THE VIBES after AEW All In/Out 2023
AEW has been chaotic at least for a year at least but they always find the way to deliver something great. Orange Cassidy´s last stand of his International Championship reign was a moment that will be remembered in the AEW canon, Starks and Danielson strap match masterpiece and the student beating the master in Takeshita vs Omega.
All Out, Dynamite and Collision were good way to refocus the TV after another sketchy creative situation that comes with the firing of CM Punk, it weren´t this all timer shows but started some things I´m into. My main highlights were three things:
- Swerve segment with Hangman was phenomenal, not only because a feud between this two could be great, is because of Swerve´s promo. Strickland really nailed how to tell a lot of criticisms of Hangman´s booking into kayfabe and been Hangman, the character, the only one to blame. Swerve should beat Hangman at some point during this feud because it would add heat and Swerve needs a win. I will be watching this, because I think this feud will be phenomenal and will be another step to rebuild the cowboy. Also please book Hangman Page vs Toa Liona.
- Starks was phenomenal in his match, he took a beating and his facial expressions were incredible. I know it will sound bad because he just turned for his feud vs CM Punk but they could babyface hin with a feud vs BCC. Ricky earned my attention after that strap match and in my opinion he should chase Jon Moxley for the International Championship, a Championship that as well of Ricky, was elevated after All Out.
- Takeshita vs Omega feud has been handled poorly at the moment, specially with the potential it has, but I think the booking will get better because the feud hasn´t ended, in the post match promo Callis did at All Out said they aren´t finished with Omega and will go for his pals. Callis has a segment showing who´s their next target in this weeks Dynamite, let´s see who is said target. I expect a trilogy between this two.
To be honest I´m not that into the AEW World Championship storyline at this point, not because is badly built or something like that, it actually has some interesting details, but I think there are better storylines for the main Championship with other wrestlers in the mid to long term. MJF vs Samoe Joe will be phenomenal and another great match of MJF vs his heroes, but the whole Roddy/Cole/Kingdom/MJF deal is not really exciting to me.
About business, domestic ticket sales aren´t good, that´s not a secret but that´s not because someone is or isn´t in the promotion, is a mix of issues that go from lack of longterm booking as well of not having hot babyfaces, something that I will write about in a few days. I think this new feuds and stories will be able to turn the tide for AEW´s business, mainly ticket sales, but also improvement in other metrics like demos and PPV buys that are doing between solid and good.
In my opinion AEW will be a must see product basically by the previouly mentioned feuds as well on who will be the next Champion, people could say Adam Cole but I don´t think so. In the midterm the better built heel is Konosuke Takeshita and I think he has high chances to get that championship off MJF as well of been the perfect nemesis of a completely rehabed Hangman Page that knows how to do a chase for a Championship.
Oh, and here are my Starks ratings for AEW All In and AEW All Out:
- Danielson vs Starks — 5 Starks
- OC vs Moxley — 4.75 Starks
- Omega vs Takeshita — 4.5 Starks
- Punk vs Joe — 4.25 Starks
- Omega, Hangman & Ibushi vs Takeshita, White & Robinson — 4.25 Starks
- MJF vs Cole — 4.25 Starks
- MIRO vs Powerhouse Hobbs — 4 Starks
