Wrestle Dream review

All Elite Wrestling's latest pay-per-view, Wrestle Dream, a show that I wrote a column about earlier last week for its lack of build, is in the books, surprisingly with some newsworthy notes after the broadcast went off the air. Before we discuss the card, it should be noted that there were ten matches scheduled for this line-up, and it can't be unstated enough how unnecessary this was toward the overall presentation. Quite frankly, I'd rather have 7 or 8 matches on the show that are justified for a show on pay-per-view than the undercard be cluttered with glorified TV matches that don't add quality to the event, instead just make for a tedious viewing experience. Not every broadcast has to be four hours and not every main event has to be some 30-minute epic clash. The ability to tailor the line-up and the time given to each segment is a part of the art of booking. A paint-by-numbers approach, which is what Tony Khan often takes with his charts and graphs, can often lead to a flat presentation, particularly in terms of pacing the card. At this point, it's repetitive, but it's also the case more often than not for AEW pay-per-views.

Adam Page vs. Jay White opened the show, and considering that Jay White still looks to be a heel, and Adam Page was presented like a heel, at least this week, there wasn't much in terms of storytelling or dramas for this segment. That said, the in-ring work was quality, and if these two were positioned in the right way as far as their characters, it would check all the boxes for a solid segment in the modern era. They worked good technical exchanges until they began to build the contest with a few brutal bumps. Hangman landed a death valley driver on the apron that looked nasty before he power bombed White on the steel steps. White nailed a shin breaker on the side of the ramp way that looked brutal. The finish was very well done, it didn't overuse finishers, but rather had White counter to land the blade runner to get the win. 

Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women's title was a solid match and showcased what these two could bring to the table if given the opportunity on a more regular basis. Full credit to Mariah, she went from being just a sidekick to one of the better heels in the entire company. As I've said before, Willow organically connects with the audience and that can be used to draw money, but there are only so many times that the baby face can come up short challenging for the title before the audience loses faith in their quest for the belt. It was the right call for Mariah to retain, as she should continue to establish herself as a character on AEW programming, but I'm not sure Nightingale was the right opponent, mostly because her character didn't need to take a defeat on pay-per-view. Still, Mariah's reign has given a boost to the All Elite female division and more importantly given it a direction. It was interesting to not that Mercedes Mone, one of the high-profile free agents that inked a deal with the organization earlier this year wasn't on the card, and all things considered, I don't think it's too early to label her initial run with the company a flop. She wasn't quite as big of a star as she thought she was, but she talked up her price, and Tony Khan offered her a hefty contract to sign with his group. That's not a knock on Mercedes, good for her for being able to get that type of cash, that's the entire point of the pro wrestling business, but at the same time, it should be noted that the decline in ratings and ticket sales continued after she was brought into the fold for AEW. It might be a harsh reality, but the argument could definitely be made that Willow or Mariah could be more valuable to the company than Mercedes on a long-term basis. This segment was given the right about of time, as the ten minutes gave them enough time to work the match without any flat points. This was another contest where the finish was well done when May hit a hurricanrana off the top and then nailed a flurry of offense with a knee strike and a pile driver to get the victory to emphasis the conclusion.

Much of the same could be said when the other member of The Elite faction, Jack Perry defended the TNT championship against Katsuyori Shibata. Shibata isn't regularly featured on Dynamite so it's difficult to see him as a threat to the title and thus this match was reduced to cannon fodder on a line-up that already had 10 matches. The action was decent, but it was just an 8-minute television match on a bigger platform. There was some technical ground sequences that would've probably been more suitable for the ROH Pure division, as it was somewhat of a styles clash since Perry isn't known for the shoot style of mat work. Shibata suplexed Perry on the outside toward the apron, and Perry's legs awkwardly clipped the apron. It was a rather foolish spot, considering that Eddie Kingston has been on the shelf for months after he injured his leg during a similar sequence on a New Japan Strong show. The biggest takeaway though is, if this contest wasn't on the card of Wrestle Dream, it wouldn't have truly affected the quality of the show or made a difference in the buy rate. Shitbata chocked out Perry, but his shoulders were on the canvas so Perry got the coincidental pin fall. retained the belt.

Post-match, Perry hit Shibata with the title until Daniel Garcia made the save. Garcia looked stone-faced as usual when Perry took a powder out of the ring. As Garcia was standing in the ring, MJF returned from filming Happy Gilmore 2 to confront him. As Garcia was faced off with MJF, Perry blindsided him with the TNT championship. During the beat down, Adam Cole made his return to run off MJF. This was booked like something you would've seen sandwiched onto an old ECW pay-per-view, take that as a positive or a negative. The problem is, does anyone really want to continuation of Adam Cole/MJF? If anything, Tony Khan should put as much distance as possible between those competitors and any reference of the absolute flop that was the devil mask reveal last year. It's quite literally a rehash of an angle that didn't get over last time instead of progressing either character.

The International title match was exactly what you'd expected,an overly-choreographed incredible display of athleticism. There's a fine line between seamless transitions and one wrestler simply waiting for the opponent to get there. This was the latter, but there's no doubt that the skill and the maneuvers are impressive. The inverted tombstone that Takeshita used to put Ricochet through a table at ringside looked rough. There wasn't really a narrative to follow for most of the bout, but that's what the company is selling here, a new age video game match with high impact and minimal selling. Again, take that as either a positive or a negative depending on your perspective. The finish saw Kyle Fletcher turn on Will Ospreay, hitting him with the screw driver to allow Takeshita to win the title. On one hand, it's great to see the former DDT star get something of importance to do on the show, as he's talented enough to be a top guy. On the other hand, Kyle Fletcher vs. Will Ospreay isn't exactly a feud that fans are clamoring for in AEW.

The next segment was a way to get Swerve Strickland on the pay-per-view, but it didn't have much impact or meaning in the grand scheme of things. This was something that was completely normal for a television segment, and in that setting, it would've been fine. To put an extended promo segment in the middle of a four-hour pay-per-view is bizarre. Did this really do anything to progress the narrative? If this was to set up for the debut of Bobby Lashley then you could argue that it deserved a spot on the PPV, but if the MVP/Nana confrontation wasn't on this show, but put this week on Dynamite, would it have truly made a difference?

Speaking of not meaning much in the grand scheme of things, if it was presented right, Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos could've been a highlight of this pay-per-view, as well as some unique for the company to promote, especially at a time when Hispanic stars are a focus within the industry to capitalize on the Latino fan base. This was a two our of three falls match, which is somewhat of a lucha tradition, but of course, that wasn't established on TV prior to this so for most viewers, it's just randomly a two out of three falls bout. The athleticism was incredible, and it reminded me of a comment from the underrated legend, Lance Storm on a podcast a few years ago, "good lucha is amazing, but bad lucha might be the worst wrestling there is." The style is so different that it is often hit or miss, but when you have two high caliber luchadors like this two in the ring, you can get an incredible contest from them. This was a dazzling spot fest that provided some substance and even some sizzle to the card. The problem is, this was basically a one-off match within the landscape of All Elite Wrestling. Yes, Hologram and Mortos have been featured on Collision, a show that gets about two-thirds of the audience of Dynamite, and their exposure on Wednesday has been minimal. Between the two of them, there was more than enough character traits for the company to highlight with Hologram's really neat costume, and Mortos' bull mask that this match could've been used to solidify a character, not just another high spot match. Hologram got the win of two falls to three, but let's hope that both of these competitors get more TV exposure in the future.

Darby Allin vs. Brody King was another TV match on pay-per-view, given just under 10 minutes with nothing that you haven't seen before on Dynamite or Rampage. In fact, you could argue that either casket match on television was more PPV worthy than this contest. It wasn't a subpar match, just nothing that needed to be on pay-per-view. Darby got the victory.

The Young Bucks vs. Private Party was the spot fest that ignored all tag rules that you'd expect it to be. It was fine, but we've seen the same match several times and given the fact that Private Party was steamrolled by The Blackpool Combat Club a few weeks ago, they didn't seem to be worthy contenders for this match to be anything more than fluff on the card. It was fine for what it was, but nothing spectacular or "must see" for this pay-per-view. The Young Bucks retained the belts in a 15-minute segment.

 Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for the Ring Of Honor World championship was fine for what it was, it was a segment that fell into the glorified TV match category for this show, because it's not as though these two have built any rivalry around the championship prior to this. Furthermore, Jericho already did "The Ocho" gimmick before so it was clear that he wasn't going to win the belt, and he doesn't need to either. If truth, neither does Mark Briscoe, despite being a 20-yeat veteran, he can still go in the ring, and given the tragic passing of his brother Jay last year, there was an opportunity for Mark to be pushed toward the AEW world title to win it in honor of his brother. The story writes itself, and Mark is more than talented enough to be the world champion, but he was pigeonholed into the ROH brand. Jericho is smart enough to know that he isn't going to work as flashy of a style at his age so they exchanged a lot of stiff strikes, and they put in the effort, but there just wasn't any point in the contest where it looked like the title was in jeopardy so there was basically an exhibition match. Mark got the win with the Jay Driller is another ten minutes for a decent segment, but the belt doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

The main event was a mixed bag, as it more or less represented the problems and the strengths of All Elite Wrestling as an organization. In a vacuum, the match was a physical contest that had the right amount of selling to emphasize the brutality of the strikes and the bumps. Taking in account the scenario, around the match, it completely and totally missed the mark. The premise of the match is that if Bryan Danielson, one of the greatest of the modern era and arguably of all time, loses he must retire. The end of his career deserves all of the pomp and circumstance, especially for how beloved of a performer he is by his peers and the fans. Nothing is flatter than Danielson being choked out and then using the booking crutch of the plastic bag again, particularly because it's only trying to manufacturer controversy based on the reaction last time. If anything, it's a desperate attempt to get heat because Tony usually can't book heat properly. I've said this before, and I will say it again, Jon Moxley carried the company on his back when AEW needed someone to step up in the midst of suspensions and injuries. That said, does anyone want to see another Moxley title reign? It's not his fault, but he was overexposed. There are too many other guys that could use the belt to solidify there careers for there to be a valid argument why Moxley needs another run. This is actually a compliment to Moxley, he's already totally over with the audience, he doesn't need a belt to maintain that status in the company.

Did AEW sell wrestle dream?

This weekend is AEW's Wrestle Dream, the company's third pay-per-view offering in about a month and a half, but following "Title Tuesday," a Dynamite show that was moved from its Wednesday time slot for this week, there's not much sizzle or anticipation ahead of the event. First, it should be noted that it's tough for the organization to sell the PPV based on the "go home" show being moved from its usual time slot. A portion of the AEW viewing audience, as sluggish as they might be in recent months, that will miss the broadcast simply because there are in the routine of watching Dynamite on Wednesday.

Still, the lack of overall build for this card, and some of the same could've been said for All Out since it was just two weeks after All in from London, suggests that monthly PPV cards won't yield success for the company. Tony Khan's slapstick approach, a booking philosophy that lacks focus by nature, doesn't lend itself to monthly PPV cards. Granted, if this is being done in anticipation for the new deal with Max that could offer pay-per-views at a much lower price than there's an argument to be made for it, as it would intrinsically lower expectations for each event.

However, as of right now, AEW management is trying to sell this $50 broadcast based on the majority of the matches being advertised just days before the actual PPV. It's simply not possible to build any hype or anticipation when the first mention of some of the scheduled bouts are on a preempted episode of Dynamite.

Daniel Garcia made his return to television this week and probably cut the best promo of his career, but he's not scheduled for Wrestle Dream. The argument could be made that the most effective segment on Dynamite this week was for a performer that doesn't have any role on the PPV and thus no impact on its buyrate.

Obviously, with matches being thrown on the card just days before the pay-per-view, the hotshot approach was used to try to generate some level of importance for these bouts, but those efforts have yielded mix results. Jack Perry vs. Katsuyori Shibata for the TNT Title is a very minimal match, in terms of importance or its ability to generate a buyrate. Shibata might be one of Tony Khan's favorite wrestlers, but he's not featured too often and is a secondary character at best. Plus, Shibata, as talented as he was, is clearly past his prime after he suffered a very serious head injury several years ago. Is there any reason for the fans to think it's possible for Shibata to win the title? If he does, will he actually do anything of importance with it?

On the other end of the spectrum, the returning Jay White attacked Adam Page a few weeks ago and with minimal interaction, they have a match on pay-per-view. But, the difference is that this should be a contest that delivers bell-to-bell and has an effect on each performer's path going forward. From a character prospective, I honestly think that Adam Page was ruined multiple times during his All Elite tenure. The whiny promos, the draw when he defended the championship during his initial reign a few years ago, and the switches from baby face to heel haven't helped his career. Because of that, I have zero faith that Adam Page can be rejuvenated to the level that he had before he won the AEW championship. I don't know his contract status or if there would be interest from NXT, but he would have to completely reinvent himself somewhere else to make progress in  his career. Make no mistake, Page can go in the ring, but there are only so many times a performer can hit the reset button until they just have to go elsewhere. Jay White is a quality pro inside the ring ropes and probably should've had a much bigger role in AEW so far. That said, this return from injury is a chance for him to rejuvenate his status and hopefully work his way to the main event scene, depending what the overall plans are for the title picture on a long-term basis. In that sense, at least there's something at stake for a match that was otherwise booked without a lot of momentum behind it.

Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho for the ROH world title is cannon fodder. I hate to say it, but does the Ring Of Honor brand truly matter in 2024? AEW has too many belts as it is, and this is nothing more than a mid-card match with a prop. Speaking of cannon fodder, Private Party got destroyed by the Blackpool Combat Club a few weeks ago, is the audience supposed to take them as a serious threat to the tag titles? If not, The Young Bucks vs. Private Party on the card is moot. Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale could be the best match on the undercard, but that's a rather low standard given the matches already discussed.

Brody King and Darby Allin will probably be an entertaining car crash segment, even if it's something we've seen before. The only problem is, this was shoehorned onto the card simply because they called an audible with the Bryan Danielson match so does the result really matter? The same could be said for the International title match, Will Ospreay will defend against Ricochet and Konosuke Takeshita. It will be an incredible spot fest that will give the fans their money's worth, but does it truly have any cache besides the dazzling dives that are seen on television every week? Don't get me wrong, Takeshita is a top talent and should be the focus of the world title, but adding him into this scenario actually takes away from the narrative. When Ricochet and Ospreay went to a draw last week, it naturally set the stage for a rematch at the pay-per-view, which could've used their extensive history as a selling point. The addition of Takeshita reduces this segment to a spot fest rather than a match-up based on an extensive rivalry. Takeshita is definitely worth a spot on pay-per-view, just not being shoehorned into an already established match just to get him on the card.

Don't get me wrong, there's meat on the bone so to speak for this pay-per-view, it's just camouflaged within a slew of glorified TV matches.

The main event, originally penciled in to be Darby Allin challenging for the championship, will be Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley for the title. Unless there's something major on the horizon, particularly with Moxley's new faction, I'm not sure the match-up should've been switched. With the event being hosted in Tacoma and both Danielson and Darby being from Washington, the stage was set for the sentimental passing of the torch. If Darby is going to win the belt, the hometown victory would've been the way to do it. His style being completely reckless and counterproductive to drawing money as the champion is a different discussion for a different time. Moxley wouldn't have been given the match unless he was going to win the belt, thus ending Danielson's full-time career, but I'm not sure such an abbreviated run as champion does anything to help All Elite Wrestling or put heat on Moxley as a heel. If anything, there would have to be a build, where Danielson narrowly escapes with the title through tough competition before his run concludes. Enough cache hasn't been allowed to build up for his title run to translate to importance for the organization or heat for the opponent that retires him. At this point, the end of Danielson's title run would more or less be indifference, and there's nothing more counterproductive to drawing money than indifference.

However, as ridiculous as this might've sounded in the past, and I even wrote a column about it to dismiss the initial rumors, if Shane McMahon is revealed as a part of Moxley's group, as the cryptic reference Moxley made during an interview with Tony Schiavone several weeks ago, it would justify the switch of opponents for Danielson. When the photo of Shane and Tony Khan surfaced a few months ago, I figured it was nothing more than Tony trying to get some positive press for AEW online, and that could still be the case. Since that time, a picture of Shane McMahon with The Young Bucks was posted online, which added a little bit more credibility to the speculation, as it seems odds that they would just happen to be in the same place at the same time.

After the Netflix documentary about Vince, it should be noted that Shane was the best McMahon portrayed in the series. The story was told that Shane was overlooked as Vince's successor in favor of Stephanie, and even Shane acknowledged that his efforts in the ring were to get the approval of his dad. Given the horrendous accusations against Vince earlier this year, it's at least possible that Shane would consider a tenure in AEW as a way to do something completely on his own. As much as Shane doesn't need the money, Tony Khan would undoubtedly pay him some hefty cash simply just to say that he has a McMahon working for him. If Shane shows up, the shock alone will get fans talking and thus tune into Dynamite, giving the company a chance to regain some of the viewers that it lost after CM Punk left the company. A boost in the numbers would also look good for the new TV deal the company just signed with the Turner networks.

Outside of a monumental surprise at the pay-per-view, Wrestle Dream just doesn't have enough of importance on the card to justify the $50 price tag. It might sound trivial, but given the current economic uncertainty and the rate of inflation, a PPV with mostly glorified TV matches on paper is a more difficult sell for the company than it was in the past.

APWF returns to Johnstown

"Jimmy, I've been in this business a long time and that was one of the best matches I've ever been on the call for."

As Mike "Doc" Daugherty sat in a booth next to Declan Finnegan at a pizza place a few blocks from The Kastle, the venue that just hosted the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation's Johnstown debut this past August, he recounted the stellar main event match the three of us had just called for the indywrestling.us production team. By the time we all emptied out of the venue, it was after 10:30 PM so when we strolled into the old school pizza shop, there were only a few other customers there. Despite the August humidity and the late night, we were all still hyped as we each divided up a few slices.

Bill Collier, the current International Wrestling Cartel heavyweight champion and ace of the APWF, just put on a 30-minute classic with NWA star, Spencer Slade. This was a dramatic, action-packed bout with peaks and valleys that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout the duration. It was an old school presentation blended with modern athletics, creating moments that fans are still talking about today. As the three of us sat at the broadcast table that night, you could sense the anticipation and excitement in the venue.

It was one of those rare occasions as a broadcaster where you knew you were seeing something special as it was happening in the ring. Doc has worked for a myriad of organizations as one of the most tenured and well-respected voices of the Pittsburgh area, as he has been the lead play-by-play announcer for the Reengage Wrestling Alliance since its inception in 2009, as well as being the lead commentator for Prospect Pro Wrestling since it launched in 2018. I started in the business as a photographer in 2008 before I started to work as a commentator the following year. I can tell you that there's a very short list of matches that were the caliber of the Collier/Slade APWF main event we called in August. Even Declan, who is newer to the business than us, knew immediately that the organization delivered a bout that would stand up across the independent landscape.

"With so much talent on the local scene, it’s really impressive to see what APWF has started up again! The main event in the last card was as good as anything you’ll see on an independent card with Bill Collier and Spencer Slade in the Main Event!  So much talent to speak of and just packed with surprises, I cannot wait to see what’s in the horizon for the reboot of this company," said Declan Finnegan when reached via phone last week.

Now, the APWF is set to make its highly-anticipated return to Johnstown with "Nightmare at The Kastle," a Halloween theme event on October 26th. A myriad of stars, including the best young talent and a mixture of established veterans, have been assembled to create a unique presentation not often seen on the independent scene. Elijah Dean and Zach Nystrom, collectively known as Money Shot, are scheduled to appear. Dean, a former IWC heavyweight champion, has also held numerous tag team championships with his longtime tag partner, Nystrom. Flawless fundamentals and dynamic skills made Money Shot arguably the best tag team in independent wrestling today. Aside from a reign as the IWC tag championships, Money Shot held the Ryse Wrestling tag belts for almost a full calendar year in 2023, and also had a run with the Absolute Intense Wrestling tag team championship that same year.

"The fans can expect great matches from workers from everywhere that will bring their best to entertain the fans .We try to book interesting match-ups and make the shows epic, and tell the stories in the ring since we are not running monthly. That's why I call APWF shows epic events, and the people in Johnstown, PA can see this great wrestling action at the Kastle Facilty. The staff at the Kastle have been great because they want pro wrestling in the area. That's what we will bring on Oct 26th," said Bubba Brewer, owner and promoter of the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation.

"APWF" Is great for the Pittsburgh independent scene. The history behind APWFs past speaks for itself. It gives the audience new faces and a new flavor. It is led and backed by one of the best in our business, Bubba Brewer. Bubba's vision is vast and has a bright future.  I'm just honored to be a part of it. The sky is the limit when it comes to APWF," added Doc Daugherty, the lead voice of APWF.

 

As a part of Bubba's new vision for the organization, he wanted to give more female grapplers a chance to shine at a time when women's wrestling is one of the most quality aspects of the national scene. At the Kastle in August, the dangerous Lexus Synn, who is scheduled for  October 26th, knocked out her opponent, Slammin' Sammy with a vicious high kick to the face. Sammy, a determined and energetic rookie with only half a dozen matches so far in her career, refused to be denied, accepting the call for APWF to step into the ring in October with the eccentric luchadora, Peg Asa, a competitor based in the Mexican style. Peg Asa was a student at the ICWA training center, debuting about a year and a half ago in the sport. She brings an unpredictable style and has already had many pundits suggest that she has a bright future in the industry.

"APWF has been so helpful to my young career by booking me in back to back shows. I appreciate Bubba Brewer, Larry Striker, and all of the staff for their dedication and constant promotion of the shows and the wrestlers! I am honored to wrestle for them and their fans," said Slammin' Sammy.

A wave of positive momentum surrounds the APWF ahead of this October event, which will feature a costume contest for fans, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish foundation, as Bubba Brewer expressed when he relaunched the organization that he wanted to use pro wrestling as a platform to impact the communities that hosted events beyond just the action in the ring. Brewer, despite his use of modern technology to deliver his podcasts, one specifically based on his hometown team, The Pittsburgh Steelers, online every week, is as old school as they come for professional wrestling. He broke into the business in 1998, working as a pro wrestler, promoter, and organizer over the course of several years. Even the savvy veteran knows that there's a learning curve for today's market, and that has proven to be a learning experience for him as a promoter in 2024.

"Well, bringing the APWF back wasn't and isn't easy because it's a different time, but social media has helped. I also realized I can't make everyone happy. and I, with my staff, try to do the very best that we can getting and promoting our shows," Brewer explained.

Still, Bubba finds himself on the grind as a promoter in the weeks ahead of the event. It's not uncommon for him to check in with a Facebook Live video to let the fans know where he's putting up event poster to advertise the organization. The ambitious promoter leaves his house in the late afternoon with a stack of flyers and doesn't return until late night with an empty supply box before he jumps online for one of his weekly podcasts.

As a broadcaster that has been in the business for 16 years, I admire the hustle and work ethic that Bubba Brewer puts into his projects. He doesn't simply rely on social media posts or others to share content, he quite literally puts in the work and the miles to make these events happen. One thing is for sure, APWF has a special atmosphere that you won't find too often on the independent circuit, which is something that my broadcast pals and I each noticed after the stellar event at the Kastle in August.

The line-up for October is highlighted by many young wrestlers that are looking to make a name for themselves. The Rad Boyz, who Bubba has touted as the best tag team on the independent scene. will be in action. Sam Handman, who is from Johnstown, will square off against Cristiano Argento, Gorgeous Gregory, who many have proclaimed to be a pro wrestling prodtegy, will make his debut for the promotion, and The Troublemakers will also be back in action in the APWF. Speaking of the trio known as The Troublemakers, Glenn Spectre, a longtime veteran that was the first "gaijin" or foreigner to win the DDT tag team titles in Japan, has formed the group consisting of some of his students.  Canaan Kristopher is regarded by many as a true natural inside the ring ropes, and Tyler Brooks has already made an impact anywhere he goes in his relatively new career. What will The Troublemakers have in store for the APWF on October 26th?

"My goals for the APWF are to return to the S&T Bank Arena in 2025 and keep promoting shows at The Kastle. Indiana & Cambria counties have a great spot to have these wrestling shows. I will always try to help the indy market in Western PA, and hopefully one day have that indy mania event that I've been talking about for 20 years. I also want to get shows in high schools for fundraisers .It was only suppose to be one show, but it turned into three this year, and I want to be a positive force in indy wrestling," concluded Bubba Brewer.

AEW television deal

The numbers don't lie

For all of the criticism, some of it valid about the presentation of All Elite Wrestling, the numbers tell the story, both positively and negatively for the narrative around the organization. By nature, professional wrestling can be subjective, an old timer from the golden era probably thinks the vast majority of the Attitude era was trashy drek that appealed to the lowest common denominator, and they wouldn't necessarily be wrong. At the same time, the late-90s created some of the biggest superstars in the history of the industry and the sport was a part of pop culture. With more than 10 million viewers for pro wrestling on any given week between the two prime time shows of Raw and Nitro on Monday, it's tough to argue that Attitude era was a detriment to the industry, even if certain aspects definitely were in hindsight.

All Elite Wrestling has been categorized as everything from a project that shifted the business to a vanity project that puts a niche style on national television. Again, both of these notions can be true to some degree. The existence of All Elite gave the sport, for both talent and fans, options after the industry became extremely stagnant for the several years prior. At the same time, it's clear that Tony Khan's only qualification to book a national professional wrestling company is that he's from a billionaire family that can fund it as long as they want to put money towards the project, and Tony undoubtedly books the matches he personally wants to watch, not what will draw money on a national level. If he happens to book something that draws well, it's a mere coincidence. Keep in mind, Tony doesn't have to make money from AEW to achieve financial security so booking to draw money isn't the top priority of the organization.

It's well-known that Tony grew up a diehard fan reading The Wrestling Observer newsletter, which was even more of a niche publication in the days of its printed pages sent from Dave Meltzer's PO box than it is now. Make no mistake about it, the vast majority of the inside scoop that circulates online today is still from Meltzer in some form or fashion, but there are simply more outlets that distribute the rumors around the industry today than in the past.

As a result, Meltzer has to keep a base that will subscribe to his newsletter, which isn't a knock at all, just to point out that he finds a way to continue to make a living from the sport more than 40 years after he started. As much as Meltzer is undoubtedly bias toward AEW, and has a level of invested interest in its success, as its existence is one of the pillars of his newsletter, the eccentric historian is absolutely one of the best resources of the history of the sport, he just seems to miss the mark often concerning the modern era, at least from my perspective. The Wrestling Observer has often taken a rather skewed perspective to paint All Elite in the best light possible, even when there isn't good news around the company. Somehow, with a nearly 30% dip in television viewership as compared to two years ago, Meltzer will still try to ignore the fact that less people are watching AEW programming now than any other point in its five-year history. But, pushing that narrative serves his base of contrarian fans that will subscribe to his newsletter, as that demographic will often favor anything that isn't WWE in a misguided attempt to seem knowledgeable.

So, no, All Elite Wrestling isn't in a great place at the moment with sluggish ratings and sparse attendance. The Observer influence on Tony was the notion that somehow the dazzling "work rate" style that so many diehard fans follow closely would translate to the general public or the causal fan, if only it was given the chance with a mainstream platform. If nothing else, one of the definite takeaways from the five-year history of AEW is that characters and compelling storytelling are still what connects with a mainstream audience, not just the "work rate" of a performer. Please don't misunderstand me, I really enjoy the hidden gems of the business so to speak. Brad Armstrong is one of the most underrated of all time, All Japan in the 90s was incredible, and Hayabusa was one of the most spectacular performers of all time. But, there's a reason that Scotty 2 Hotty dancing, Steve Austin drinking beer, and Goldberg's smash mouth style were so popular in the United States with the casual fans. The general public wants to be entertained by the pro wrestling characters, they just don't care as much about the perfectly executed high spots. 

The spot fest style just hasn't and probably won't translate to a bigger audience. Can aspects of that style be successful on a national level? Sure, but Tony hasn't found a way to package it for the TBS audience. Proof of that was that last week's five-year anniversary episode of Dynamite, which featured Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay, a spinoff of their excellent series in New Japan several years ago, and Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada for the AEW championship, actually saw a slight decrease in the ratings from the previous week. The anniversary show drew 680,000 viewers, one of the lower numbers that the show garnered this year. The event was actually held at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, a venue that the great Pat Maclaughlin and I attended four prior episodes of Dynamite since the lanuch of AEW. Even with a two-for-one discount the week before and tickets being lowered to just $15 the week of the event, we declined to go to the TV taping. The nature of All Elite television is just too sporadic to truly know what you're going to get on any given week, and even with Ricochet/Will Ospreay on the card, I didn't think they were necessarily going to recapture what they did in New Japan eight years go to the point that it had to be seen live. As much as  Okada will be known as an all-time great after he hangs up his boots, it's clear that he coast on his reputation more often than not in AEW so again, I didn't think even Danielson/Okada was must see in-person for Dynamite. Given the decrease ratings, the television audience didn't consider it must see either.

Still, the AEW/WBD deal was made official last week, keeping All Elite Wrestling on the Turner networks for at least the next three years, with a fourth year option for Warner Brothers Discovery. Depending on what you read, there's some slight variation with the numbers, but it's suggested to be around $185 per year for AEW to broadcast their shows on TBS and TNT with a pay-per-view option on the Max streaming service. Some of the details that have emerged are that Dynamite and Collision will be in their usual time slots, but Rampage, the clear C-show on the line-up anyway, will be discontinued. As apart of the deal for content on Max, Dynamite and Collision will be streamed live on the platform, which in theory could provide more access to AEW programming. As far as pay-per-view, according to reports, All Elite PPVs will be able to be purchased on Max at a discounted price, but viewers must already be subscribed to the service. It wasn't confirmed what the price tag will be to watch in on the streaming platform, but it should be noted that it isn't an exclusive deal. Other services, including traditional pay-per-view providers, will still offer AEW PPVs at the regular price. However, it was mentioned that All Elite Wrestling archives will be hosted on Max, which is another way to increase access to the product. It was interesting to note that Ring Of Honor wasn't mentioned at all in the announcement so it appears that those archives will still be kept on Honor Club.

Dave Meltzer reported that AEW is pitching another television show "Shock Wave" to networks, including Fox, but all things considered, there's really no need for a third show, especially because Rampage already proved that a C-show is moot in the grand scheme of things.

AEW apologists will tout this as a major victory for the company, and more money is always a good thing, but there wasn't really anything surprising about this deal. As mentioned before, pro wrestling is still relatively cheap original programming for networks so even with the dip in ratings, it wasn't a realistic possibility that WBD wasn't going to renew the deal. The newsworthy portion of the story was the PPV component and how it could provide more access through a streaming service, not the fact that AEW will remain on the Turner networks. Furthermore, it was revealed through various news outlets, including the Sports Business Journal, that WBD owns a portion of All Elite Wrestling so it's very doubtful they would opt not to renew something that they quite literally have a vested interest in its success.

Those same apologists will always claim that AEW is now profitable with the news of this deal, and hopefully, they are going to make a profit at some point during the duration of the contract, but it won't be known for sure until all the losses of the past five years and current expenses are accounted for. Sure, the company might make a profit on the year, but how much does that cover from the overall losses of the past five years? It's very possible that the company could finish with a profit for the calendar year of 2025, but it's well-known that the company lost money its first five years with operating costs, and the initial start up costs might also be taken into account before the term profit is truly associated with AEW.

It's a very unique time within the climate of the media business, as networks try to juggle traditional television distribution with the potential money to be made through a streaming service. The Turner networks will lose the rights to broadcast NBA games after next season, concluding decades of NBA content on the channels. Amazon made a better offer, Warner Brothers Discovery wasn't in the position to compete with the number, and one of Turner's more popular commodities will be broadcast elsewhere. If Turner was going to stay within sports broadcasting, especially if they own a portion of AEW, it's easy to see why they want to showcase as much of the content as possible. The circumstances of the NBA deal and the evolving nature of the streaming market allowed All Elite Wrestling to get an increase in their rights fees despite the decline in the ratings.

Bad Blood review

This past weekend's Bad Blood pay-per-view is in the books, and despite being a clear B-show in terms of importance on the WWE calendar, with a five-match card, the show was still very newsworthy after it went off the air. It's important to note that while the term "B-show" traditionally implies something lackluster, that wasn't the context in this case. With the new era of the WWE, more specifically post-Vince McMahon, the "big four" traditional pay-per-views usually have a longer runtime with more matches on the line-up, while other events, such as this show, are specifically booked for an abbreviated card, which isn't a negative. However, it should be noted that despite only five matches scheduled for this PPV, the broadcast still stretched to three and a half hours, creating a very tedious viewing experience at certain points, simply because of the delays between the bell-to-bell action. For example, the PPV had 15 minutes of pryo and ballyhoo before the opening bell of the first match. This just wasn't necessary, as the tighter broadcasts have been much easier to watch in recent months. At least thirty minutes could've been trimmed off this show, and running over the three-hour mark almost defeats the purpose of a five-match card.

The show opened with the Drew McIntyre/CM Punk HIAC match, which was somewhat surprising, given the history of the feud and the PPV itself. Don't get me wrong, I understand that management looked to book end the show so to speak with a major match at the start and then close the show with the star power of the Cody Rhodes/Roman Reigns tag match, but at the same time, it puts the rest of the under card at a disadvantage since they had to follow the signature gimmick match. The match itself was exactly what a payoff to a feud should be, all of the bells and whistles, and the most definitive moments were put in this segment to create a specific conclusion to the feud. There were very physical strikes, some brutal bumps on the steel stairs, and a lot of blood, which stands out because you rarely see it in the modern era. Punk did a blade job after he was lawn darted into the side of the cell, but Drew got a nasty hard way cut from a toolbox shot, bleeding buckets throughout most of the match. The only downside was that on two occasions, the referee used a towel to wipe away the blood, which defeats the entire purpose of using it in the bout, especially after Punk planned to bleed. It takes away a key piece of the presentation because it's anything goes, except if there's too much blood. McIntyre needed 16 staples to close the nasty gash after the contest. Either way, this was still a quality match-up with a level of intensity that was justified for the feud. The only criticism for the structure of this segment was that it used a very methodical pace and dragged at a few points, but this was still the best match on the card. Drew took a brutal bump on the stairs before CM Punk landed the GTS to get the victory.

After 10 minutes of video packages and entrances, Nia Jax defended the WWE Women's title against Bayley. The only thing that I can think of when it comes to Nia's continued push is that being related to The Rock has its perks. Listen, I'm sure that the real-life person behind the character is probably very nice, but we're discussing the performance of the pro wrestling persona. Quite frankly, nothing about Nia's in-ring ability or lack thereof says that she should be in a prominent role in the biggest sports entertainment company in the world. Early in the match, her strikes and in-ring work were extremely sloppy. Her worked punches either lacked effort, skill, or both.  At one point, Nia attempted a hurricanrana that looked comically terrible.When Bayley made a comeback about halfway through the segment, Nia's selling wasn't great either. Eventually the action spilled outside the ring and Nia nailed Bayley with a power bomb on the steps before she whipped her into the guardrail for what looked like a dangerous bump. Given the history that Jax has hurting opponents, it was probably not a spot that should've been planned for this match. Nia attempted a pop up Samoan drop, but Bayley landed awkwardly on her shoulder on the canvas, and even the announcers didn't know what the spot was supposed to be when Nia went for a pin fall. The ref got bumped and was down when Bayley got the visual pin before Tiffany Stratton ran out for the possible cash in of the MITB title shot. Nia interrupted before she nailed a Samoan drop from the second rope to get the win.

Damien Priest vs. Finn Balor was a really solid match and they probably did the most that they could do with the 10 minutes they were given for the contest. Everything was crisp and well done. Who knows if Priest will remain near the title picture since Gunther looks to be set for a dominate reign, but performances like this will keep Priest in the mix as a featured star. Balor made his opponent look great and it's one of the reasons that he's such an asset to the company. Carlito and JD McDonagh ran in, but were dispatched by Priest before he choke slammed Balor to win the contest.

Liv Morgan defended her Women's title against Rhea Ripley in  a match that had Dominik Mysterio placed in a shark cage partially above the aisle way. This match was more smoke and mirrors than in-ring work, as from an in-ring perspective, it was basically a television match, but there wasn't anything wrong with that, especially given the finish. Somehow, Dominik ended up hanging upside down from the cage and was pummeled by Ripley before Raquel Rodriguez made her return to attack Rhea, causing the disqualification. Usually, a DQ at a pay-per-view is really flat, and there was some of that here, but since  everyone involved has done a very good job in the storyline, this could set up for a bigger match in the future since this obviously isn't the concussion to the angle with the introduction of  Raquel Rodriguez as an enforcer.

 The main event was the star power portion of the program, but they put in the work bell-to-bell as well. Granted, this was definitely a WWE style main event, but it was still a quality bout that had the "big fight" atmosphere to close the show. It goes without saying, but everything these guys, including the less experienced Solo Sikoa, did was quality work. That being said, Jacob Fatu is a special athlete, he's one of the very few guys, similar to Gunther in some ways, that brings a legitimate level of authenticity to the table. Fatu has an aura and an intensity that can undoubtedly be used to draw money on a major scale in the future. If Roman has another title run as a baby face, a feud against Fatu for the championship could be an excellent series of matches. Speaking of Fatu, at one point Cody put him on the announce desk and dove from the ring post through the table for a wild spot. Eventually, the Bloodline interfered and the heels had the advantage until Jimmy Uso returned to even the odds, allowing Roman to hit the spear for the win. I'm guessing this is to set up a potential War Games match at Survivor Series, which gets yet another main event match from this evolving storyline. 

Post-match, The Rock made his return to the company after a six-month hiatus to film a movie. Again, this could go toward the potential War Games match between the Bloodline factions at Survivor Series, but in the grand scheme of things, this could also be a way to start the build to Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock for the WWE title at Wrestlemania next year. I think to bring The Rock back here as opposed to The Royal Rumble suggest that he will be involved with something at Survivor Series, but one this is for sure, The Rock/Cody Rhodes would be a major draw for Wrestlemania next year.

VHS memoirs:Bad Blood 1997

The Bad Blood pay-per-view, an event that has been dormant since the Raw brand hosted the show 20 years ago, will return to the WWE calendar this weekend. Ironically, it will be on the same day, October 5th, as the original Bad Blood pay-per-view 27 years ago in 1997.

The show itself is known for the announcement of the tragic sudden passing of Brian Pillman, who was scheduled to wrestle Dude Love that night. Historically, it’s known for not only the first cell match, but also the debut of Kane, who would go on to be one of the most consistent quality performers In the history of the company.

With the anniversary of the pay-per-view falling on the same day as the latest edition this weekend, I decided to review the original pay-per-view from the early stages of the attitude era for this edition of the VHS memoirs. Perhaps it’s just nostalgia, but the opening video package to hype the main event between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, similar to many of the video packages of this time, still seems epic and adds a lot to the overall presentation of the show. Keep in mind, this was at a time when WCW ran monthly pay-per-views, and earlier that same year, ECW had gotten into the pay-per-view game as well so there was a lot of competition for the PPV dollar, which necessitated promotions trying to push the biggest selling point possible to get fans to dip into their wrestling budget on any given month. I think it’s fair to say, the new concept of the cell in 1997 was partially designed to do exactly that, get a portion of pay-per-view by rates at a time when WCW was doing very well, generating a lot of revenue at the time when the WWF still struggled.

The first match on the card was a handicap match as the Nation of Domination of D’Lo Brown, The Rock, and Kama squared off against the Legion Of Doom. A clip was shown to explain that Ken Shamrock was originally scheduled to be in the match, but was injured at the hands of Farooq, who was scheduled to compete later in the night. It goes without saying that the LOD were probably past their prime at this point, but they still received a tremendous reaction from the crowd and definitely still had something to offer to the major leagues of the sport. The match was basic, but still a fun segment. D’Lo took some great bumps and made his opponents look tremendous in the process. Of course, the three-on-two aspect was used throughout the contest. The finish saw Farooq run in for distraction, which allowed The Rock to land the rock bottom on Hawk to get the win.

Next, it was reiterated that the scheduled match-up with dude love was canceled because Pillman passed away earlier that day. As a replacement, a Mexican minis tag match of Max Mini and Nova vs. Mosaic and Tarantula was booked. There were some fun spots, but there were also some clunky portions as well. The crowd seemed somewhat lost because they were working with traditional lucha tag rules. The athleticism of the minis was impressive, but this became it almost mishmash of spots that didn’t build to anything because the radically different style didn’t connect with the WWF crowd. I wouldn’t say the match was terrible, but the five minute segment was rather disjointed with a few bright spots as it just seemed lost in this particular setting of a WWF event. Max Mini and Nova got the win.

Sunny shows up to be the special guest ring announcer for the tag team title match when The Headbangers defended against the Godwinns. This was basic, but still had its moments to be entertaining. The babyface team shined in the opening moments before the heels got some heat on Thrasher. At one point, The Headbangers gave Phineas a flapjack maneuver and he just barely missed landing directly on his head. The finish saw Mosh get a hot tag and start to clear the ring until he went to the top rope and dove off before Phineas countered it into a power bomb for the three count to win the titles. Again, there was nothing too flashy or spectacular about this match, but it included some very memorable characters from this era so there was entertainment value in the segment.

Following that, there was a really neat segment to honor the wrestling legends from the St. Louis area. Gene Kiniski, Jack Brisco, Lou Thez, Dory Funk Jr, Harley Race, Terry Funk, and Sam Muchnick each got very nice video packages to highlight their careers. In a very nice moment, when Musnik was introduced, Lou Thez walked with him to assist him to ringside. The audience gave them a very nice round of applause as a show of respect.

Owen Hart vs. Farooq was held for the vacant intercontinental championship after "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was infamously injured with a pile driver at Summer slam that year. As an in-ring segment, this was basically a television match-up on pay-per-view. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, but the storyline was the priority ahead of the in-ring work for this contest, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Steve Austin was at ringside and his shenanigans, including interrupting the international announce teams, was the focus of the segment. Jim Neidhart made his way to ringside to distract the ref, and Stone Cold nailed Farooq with the belt to allow Owen to get the win. Of course, the theory behind it was that Austin wanted to set up another match with Owen to get revenge for the injury. 

Another impromptu match that was added to the card was an eight-man tag between Los Barricas and The Disciples of Apocalypse. Unfortunately, this is another TV match that happened to be placed on pay-per-view, which probably suggest how scrambled things were after the death of Pillman earlier that day. Again, there wasn’t anything wrong with this match, but it was an eight-man tag that went less than 10 minutes so there’s simply not a lot to say about it. Eventually, Crush landed a back breaker to get the win.

Given how memorable Bret Hart's heel run that year was, I have to be honest when I planned to re-watch this pay-per-view for this review, I expected more from this tag team flag match. Bret and Bulldog were paired against Vader and The Patriot. Ironically, some of the same things can be said about Vader and The Patriots in terms of how their careers didn't propel in the WWF In retrospect, on the surface, it appeared like both of them could’ve had a much bigger run, but injuries and missed opportunities prevented it from materializing to any noticeable level. I’m not sure why this was booked as a flag match because during the entrances, it was noted that a potential pinfall or submission was added as a way to win the match instead of just capturing the flag. The match itself was very disjointed and didn’t have quite the amount of sizzle I would’ve expected thought these four would bring to the table. Vader looked extremely tired at some points in the segment so this was probably an example of him being past the prime of his career, as he never quite had the same intensity in the WWF as he did earlier in his career. In all fairness to The Hart Foundation, it had to be very difficult to perform just hours after the news that Brian Pillman passed away. Toward the conclusion the contest, a fan legitimately hit the ring and was dispatched of quickly, and then Bret reversed a roll up to get the win. So, the flag match was won without the flag actually being involved in the match at all.

Considering the underwhelming flag match, and the very basic undercard, this pay-per-view was essentially a one-match show so the main event had to deliver. As we know, it did and is remembered as one of the highlights of the history of the company. Shawn Micheals was well-known for being obnoxious and difficult to deal with throughout this portion of his career. Was it one marine in Syracuse or 15 of them? Nothing excuses Micheals being an arrogant jerk earlier in his life, and if he's truly changed for the better than that's legitimately wonderful. Micheals might've been a jerk in the late-90s, but the guy could go bell-to-bell. Everything that was done made this performance and this match-up absolutely tremendous. The action was crisp and smooth, keeping a pace that had the audience anticipating what was going to happen next. The Undertaker pummeled HBK early in the match, which added to the finish later. An injured camera man allowed for an excuse to open to door so the two could take the match outside the cell. Micheals bled buckets as he was rammed into the cell, and the visual of the two of them on top of the cell, including the press slam, was really impressive. Shawn bleeding through the top of the cage onto the camera lens below gave this WWF bout a rare level of grotesque action. As we know, Kane made his debut in one of the most memorable moments in pro wrestling history when he hit the tombstone on The Undertaker, allowing for Micheals to get the win.

MVP debuts for AEW

All Elite Wrestling is in the hurt business.

Given their injury rate, that statement could be a reference to the numerous talent, including Adam Copeland, Eddie Kingston, Bandido, Adam Cole, and Kenny Omega that are on the sidelines, most of those because of the high risk style that the company touts as its calling card. However, with the arrival of former WWE and Impact talent, MVP on Dynamite last week, it appears that the Hurt Business, a stable formed in the WWE alongside Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander might reunite in some fashion under the All Elite banner.

MVP and Bobby Lashley both left when their WWE contracts expired in August. MVP, who stopped wrestling in the WWE after a knee injury a few years ago in favor of the role of being the full-time manager of The Hurt Business faction, showed up at a Blood Sport event in July to challenge former UFC heavyweight champion, Josh Barnett to a match in the future. Since Lashley opted not to renew his WWE deal, he posted on social media that he was training for boxing, but many have speculated that with Shelton Benjamin, who was released from his WWE deal last year, on the free agent market, it was very possible for some type of reunion of the stable somewhere among the current pro wrestling landscape. Cedric Alexander, who is still under WWE contract, is currently in a secondary role in the company, but it doesn't look like his status is going to change any time soon since he recently worked on the NXT brand. It's doubtful that management sees Cedric as a guy that's going to main event Wrestlemania, but he's a solid utility worker, which makes him a valuable asset for the organization, particularly working with the younger talent.

MVP's All Elite debut took place when he interrupted Prince Nana during an interview segment, implying that he could be the next manager of Swerve Strickland, who is taking time off from TV at the moment. I think it goes without saying that if MVP decided to join AEW, Bobby Lashley is on his way to the pro wrestling league. There was already speculation that it was a possibility that the group could arrive in All Elite because the company filed for the trademark "The Hurt Institution" last month. Make no mistake about it, The Hurt Business was a winning formula for WWE, and on the surface at least, it makes sense to bring those ingredients as a package since the unit has already proven to be more effective than the sum total of the individuals on their own. In some ways, it's comparable to the Wyatt family, Bray was much more over with a faction around him than he was on his own later in his WWE career.

Still, similar to anything else, it depends how the potential group would be used in All Elite, and more importantly, who would be the focus of the stable. Thankfully, Bobby Lashley got the type of run he deserved after he originally plateaued in the WWE during his initial run there. When Lashley was given the ECW title when the relaunch of the brand completely flopped, it didn't do him any favors. At the time, Vince McMahon had almost completely phased out the concept on a manager. It wasn't until Paul Heyman drew money in the role again that it was something even considered for WWE television in the modern era. Promos were never Lashley's strong point and it was something that he struggled with even after his return to the company. In retrospect, it's a small miracle that the horrendous Rusev/Lana storyline didn't ruin his second run with the company. Bobby is an amazing athlete, and that alone is more than enough to get him over with the audience. He was paired with MVP to do most of the mic work, and it led to his run in the title picture, working in high profile spots at Wrestlemania. Shelton Benjamin was also a guy that was an incredible athlete, but wasn't the best on the mic so it made sense to put him with MVP as well. Cedric Alexander was floundering at the time so putting him in the stable gave him a purpose on the show. 

Putting a faction around Bobby Lashley as the leader made him look like a bigger star in the process so it was a win-win for everyone involved.

Taking into account Lashley's ability and the name value he still has from his most recent run at the top of the card in WWE a few years ago, he can undoubtedly bring something useful to the table for AEW, but I'd be skeptical that Tony Khan would know how to use the faction properly. At 48, Lashley is undoubtedly at the latter stages of his career. Despite being a genetic wonder, father time is undefeated, and event Bobby will retire at some point. In fact, he was on the shelf for the last few months of his WWE deal, revealing in a recent podcast appearance that he suffered an injury that required surgery during WWE's tour of France in May.  He didn't mention specifics of the injury, but said he was cleared for competition. Not that I'm trying to doubt his incredible athletic skills, but a run in AEW, where Tony Khan will probably overpay him to be there is a better option for him than pursuing a boxing career at his age. All things considered, if Bobby is going to cash-in on another big wrestling contract, now is probably the time to do it. The same can be said for Shelton Benjamin, who is 49 and is also close to retirement. MVP is 50 and has the previous injuries so outside of a special indy match or maybe a short run to return to Japan, I don't think MVP is going to get back into the ring for AEW, which is fine because he did very well in his role on the mic.

While MVP's arrival in AEW more or less confirms the signing of Lashley, I'm still not sure if this agreement was the best option for either of them. If this is strictly for the money, and there would be nothing wrong with that then a Tony Khan contract is the right choice. But, if they wanted to have the biggest run possible for themselves then New Japan Pro Wrestling would've been a very interesting option. Both Shelton Benjamin and MVP worked for NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH previously in their careers. Bobby worked for Antonio Inoki's relatively short-lived IGF promotion several years ago so The Hurt Business in New Japan would bring something familiar and something new. Taking into account New Japan's use of "gaijin" or foreigner heavyweights, Lashley might be a very good fit there. Considering the number of talents that were signed away by Tony Khan to work for All Elite, Lashley could give NJPW a needed boost ahead of their traditional Tokyo Dome event early next year.

Obviously, that's more hypothetical than anything concrete. A major benefit, especially if The Hurt Institution is formed in AEW, is using the faction to rejuvenate Swerve Strickland as a top-tier talent. Swerve organically got over with the audience to become the champion, but how he was booked with the confusing switches between heel and baby face during the feuds with Bryan Danielson and Adam Page hindered his status in the company. Truthfully, not only should Tony consider a hiring freeze right now, he should probably cut half of the roster that doesn't make a measurable difference for the organization. However, if The Hurt Business as a faction can be used to boost one of the younger stars in the prime of their career then it could be a worthwhile investment for the company.