Since its inception, AEW has worked hard to make its stipulations simple, fan-friendly, and gripping. There is one match that they haven’t quite nailed - their Casino Battle Royale, a fresh take on a classic wrestling staple.
The Casino Battle Royale includes twenty-one superstars, but instead of the wrestlers being entered into the match one at a time, they are entered five at a time. Each group of five is associated with the suit of a card (hence the Casino theme). The twenty-first entrant, known as “the joker,” is the final entrant who is usually a surprise. In theory, this format is a fun way to do a battle royal. However, in execution, it has proved to be convoluted and chaotic.
Thus far, the matches have had their highlights - but the format itself has been met with a fair share of criticism.
The Casino Battle Royale Format Ruins The Fun Of Battle Royals
Battle Royals are a wrestling fan favorite for a good reason. Fans get to see a lot of their favorite superstars in one match. One of the biggest thrills for fans in attendance and at home is the anticipation of which wrestler will come through the curtain next and the amazing pop that comes along with that.
The Casino Battle Royale diminishes that element by having five wrestlers come out, one right after another. Having five wrestlers revealed in the span of thirty seconds doesn’t give the audience time to soak in the moment or even think about how that athlete might affect the match at hand.
This technique also puts the production crew in a tough position. The AEW crew have had difficulties covering these matches properly, unsure whether they should continue to follow the in-ring action or focus on the new entrees. In short, there is too much stuff happening at once.
The Casino Battle Royal Winners Have Been Great
There are some elements to the Casino Battle Royale that are working. For one, the shorter run time of the battle royal is a breath of fresh air. Generally speaking, battle royals can be bloated and run well over an hour. The Casino Battle Royale format keeps the match to under thirty minutes.
The bigger victory for AEW in their last two Casino Battle Royale matches was their thrilling finishes. Once the chaotic entrances were through, AEW and their wrestlers could do what they do best - tell exciting and layered stories in the ring.
At All Out, the joker card gave us the AEW debut of Ruby Soho. The dynamic and mini-story between her, Thunder Rosa, and Nyla Rose was fun and highly effective. As Soho and Rosa battled it out on the edge of the apron - the crowd was on the edge of their seat. Ruby’s victory was met with an enormous ovation, and ultimately, fans walked away feeling good about the result.
The same can be said for this year’s Double or Nothing Casino Battle Royale, whose finish saw a methodical veteran in Christian Cage alone with the charismatic youngster Jungle Boy. When the two stars became the last men standing, it was obvious that the fans were ready for a big Jungle Boy victory. They received exactly that after an electric exchange - a young star with a big win on a huge stage.
Ways To Fix AEW's Casino Battle Royale
AEW has improved on or simplified some classic stipulations. When it comes to battle royals, however, as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” WWE’s Royal Rumble format has always proved to work as an engaging pop-fest. Having one wrestler come out at a time has served the stipulation well for over thirty years.
A shorter version of that same tried and true format would still keep AEW’s Casino Battle Royale a brisk and effective good time. If new wrestlers were entered every minute, they could still hit a thirty-minute runtime.
AEW can keep their Casino theme as well. Rather than using the suit of cards to determine which wrestlers come out and when, the company could use a roulette wheel. It still gives the appearance of randomization and would be a far more dramatic way to introduce the next star. Fans would be on the edge of their seats waiting to see where the wheel would stop; a roller coaster of cheers and jeers as it slowed past fan-favorites and hated heels.
This adjustment to the format could also help the production team in their attempt to capture all this madness at once. An additional hard cam shooting towards the screens would allow the team to capture the in-ring action, the roulette wheel, and the next entree in a single frame.
You have to respect AEW’s attempt to make a decades-old match feel fresh. There are undoubtedly some kinks in their execution of the Casino Battle Royale. The company must fix these issues before their next Double or Nothing. Otherwise, fans may reject the match entirely.