AEW All Elite Wrestling #9: Mox Aggressor Brings the Blood

[BruinDust]

Why does Tony Khan pay guys to sit at home? Ricky Starks is healthy by his own admission and hasn't worked since March.

Get something out of the money your investing in the performer or let the performer go if you have no interest in using them. Doesn't sound like Starks enjoys just sitting home collecting checks, he wants to work. Oh, and by letting the performer go, maybe it keeps the relationship intact and they can do business down the road. Why sever the bridge?

Just further proof that Tony Khan is no business person and AEW isn't an actual business.

 

[Fro]

There have been many reports out there that Ricky keeps turning down storylines pitched to him...and I believe similar with wardlow....i don't put the blame on any one person, there's lots of blame to go around

We all said last year Ricky would do well in the CC and would be a huge way to get him moved up...but never happened

 

[Unholy Diver]

There have been many reports out there that Ricky keeps turning down storylines pitched to him...and I believe similar with wardlow....i don't put the blame on any one person, there's lots of blame to go around

We all said last year Ricky would do well in the CC and would be a huge way to get him moved up...but never happened

Not sure about Wardlow, but weren't Starks and Danhausen (recently said he was healthy and hasn't heard anything for a while) buddies/supporters of Punk? Could they be getting punished/ guilt by association?

 

[Fro]

Not sure about Wardlow, but weren't Starks and Danhausen (recently said he was healthy and hasn't heard anything for a while) buddies/supporters of Punk? Could they be getting punished/ guilt by association?

I can't say no, but it's well over a year later, I'd hope no one is being that petty still...

 

[Unholy Diver]

I can't say no, but it's well over a year later, I'd hope no one is being that petty still...

You'd like to think so, but in Pro wrestling all bets are off when it comes to common sense stuff

 

[CDJ]

Why does Tony Khan pay guys to sit at home? Ricky Starks is healthy by his own admission and hasn't worked since March.

Get something out of the money your investing in the performer or let the performer go if you have no interest in using them. Doesn't sound like Starks enjoys just sitting home collecting checks, he wants to work. Oh, and by letting the performer go, maybe it keeps the relationship intact and they can do business down the road. Why sever the bridge?

Just further proof that Tony Khan is no business person and AEW isn't an actual business.

Same reason why Danhausen has disappeared….Phil’s friend. Although in Ricky’s case it probably has more to do with being Cody’s friend now that I think of it- he’s been more or less gone since being spotted backstage at the royal rumble

On one hand I get not wanting to invest in a guy whose next move will probably be WWE, on the other hand it serves no purpose to keep him under contract and do nothing with him

 

[BruinDust]

There have been many reports out there that Ricky keeps turning down storylines pitched to him...and I believe similar with wardlow....i don't put the blame on any one person, there's lots of blame to go around

We all said last year Ricky would do well in the CC and would be a huge way to get him moved up...but never happened

Not saying your wrong about the reports, but if true, isn't that even more reason to release them? Employee keeps saying no to things being asked of them, severe the relationship and go their separate ways. What business has employees telling management "no, not for me" and still continues to pay them?

 

[Fro]

And let a talented person walk to a competitor and have to listen to you then revision the history to then laugh for letting them walk and not using them? It's a no win

 

[Unholy Diver]

Same reason why Danhausen has disappeared….Phil’s friend. Although in Ricky’s case it probably has more to do with being Cody’s friend now that I think of it- he’s been more or less gone since being spotted backstage at the royal rumble

On one hand I get not wanting to invest in a guy whose next move will probably be WWE, on the other hand it serves no purpose to keep him under contract and do nothing with him

And at this point it isn't a case of "cooling a guy off" or "burying him" before he goes to make sure the other company isn't inheriting a red hot guy, Ricky has been in witness protection for months, he isn't going to go anywhere else and make a big difference in anything, it will be on par with Pillman Jr unless Cody really pulls some strings for him to get him into a position that he doesn't deserve

 

[CDJ]

And at this point it isn't a case of "cooling a guy off" or "burying him" before he goes to make sure the other company isn't inheriting a red hot guy, Ricky has been in witness protection for months, he isn't going to go anywhere else and make a big difference in anything, it will be on par with Pillman Jr unless Cody really pulls some strings for him to get him into a position that he doesn't deserve

Yeah he’d probably go to NXT and maybe compete for the North American belt, this isn’t some sort of big draw

 

[BruinDust]

Yeah he’d probably go to NXT and maybe compete for the North American belt, this isn’t some sort of big draw

And I'm not even saying Starks would be a big draw, just an example as he's made recent comments about sitting at home doing nothing while wanting to work.

Danhausen is another example of how Tony Khan likes to waste money. Meanwhile merchandise sales are reportedly in the crapper and in my entire lifetime, I've only see one person out in public wearing AEW merch, and it was a Danhausen t-shirt.

AEW's real slogan shouldn't be "where the best wrestle" it should be "not a real business".

And let a talented person walk to a competitor and have to listen to you then revision the history to then laugh for letting them walk and not using them? It's a no win

What are you talking about? Revisionist history? I could care less if someone leaves AEW for WWE and has success or vice versa. Believe it or not, I'd like to see both organizations thrive.

AEW is only a competitor to WWE in between Tony Khan's ears.

 

[sabremike]

And I'm not even saying Starks would be a big draw, just an example as he's made recent comments about sitting at home doing nothing while wanting to work.

Danhausen is another example of how Tony Khan likes to waste money. Meanwhile merchandise sales are reportedly in the crapper and in my entire lifetime, I've only see one person out in public wearing AEW merch, and it was a Danhausen t-shirt.

AEW's real slogan shouldn't be "where the best wrestle" it should be "not a real business".

What are you talking about? Revisionist history? I could care less if someone leaves AEW for WWE and has success or vice versa. Believe it or not, I'd like to see both organizations thrive.

AEW is only a competitor to WWE in between Tony Khan's ears.

If you believe that last statement is true please explain why WWE has pulled and continues to pull every single dirty trick in the book to hurt AEW? That would seem to be conclusive evidence WWE sees them as a competitor no?

 

[BruinDust]

If you believe that last statement is true please explain why WWE has pulled and continues to pull every single dirty trick in the book to hurt AEW? That would seem to be conclusive evidence WWE sees them as a competitor no?

I don't have a clue what you are talking about. Dirty tricks pulled by WWE to damage AEW? Is this something Meltzer said?

 

[sansabri]

i haven't paid much attention to AEW in a while except for the ppv's but even the ppv's just run too long. i'm sure my opinion would be different if i were at a live show, but i wish Tony would cut it down an hour

 

[sabremike]

I don't have a clue what you are talking about. Dirty tricks pulled by WWE to damage AEW? Is this something Meltzer said?

A perfect example would be booking a house show in Orlando head to head with an AEW PPV next month (and that's just an obvious example and not the behind the scenes stuff).

 

[BruinDust]

A perfect example would be booking a house show in Orlando head to head with an AEW PPV next month (and that's just an obvious example and not the behind the scenes stuff).

I can see their Smackdown crew are working shows Boxing Day in Jacksonville, Smackdown on the 27th in Tampa, then another house show 28th in Orlando (against Worlds End), and a final house show on the 29th in Miami. Raw crew running the Northeast.

The Lightning have Amalie booked for the 28th and 29th. Magic have the Kia Center 26/27/29 (leaving only the 28th available for WWE in Orlando). Seems more like a coincidence than some conspiracy to hurt AEW. Clearly they would try and maximize the tour schedule to cover the 4 biggest FLA markets.

Do they compete on talent? Yes, they both employ professional wrestlers. But that's like saying Seinfeld and the Sopranos were in competition because both employed actors and actresses. Do shady things go on behind the scenes regarding talent,? I would say absolutely yes, especially considering AEW will compete with WWE money-wise for talent contracts and can offer an easier schedule.

But as far as competing for market share? Is WWE worried about AEW taking away some of WWE's piece of the overall pro wrestling pie or one day putting them out of business? No, they aren't in competition in that sense. WWE aren't getting less on their TV contracts because networks have an alternative promotion to do business with. On merchandise they aren't even in the same ball-park. They don't go head-to-head on TV anymore really (Rampage being an afterthought now) so ratings is kind of a moot point. Even their target markets seem vastly different,

AEW clearly catering to fans of Japanese Pro Wrestling and those who grew up on Ring of Honor and want to see that type of product in NA on a large scale on a weekly basis. Nothing wrong with that really but it has a ceiling growth-wise. I've always said here a rising tide floats all boats, and the wrestling business overall is better the more strong promotions it has. I'd love to see AEW thrive and become a compelling product that draws people in week after week, but man it sure feels like it's stuck in a rut it can't get out of. Some of the antics at All Out were off-putting to some to say the least (clearly not aimed at children). I thought this Death Rider story had potential but it seems like its fizzling out. Their honeymoon phase is over they have to find something to grow their audience.

 

[Emperoreddy]

SRS said Starks contract was going to expire this year but AEW had an option on his contract and extended into next spring.

 

[sabremike]

I can see their Smackdown crew are working shows Boxing Day in Jacksonville, Smackdown on the 27th in Tampa, then another house show 28th in Orlando (against Worlds End), and a final house show on the 29th in Miami. Raw crew running the Northeast.

The Lightning have Amalie booked for the 28th and 29th. Magic have the Kia Center 26/27/29 (leaving only the 28th available for WWE in Orlando). Seems more like a coincidence than some conspiracy to hurt AEW. Clearly they would try and maximize the tour schedule to cover the 4 biggest FLA markets.

Do they compete on talent? Yes, they both employ professional wrestlers. But that's like saying Seinfeld and the Sopranos were in competition because both employed actors and actresses. Do shady things go on behind the scenes regarding talent,? I would say absolutely yes, especially considering AEW will compete with WWE money-wise for talent contracts and can offer an easier schedule.

But as far as competing for market share? Is WWE worried about AEW taking away some of WWE's piece of the overall pro wrestling pie or one day putting them out of business? No, they aren't in competition in that sense. WWE aren't getting less on their TV contracts because networks have an alternative promotion to do business with. On merchandise they aren't even in the same ball-park. They don't go head-to-head on TV anymore really (Rampage being an afterthought now) so ratings is kind of a moot point. Even their target markets seem vastly different,

AEW clearly catering to fans of Japanese Pro Wrestling and those who grew up on Ring of Honor and want to see that type of product in NA on a large scale on a weekly basis. Nothing wrong with that really but it has a ceiling growth-wise. I've always said here a rising tide floats all boats, and the wrestling business overall is better the more strong promotions it has. I'd love to see AEW thrive and become a compelling product that draws people in week after week, but man it sure feels like it's stuck in a rut it can't get out of. Some of the antics at All Out were off-putting to some to say the least (clearly not aimed at children). I thought this Death Rider story had potential but it seems like its fizzling out. Their honeymoon phase is over they have to find something to grow their audience.

If you believe the Orlando house show was a coincidence then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. It's almost as believable as the idea WWE had nothing to do with any type of bad rating for AEW getting leaked almost instantaneously.

 

[BiolaRunner]

If you believe the Orlando house show was a coincidence then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you. It's almost as believable as the idea WWE had nothing to do with any type of bad rating for AEW getting leaked almost instantaneously.

It's just a house show. If that is a threat to AEW and draws away from their PPV, that's on them

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I really don't think Ricky or Danhausen being absent has anything to do with Punk. Darby, Brody, FTR are all close with the guy and haven't had any push derailed.

WWE absolutely is doing anything they can to damage AEW's reputation. Multiple reports of them leaking fast nationals to make AEW's ratings look bad is one example. This goes beyond AEW too. They rushed NXT to TV when Dynamite first launched, they brought in any indie wrestler they could before AEW was on TV, the speedy launch of NXT UK to kill of ITV's revival of World Of Sport (Triple H admitting it), and this is recently. There's plenty of things they've done to try and kill off competition. There's also a reason they bring out names like Undertaker and John Cena for any NXT show that goes head to head with AEW.

It's not because they think AEW or anyone else is a threat to take them over as #1. That'll never happen obviously. It's because they want to monopolize the wrestling business. They don't like having to pay wrestlers more and have them have any other options.

This isn't a WWEBAD tribalistic post. I keep up with the product and all, but they've had shady business practices for decades now. This doesn't absolve AEW from plenty of things they could do better as well. It's just silly to think WWE doesn't care about AEW.

 

[Fro]

I really don't think Ricky or Danhausen being absent has anything to do with Punk. Darby, Brody, FTR are all close with the guy and haven't had any push derailed.

WWE absolutely is doing anything they can to damage AEW's reputation. Multiple reports of them leaking fast nationals to make AEW's ratings look bad is one example. This goes beyond AEW too. They rushed NXT to TV when Dynamite first launched, they brought in any indie wrestler they could before AEW was on TV, the speedy launch of NXT UK to kill of ITV's revival of World Of Sport (Triple H admitting it), and this is recently. There's plenty of things they've done to try and kill off competition. There's also a reason they bring out names like Undertaker and John Cena for any NXT show that goes head to head with AEW.

It's not because they think AEW or anyone else is a threat to take them over as #1. That'll never happen obviously. It's because they want to monopolize the wrestling business. They don't like having to pay wrestlers more and have them have any other options.

This isn't a WWEBAD tribalistic post. I keep up with the product and all, but they've had shady business practices for decades now. This doesn't absolve AEW from plenty of things they could do better as well. It's just silly to think WWE doesn't care about AEW.

Well said

 

[GKJ]

And let a talented person walk to a competitor and have to listen to you then revision the history to then laugh for letting them walk and not using them? It's a no win

Tony is definitely scarred by Cody. Cody used him and AEW to service reaching higher heights not just in WWE but for WWE as well. But so goes The Business.

 

[Fro]

Tony is definitely scarred by Cody. Cody used him and AEW to service reaching higher heights not just in WWE but for WWE as well. But so goes The Business.

That very well could be...I wouldn't be shocked if that were the case.

Cody definitely could have done that for AEW (I believe) with the simple heel turn...

Him leaving definitely started the downturn, but he was already stale in AEW by that time. And he has well past that for me in WWE...but I'm not the average fan that is still way into him

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's a carny business and both companies are run by rich carnies.

Enjoy whatever product you like most, but I'll never understand making the company a part of your identity, and rooting for your billionaire of choice to stick it to the other billionaire.

Especially when we are now all grown adults. It's not the 90s when a lot of fans were still in grade or high school.

Root for the talent to get treated fairly irregardless of their current company and then just enjoy the wrestling.

It goes both ways too as we have one resident who has made carrying water for WWE his identity.

 

[Emperoreddy]

And yeah it can see Tony being scarred by the Cody situation, but i don't think Cody leaving is what caused their downturn. AEW crowds were over him at the end, and I don't think anyone flipped channels because of him.

AEW's problems started with the ROH purchase and Forbidden Door adding a ton of new faces to the weekly shows which really muddled the overall consistent booking. It slowed their momentum down.

Then the Brawl Out situation combined with WWE getting way better at consistent weekly storytelling really knifed them.

A good long run of engaging, consistent good storytelling will get them out of their lurch. Keep building up your new stars, keep telling good stories, and people will continue to come back.

Something I do think they have been better about the last few months.