But when you consider in 2001 when wrestling was still fairly popular WCW couldn't get a TV deal and ECW was about to close shop.

Now I think wrestling is more niche than it was pre Monday Night Wars. Unlike then too there is no Hogan, Macho etc who can add some degree of non fan interest like they did when they joined WCW. Which really is a detriment to WWE dominating the industry so long they made no new stars outside of John Cena, Batista and arguably Brock too. Even then they didn't do the ratings that Hogan et al did and Rock, Austin etc. either.

AEW lucked out being on TNT when they were starting out and the buzz they had in the beginning has unfortunately fizzled out almost. Signing so many NXT 1.0 wrestlers has be a big step backwards in my opinion. They are putting them ahead of their homegrown stars who were getting over. Ratings were better then too so whilst talent wise their roster is stronger it's also a detriment to AEWs growth. No doubt Johnny Gargano, Candice LaRae, Dexter and other NXT 1.0 wrestlers are coming in too which further pushes Orange Cassidy, Jungle Boy, Darby, Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Sammy, Dark Order etc to the back. Whereas given the right storylines they would be the future and the plus side that they aren't ex NXT, WWE or TNA. Only Wardlow and MJF are in a good position but it's likely MJF will go to WWE unless AEWs TV future is secure.

It's unfortunate AEW are in this weird state of flux position right now as they were gaining momentum. Now they are basically NXT Black and Gold talent wise. Putting the belt on Punk would be a mistake too as he's not really been a game changer nor has Bryan Danielson. Maybe keeping Cody instead would have been better and had him turn heel. Maybe once Kenny comes back things might improvr but right now AEW needs to make some important changes going forward.

Especially with talent acquisitions, future booking plans and who to best position to get some outside interest. So if WB/Discovery do pass when they are up for renewals another TV network wants to air Dynamite and/or Rampage. Speaking of which I think adding Rampage was somewhat of a misstep. Maybe adding an extra 20-30 minutes to Dynamite would have been better option and the roster is way too large so maybe sending them on exercusion to ROH, NWA, Impact and have a revolving door like how the old NWA operated would be better option. Since it would be fresh faces each week or two but not to the detriment of having an overly bloated roster like now.

Now sense stockpiling wrestlers if there's no concrete plans in how to grow AEW as a company. If they do bring in any new wrestlers full time they should be Maki Itoh, Kota (if he is leaving New Japan), Takeshita to name a few, i.e. wrestlers who are unique and not just from WWE. AEW should be the antithesis of WWE but now they are very closely veering into TNA territory where they focused more on ex WWE than building their homegrown stars. A scenario which is already starting to repeat itself.


TL:DR version - No AEW at upfronts, so their TV deal might be in jeopardy when up in 2023, too much NXT Black and Gold taking AEW homegrown spots, need to find real future direction to grow AEW

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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JR: "...Rancid..."

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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With MJF you do two things - let him run his contract out with no TV time or PPV appearances or you just release him from his contract to go to WWE.

The second option is very risky, but you don't want any negativity brought into the locker room. Who knows if someone else tries to pull the same BS that MJF did. Tony needs to realise he can't be too nice a guy to "the boys", he's the boss and needs to say unless you act right, you're out. Many promoters, especially back in the day, would have fired MJF on the spot for no showing.

Going forward who knows whether this is an elaborate work, but if he legit is trying to do what Brian Pillman did so TK lets him leave then from a fans perspective it's a bad look and for WWE it's also the same. Because he's throwing a tantrum and no way would Vince put up with that as we've seen with Sasha and Naomi.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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If it's not a work Tony should job him out for 2 years with no mic time.




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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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LMAO@Tony firing up like he's cutting a promo.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Loved the main, wasn't feeling the show otherwise.

The MJF thing, work or shoot, is starting to come off as a real black eye for AEW.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Awesome promo by MJF.

I told you to not give him the mic, Tony!

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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Will be very interesting to see what direction they go in now with MJF. If he's booked like Stone Cold he needs a protagonist and Tony isn't and shouldn't be the guy. Maybe somebody like Daniel Bryan (as representative of the ex WWE) but really AEW do an authority figure for MJF to rebel against.

Maybe if they had a Corny or Bischoff at the beginning who was "office" but no one really wants a rehashed Austin/McMahon angle. Having TK in the Vince role wouldn't fit although maybe they were planting the seeds with him ranting about Bischoff at the post show media conference.

However I believe it would change the channel type heat if they go that route unless it's something like the ex WWE guys protect Tony and MJF has to beat them to get to TK in a match but that's like 1980s wrestling when the face finally gets 5 minutes with the heel manager type scenario to beat them up.

So with what they've done AEW might have backed themselves into a corner going all in on MJF. Unless he has signed for longer as otherwise it's way too risky. Especially if him no showing was legit then who knows if he'll do that down the line if they put the belt on him so he can leverage himself out of his contract to follow Cody to WWE.

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Re: All Elite Wrestling Thread (It's Wednesday...you know what that means.)

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My guess is Adam Cole and reDRagon. Maybe the Young Bucks turn on AEW and side with them.

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