We're still in the early stages of All Elite Wrestling's existence, and at this point in time, nobody really knows what kind of direction they'll be going in. It'll all become a lot clearer once they begin their weekly programming, but for now, all we can do is wait and speculate.
For fans of AEW who are a bit worried that they won't be able to keep the pace with the likes of WWE, fear not, as we are here to reassure you all. There are plenty of reasons why they should succeed, and we're going to run through just a few of them now.
10 The TNT Deal
TNT, the same network that hosted World Championship Wrestling many years ago, is getting back into the wrestling business with All Elite Wrestling. While we hope that they don’t try and replicate WCW in any way, shape or form, it’s still pretty cool to see that TNT is going to be involved in this.
They’re going to push AEW to the moon as one of their premier shows, and we’re really excited to see how that transpires. It may or may not succeed, but we think they’ll do well there.
9 Jon Moxley
We aren’t suggesting that the fate of All Elite Wrestling is resting on the shoulders of one man, but let’s face it, the guy is pretty important. While Chris Jericho is probably a bigger name, he isn’t going to be featured as a main roster star for as long as Moxley will be.
Jon has only just left WWE, and that alone is going to do absolute wonders for his career with AEW. This is one man that the promotion cannot afford to let slip through their fingers. That’s a fact.
8 The Khan Family
Shadid Khan is the man funding the project, but at the end of the day, Tony Khan is the man leading the line for All Elite Wrestling.
We’re talking about a guy who already has extensive experience in the world of sports, with the Jacksonville Jaguars and English Football Championship side Fulham. Now, the wrestling-crazy businessman is going to be taking one giant leap into what can only be described as a monumental project. He’s quite clearly incredibly passionate about it, and that’s the kind of person you want behind you.
7 New And Fresh Stars
From Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus to Sonny Kiss and MJF, we just absolutely love how many new stars AEW is trying to build. Sure, they may not all turn into overwhelmingly successful mainstream stars, but the fact that they’re being given a chance to shine is good enough for us.
There’s a perfect blend between the new and the old, and that’s the kind of dynamic you need in order to find success in this crazy business. All you need to do is take one look at the fan reactions to see that it’s already working, too.
6 Starrcast
Starrcast seems to be viewing itself as an independent entity, but considering that all three of their shows have happened in conjunction with All Elite Wrestling, we think it’s safe to include them in this list.
Starrcast brings some of the biggest stars in pro wrestling together, from those actually wrestling on AEW’s cards to old school legends. Oh, and with CM Punk appearing at Starrcast III, it also serves as a great way to get the rumor mill flowing once again – because if there’s one thing we need more of in wrestling, it’s rumors.
5 The Rise of Tag Team Wrestling
Nick & Matt Jackson are putting everything they’ve got into building tag team wrestling up to where it needs to be, and with a tag title tournament on the horizon to go alongside the great work they’ve done already, we’d say that the division is going to be in safe hands.
There are great tag teams to be found in promotions all over the world, but you just get the feeling that there’s a chance these guys could take it to a whole new level (and then some).
4 Veterans Behind The Scenes
Billy Gunn, Dean Malenko, Dustin Rhodes, Jerry Lynn. Those names, alongside many others that have been bandied about, serve as proof that AEW is taking this thing seriously.
They aren’t just bringing names over for the sake of it. Instead, they’re taking their time and making sure that they don’t rush into any bad decisions. Their team is only going to grow as we get closer and closer to the launch date of their TV show, and it truly does feel like they’ve got a fantastic platform for themselves already.
3 Realistic Goals
The official line is that they’re going to go about their own business and serve as an alternative to WWE, as opposed to being direct competitors. While WWE themselves may disagree with that after they moved NXT over to the USA Network, we still tend to believe them.
AEW doesn’t want to go straight after WWE, because that just isn’t going to go well for them. That’s what WCW did, and you saw how well that went for them eventually. They’re going to take their sweet time, and rightly so.
2 Disgruntled WWE Fans
While some would argue there isn’t all too much of a crossover between WWE and AEW fans, we would respectfully disagree. Pro wrestling is pro wrestling, and there are a lot of WWE fans that will look towards All Elite Wrestling with a great deal of excitement.
When you’re given the chance to check out something better like this, it can be a fairly enticing prospect. Plus, there are also going to be fans who were watching back in the good old days of the Monday Night Wars who want to feel that buzz all over again.
1 Feeling Like A League
We’ve heard time and time again now that they want to present this thing more so as a league than anything else, and that’s exciting. From wins and losses meaning something to people actually having to earn title shots, these are the kinds of regulations that fans (and sports fans especially) are going to be happy to attach themselves to.
We aren’t saying there needs to be a definitive league table or anything like that, but either way, this is the direction that professional wrestling – and AEW – needs to be heading in.