Will Sasha Banks return?

During the rather subpar Ronda Rousey/Shotzi Smackdown Women's title match at Survivor Series this past weekend, the crowd responded with "we want Sasha" chants, prompting the production truck to lower the crowd mics. Still, the chants brought her status back into the conversation, which is still murky at best. At this point, you'd have a better chance of finding out DB Cooper's financial status than Sasha's contract status. A few months ago, it was reported that the company granted her a release, but there were also rumors that disputed it so nothing is confirmed. It could be a situation where the office allowed her the option to sit out the reminder of the contract, with the notion that they use the time to smooth things over for a new deal. Another possibility could be that management granted her the release in exchange for signing a non-complete, again with the idea that the dispute could be resolved before the non-compete expires.

As we know, Sasha and her tag team partner, Naomi walked out of Raw almost six months ago while they were the Women's Tag Team champions because they were unhappy with the creative direction they were given on the show. This wasn't the first time that Sasha took a hiatus from the organization, as she was gone from television for four months because of creative differences in 2019. As I wrote at the time, Sasha Banks is undoubtedly extremely talented and a star, but she's not quite as big of a star as she thinks she is for the company. You've heard rumors for years about her ego, and an occasion negative fan experience on social media so there's some level of credibility to the notion that she's difficult to work with, the biggest example being that she walked out of a live broadcast.

There are a number of layers to this scenario, both for Sasha and the organization.

On one hand, you can't blame Banks for wanting to be in the position to make the most money possible, but at the same time, the women's division arguably has the most depth among the entire WWE landscape so the division is fine without her. The WWE marketing strategy is often to promote the brand ahead of any specific individual so it gives the organization more flexibility with contract disputes or injuries. It's a harsh reality that Sasha may or may not be aware of, but much of her stardom is associated with the WWE spotlight so if she ventures outside of that platform, it remains to be seen how much of the audience would follow her other projects.

She made a rather infamous appearance this past August at the C2E2 convention, where fans paid $130 for photo-ops, but Banks insisted that they stayed away from her with a distance of about five feet, which had these expensive pictures look like "in the same frame as Sasha Banks" instead of a memento of the experience. As I said at the time, if Banks was concerned with health risks from being in a packed convention center, that's completely understandable but then isn't it best to just decline the appearance? The fact that she was willing to attend the packed convention as long as fans were willing to pay her $130 for a photo-op and didn't get near her seems like such a money grab.

More recently, news surfaced that she applied for trademarks of variations of her name, including "Banks Mone," and that's something that could be an indication that she has plans for wrestling outside of the WWE. It could also be a very cleaver negotiation tactic to give WWE management the impression that she's ready go elsewhere if they don't meet her standards for a contract offer. This is where the layers of the story get very interesting because, AEW, for all of its rightfully criticisms, gives talent at least comparable money for what's offered in WWE so that allows the performers to attempt to get the best deal possible. Remember, the bottom line is, professional wrestlers are independent contractors so there's no pension or retirement fund for them when they hang up the boots. Making the most money possible in the prime years of their careers should always be a priority for talent.

The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer claimed that Banks and WWE are in "money talks," which is very possible, but I'm not sure that alone will be the deciding factor about her status. The publicly-traded global company is the most profitable in its entire existence and will continue to maintain that level for at least the next few years because of its massive television deals with USA and Fox.

The WWE can afford anyone so the question is, will Sasha Banks be worth the hassle of potential future disputes with her creative direction if she returns to the company?

This is another aspect where things get tricky. Nobody, not even "Stone Cold" Steve Austin stopped the WWE machine when he walked out of the organization in 2002. Granted, Austin's status as the biggest star in the history of the business kept the door open for him to return, but the point being, there's a certain point where the company will move forward if an agreement can't be reached. If Sasha overplays her hand, it could be a similar situation to the original Ultimate Warrior disputes when a star overestimates their value to the company and thus management decides there's too many hurdles to do business with them.

The bottom line is, given her track record, will Sasha Banks be willing to do business?

In some ways, Sasha's two previous walkouts don't help her negotiations because even if she returns, how much TV time would the company be willing to invest in her? Based on the past business dealings, there's some level of risk to book her in a featured position. What would the company do if Sasha was in the main event of a pay-per-view and decided not to go to the ring because she didn't like the finish? She walked out on a Raw main event so why should management trust that it wouldn't happen again?

As far as the odds that she re-signs with the company, I'd give it a 50/50 chance based on the limited information we know now. If she should return or not is a different matter. I'd suggest that she takes a few years away from the ring completely and attempts to get a fresh start, either in WWE or somewhere else, at some point after that. Granted, I think Sasha isn't quite as big of a star as she thinks she is, but she can test the waters with film work and other projects outside of sports entertainment. Disputes between promoters and talent have existence as long as the wrestling business itself, but this isn't the late-90s with a head-to-head ratings war so individual performers aren't necessarily as critical to the success of the company. Right now, the women's division is quite possibly the best aspect of the WWE product so the promotion doesn't need Sasha Banks for that success, and to be fair Banks might not need the WWE platform either.

What's the status of Regal?

The new All Elite Wrestling world champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman wasn't in attendance for the post-Full Gear Dynamite, but made an appearance on last night's edition to address the audience for his coronation as champion, including the reveal of a custom championship belt. MJF claimed that he was going to remain the champion until "the bidding war of 2024," a reference to when his contract was rumored to expire before he signed a new deal a few months ago, and a way to imply that he could jump ship to the WWE. The subtle reference to the bigger organization wasn't enough, as he went on to mention Nick Khan, the WWE executive that negotiated some of the massive contracts that will make the company the most profitable in its history for the next few years. He even name-dropped Triple H to shoehorn as many WWE references as possible in one segment. But there was more, when discussing his future title reign, Friedman name-dropped Hulk Hogan, JBL, and made a disparaging remark about Bruno Sammartino's death.

So, was MJF being edgy or was he desperate to get heat?

The 26-year-old was originally noticed for his look, crisp in-ring work, and his commitment to his persona. In many ways, MJF stood out because he was willing to stay in character and be a "real" heel, which put him ahead of the pack, as far as emerging young stars, but at the same time, he’s only doing what everyone should be theoretically doing in the first place. There was a time in pro wrestling when performers as "real" heels was the standard, not the exception, and that might be why the genre is watched by less people now than any other time in its history. The concept of legitimate heat is often traded in for a social media presence so Friedman doing what others aren't willing to do in the modern era is one of the main reasons he was projected to have a bright future when he inked a deal with AEW a few years ago.

That said, there's a fine line between heel heat and trying too hard to be a "shock jock" so to speak.

I've written it before, there's no doubt that MJF could be a top guy for AEW, but the whole, "he's willing to go too far" shtick gets worn out if that card is played too often. If you try to use "shock TV" all the time, it's not shocking, it's just a part of the regular program, which is why such tactics must be used sparingly. A true top-tier heels, and I think MJF has some of these traits, can project their persona and get heat with how they present themselves. The body language, the mannerisms, and the facial expressions are the intangibles that truly make a heel. For example, Roddy Piper would draw the jeers from the audience just by the way he walked to the ring and looked at the crowd. Tully Blanchard got heat just by the arrogant way he carried himself. The point is, you knew these guys were heels just by looking at them.

Again, MJF has some of those traits, but more often than not, opts not to utilize them. Instead, there's a lot of yelling and attempts to go "over the line" that fall short of that mark since that tactic is used so often. When you try to "go too far" too often, it becomes standard and thus loses its effectiveness. That's why those intangibles mentioned earlier are so important since they intrinsically have a measure of longevity and substance for a character. Tully Blanchard looked like a heel, walked like a heel, and worked like a heel. He didn't have to bring up someone's grave to get a reaction.

That's where this MJF promo was such a miss, in my opinion. When you take a second to look at the layers of what he said, he did no favors for himself or the promotion. If Tony Khan thought any of this was a good idea in his attempt to win "booker of the year" from The Wrestling Observer awards, he should re-evaluate his priorities. 

What did MJF actually say?

It's a common talking point, but it's still true, the constant references to WWE make All Elite Wrestling look minor league. Instead of the progress of the promotion making enough noise that the WWE has to taken their existence into account, these promos scream "Hey! look at me over here!" If All Elite Wrestling made enough of a dent in the WWE monopoly of the industry, it's very possible that the competition could be a point of discussion in one of the conference calls where shareholders are given the report for the record-setting revenue the sports entertainment empire brings in each quarter. You'd never hear the WWE acknowledge All Elite on their television, and one of the many reasons is, AEW isn't on the same level in terms of a global presence. When MJF references WWE, it lets the audience know that the WWE is the major leagues and thus the implication is that All Elite is a secondary product. If Triple H said with a smile, "see you next year, Max" at a media event, it would put him on the same level, but when the references only go one way, it's clear that one side is the minor league.

As far as his comments about former champions, he indirectly made himself look like a subpar champion. He mentioned Hulk Hogan, who Tony Khan (thankfully) banned from AEW events. While I'm sure Hogan would be happy to take a massive payoff from Tony, and pin MJF to win the title, Hulk isn't going to be booked for All Elite so what's the point of mentioning him? JBL isn't coming out of retirement to challenge Friedman, either so again, what's the point? As far as his disparaging comments about Bruno's death, if he can't get heat without mentioning someone's grave, how effective of a heel is he? What's he going to do next time to get heat? If he mentions another deceased former champion, by nature, it will result in diminishing returns. The biggest point, though is that each of the former champions that Friedman mentioned are bigger stars than he is and are more well-known so why make the comparison?

JBL has almost twice as many Twitter followers as MJF. Friedman acknowledged a company on television that won't acknowledge him of their show, and he named a few world champions that are bigger stars than him. How exactly did this promo put anything over?

The attack on William Regal was puzzling since he turned on Jon Moxley, the top baby face in the company, and cost him the championship. Why would the audience feel bad for Regal a little over a week after he betrayed the biggest fan favorite on the roster? While Regal is one of the best of all time and his selling was realistic, beyond the fact that he's not a sympathetic character, the segment fell flat because it's not a surprise that Friedman is a snake, that was the entire premise of the finish at the pay-per-view. Some have claimed this is how Regal will be written off of television for an eventual return to WWE, but I'd guess that Tony Khan is just trying to keep the audience guessing, especially because the All Elite audience are familiar with the rumblings around the legendary grappler's future. That said, if Regal isn't going back to WWE, I have no idea how Tony would use him on television with the way his character was portrayed in this angle. Thankfully, Regal is such a resource and a legend, he'd be just as valuable of an asset to the company backstage.

A match like Dax Harwood vs. Bryan Danielson on Dynamite is a way that All Elite Wrestling can be presented as a true alternative to the WWE, whereas the MJF promo just make the company look minor league.

Survivor Series review

Yesterday, Survivor Series was held in Boston for what is considered the premiere pay-per-view of the Fall on the WWE calendar, somewhat of benchmark before the Royal Rumble and the start of Wrestlemania season. Sure, there will be other premium live events, but Survivor Series is often considered to be a key event, mostly because it has such an extensive history. The broadcast started with the always well-produced WWE video package from the state-of-the-art production staff. Too often because pay-per-views have become more of a formality than major events, an aspect that was made exponentially more clear after the Peacock deal since the WWE priority is to produce content as opposed to sell PPVs, there aren't nearly as many opening videos that stand out, but the Ozzy Osbourne music video was top-notch stuff that gave the atmosphere of an important show.

When there are two signature gimmick matches on the show, the card usually kicks off with one of them and this time, it was the women's war games match. The bout went about 40 minutes and it dragged toward the conclusion, but the main takeaway from this contest should be that it again highlighted just how much talent the division has right now. The exchanges between Bianca Belair and Dakota Kai at the start of the match were tremendous and that was followed with superb work from Io Sky. Truthfully, there was really too much action in this contest to attempt to discussed all of it, but it was a quality performance from everyone involved. Rhea Ripley continues to prove that she can be a star, and Becky showed that she didn't have any ring rust after the return from injury. The only downside is that continuous chaos will eventually fizzle out if it goes on too long and that's what happened. The particular spot where the momentum halted was the handcuff spot with Nikki Cross and Alex Bliss. I'm not sure if there was a miscommunication or if the cuff got stuck somehow, but Nikki more or less had to stand on the ropes, fumbling with the cuffs before Alexa eventually got them to handcuff her. I understand why they wanted to give Lynch more minutes in the bout to establish her return, but they could've trimmed at least five minutes from this segment to keep the action tight. Still, this was a great match and one of the better matches on the card. Becky hit a leg drop from the table of the cage through a table at the finish for a solid way to conclude the bout.

The problem with those extra few minutes in the cage match was that there were over 15 minutes of video packages and commercials until there was action on the show again. There was a rather unnecessary video package for Brock Lesnar, who wasn't scheduled for the show and then there was a video package for the Bloodline, even though those same clips were replayed again before the main event. Of course, there had to be a video package to hype the next match, AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor before they got in the ring. This isn't meant as a negative at all, but there's not too much to say about this bout because it was what you'd expect from an AJ/Finn match. It was quality in-ring wrestling from two polished pros, and in many ways, this was the substance on the card to go with the sizzle of the War Games match in the main event. There was a confrontation between the two factions at ringside before AJ hit a flying forearm for the win.

After another ten minutes of commercials and video packages, the Smackdown Women's title was next on the broadcast. Quite frankly, the bloom is off the rose for the Ronda Rousey experiment, and despite the level of star power she might have left from her MMA career, I think management should seriously consider if their investment in the Ronda character is worth the return. Keep in mind, Ronda was discontent with the fans after her initial run in the company, and with lackluster performances in recent months, it's doubtful there will be a fan demand for her to remain a centerpiece of the division on Smackdown. Perhaps, the Fox executives want her in that spot, and considering Fox paid over a billion dollars for the broadcast rights for the blue brand, that overrules the fans. This match was clunky and sloppy, and the bottom line is, Ronda just hasn't improved in the ring at all. Sure, she shined when she was in there with the top talent that could make her look good, but that's to be expected under those circumstances. Unfortunately, she's completely subpar without someone to carry her to a good match. I'm not sure how much of an upside Shotzi has as a potential star, but it wasn't enough to camouflage Rousey's weakness. There was a botched DDT on the apron and the match was completely flat after that. There were some "Sasha" chants from the crowd and you could tell the production truck turned down the crowd mics. The match had no pace and even though it only went about six minutes, it was still a tedious viewing experience. Rousey retained the title with an arm bar for the submission.

The triple threat match for the US title was fine and the action picked up near the conclusion, but I have to say, I just didn't care who won the match, which was more because of the stagnant angle than anything else. Seth Rollins is one of the most talented in-ring performers on the roster, but what exactly is his character? Is he a baby face? is he a heel? Is he supposed to be the Joker? Is Bobby Lashley a baby face? Is this primarily a feud between Lashley and Rollins, or Rollins and Theory? Theory got the win after Lashley speared Rollins, and I understand that the finish was designed to get heat, but I'm still not sold on Theory. As I mentioned before, I didn't exactly see what the hype was about or why he was being given the McMahon push, and with the way he was booked to look like a total dork with the failed cash-in a few weeks ago, it's going to take more than this type of win to rejuvenate his status on Raw.

The main event was solid, but again went around 40 minutes so it had a few low points. That said, this match was booked to be the storytelling bout of the pair of War Games matches booked on the card, which is fine. Sometimes, when the world title isn't being defended on the show and there are two gimmick matches with multiple competitors on the pay-per-view, it would be very easy for the show to be chalked up to just a speculate without much purpose for storylines, but this gave the event specific context to the progress of an angle. The ability of Sami Zayn as a well-rounded performer can't be understated. Obviously, Roman Reigns is well-established, but this segment made the rest of the Bloodline look like major stars and elevated their status. The Bloodline get the win and they are undoubtedly the top draw in the company.

The Elite on Dynamite

This past Wednesday on Dynamite, The Elite returned to television, following a two-month suspension after the post-media scrum brawl with CM punk at All Out. The trio made its return to the organization at last weekend’s Full Gear pay-per-view after investigation supposedly was completed.

Not much is known on the particulars of the investigation, or who, if anyone, was found at fault for the backstage flight. However, judging from the fact that The elite are back on television, and there are reports that AEW management are in negotiations with Punk to buy out his contract, it would appear that Punk was considered the one to blame or at least that is the narrative from the All Elite side. Tony Khan, who is usually more than happy to comment excessively at the post-PPV press conferences was tight-lipped on the CM punk situation. Usually, Tony responded with claims that he could not comment on punk. However, he said that Punk contributed to the organization.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Kenny Omega  said that the fans should let it go, as far as the Elite/Punk confrontation. Considering there are still contract negotiations as a result of the backstage flight, the lack of comment from the key players is a smart strategy, especially because anything disparaging towards Punk could theoretically be used as leverage in the buyout of his contract. Essentially, Punk could use anything possible to get a full buy out of his deal and more beneficial terms than he would’ve otherwise. 

That’s why it’s so puzzling that The Elite, who as far as we know, are still considered EVPs of the company, would spend the energy to take shots at Punk on television. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve written extensively about Punk being too difficult to work with and thus making himself more or less unemployable in professional wrestling, despite a dedicated fan base and a noticeable level of star power. I also explained that the entire point of the wrestling business is to make money, and Punk's inability to do business in either WWE or AEW prevented money being draw so money was left on the table. Undoubtedly, there is plenty of blame to rightfully be put on the shoulders of CM Punk, who buried the company, while Tony Khan sat there, looking completely lost. 

That along with a few other backstage scuffles, gave the impression that Tony Khan was in over his head and that the inmates were running the asylum. Tony  had to learn, in rather short order that the wrestling business is a shark tank, and he had to be a boss, not always friends with the roster. Tony also learned a hard lesson that sometimes the carnies in the wrestling business are friends based on who pays them. At some point, Tony had to do what was best for the company and perhaps that was a buyout of CM Punk's contract. . 

But, when you taken into account that the elite are supposedly a part of the office, these petty jabs at Punk, both on the Being The Elite blog and on television, almost reinforce that the problems of the inmates running the asylum, which would make Tony more or less being an ineffective boss, still persist. Khan has done more or less everything he can to avoid commenting on the situation so clearly he doesn’t want to put more of a spotlight on it. That’s the right move since the entire point of the CM Punk/Elite story gave the company negative publicity.

Quite frankly, if Tony Cohen was an effective boss, or at the very least, if the EVP‘s took their roles as management seriously, these silly, petty cheap shots at Punk wouldn't have happened. Aside from the highlight of anti-CM punk chants on the Being The Elite video, there were several references to the backstage fight during the trios match on Dynamite. Matt Jackson went for a slingshot clothesline and fell to the canvas as a way to mock Punk, who botched the move when he beat Adam Page for the AEW title in May. Kenny Omega also bit Pac on the arm during the contest, a reference to the story that Ace Steel bit him during the melee behind the scenes. Finally, Omega hit  Pac with the GTS, Punk's signature move, as a way to mock him. 

What exactly does any of this prove other than perhaps The Elite are as immature as Punk claims they are?

Basically, this is one of the many reasons that active wrestlers shouldn't be a part of the office. By nature, pro wrestling is an ego-driven business, and more often than not, if wrestlers are allowed to leverage a management position to work in their favor, they exploit it to the fullest. In this case, The Bucks and Omega put their personal grudge with CM Punk a head of everyone else on the roster because they put the story back in the headlines. Let’s keep in mind, the story claimed that AEW was run unprofessionally backstage. Again, is it worth The Elite getting a chance to snicker to themselves?

If Tony didn’t make it clear to everyone still with the company that was involved in the debacle that the subject was persona non-grata then that's an indication of his lack of leadership On the other hand, if The Elite did it on their own and went against Tony‘s request not to to make any reference to Punk then it’s also a lack of leadership, because the trio know they can ignore the boss without any consequences. No matter how you look at it, none of this paints a good picture of the management structure, or lack there of for the company. If Tony has true aspirations to establish AEW as a legitimate alternative to the WWE and maintain a presence on that level then he must act like a boss, not someone that attempts to be friends with the roster.

The bottom line is, The Elite were selfish and put their personal grudge against Punk ahead of a match on national television for a show that the organization is trying to expand to a bigger audience. Don’t get me wrong, this isn't meant as a personal criticism against any of them. I actually met Kenny Omega, The Bucks, Cody Rhodes, and a few others at a Ring Of Honor show in 2017 during the autograph session before the event. Everyone was very polite, and Cody and The Bucks were especially polite, thanking us for waiting in line to meet them . On a personal level, The Young Bucks were very nice to me and I sincerely appreciate it, but that’s not the discussion here. 

The bottom line is here that while The Elite are over and have a dedicated following from the diehard AEW fan base, these type of antics do absolutely nothing to help the product that they are supposedly on the management team of so the whole thing is counterproductive. The titles are EVP are self-serving and rather useless in terms of management of the company. It goes without saying that if Punk returned to the promotion, which is very doubtful, it would be a huge draw on pay-per-view. Remember, Dynamite draws roughly 1 million viewers, and the PPVs generate about 140,000 buys, depending on the card, and that's actually not a terrible conversion rate of the typical television viewers that will pay to order events, especially in the modern era. However, there's certainly a gap between the fans that watch AEW television and those that will spend the cash to order a pay-per-view so there's undoubtedly more money to be drawn on pay-per-view with the right angle. Macho Man punched Hulk and gave him a black eye right before Wrestlemania IX. Bret and Shawn had a backstage scuffle in the months prior to Montreal. The are numerous stories of real-life disputes in professional wrestling, but more often than not, everyone was still willing to do business because there was money to be made. The ability to draw money is the entire point of the industry. Even if Punk doesn't wrestle again, Tony Khan and The Elite should remember that the top priority is to draw money for the company.

What's the status of AEW?

Since Twitter is still in existence, after eccentric billionaire, Elon Musk brought back the orange villain, I was scrolling through the social media platform Monday night, and was pleasantly surprised to find something positive about pro wrestling. AEW star Pentagon was featured on Monday Night Football meeting, one of the San Francisco 49ers, George Kittle, the tight end for the team who is a big wrestling fan. The Luchador sported his trademark mask and presented a 49ers themed mask to the Kittle. It gave me the impression that Pentagon could be somewhat of a main stream star for the promotion, if Tony Khan ran with him on a more streamlined basis, as opposed to being a placeholder for The Elite's return in the trios division. Granted, I have written that I think Pentagon has the gimmick, the look, and the skill to be a top guy. Much of the same can be said for a Fenix, but that’s a different discussion for a different time. 

This brings up the bigger point of if Tony can adjust his booking philosophy to attempt to maximize the pieces of the puzzle already on the roster instead of looking for the artificial pop of signing new acquisitions. Ironically, just within the past few weeks, Bandido, AR Fox, and Takeshita were signed to contracts. The situation, despite being overly complicated in the AEW landscape, is rather simplistic in the grand scheme of things. Just because a performer has the talent to be on a national stage, it doesn’t always mean that they should get signed to a specific promotion. The reason being, is that it must be taken into account  if  a competitor fits in the promotion or if there's a place for them on the roster. One example would be ECW alumni, Mikey Whipwreck's six=month tenure in WCW. The former ECW champion  had a handful of matches on Turner television, but wasn’t used in any way that would be considered productive and his entire tenure there was so under the radar that it was mostly forgettable to casual fans of that era. Point being, Whipwreck had a prominent spot in the Philadelphia-based organization because Paul Heyman knew how to best utilize his skill set. The Turner company simply didn’t know how to book a misfit character as an underdog. Along with that, much of his success in ECW was also based on how the diehard crowd adopted him as a sentimental favorite. Even after his return to ECW and when his character evolved, it was still tailored for an extreme product for his association with the Sinister Minister and the tag team with Tajiri.

In a similar fashion, AR Fox is undoubtedly an incredible athlete with spectacular aerial offense. This doesn't take away from any of those skills, and perhaps he should have a spot ina promotion on a bigger scale than just the independent circuit, but the question should asked, is there a place for him on the current AEW landscape? That is not diminish his talent but he works a very similar style to the rest of the roster so the question becomes not if he’s talented enough, but rather is AEW the best place for him? He might be better off with the chance to compete somewhere that has the ability to fully utilize his skills. Based on the almost comical amount of signings in All Elite, the odds say that he will get lost in the shuffle on the YouTube shows within a few weeks. In the same way, AEW as a promotion should take into account if they can fully showcase AR Fox. If not, the return on the investment won't be worth the contract. That’s why timing is so critical with signings, and the overall career path of these competitors. As stellar as Bandito is, and the argument could be made that he has a bigger upside than Fox, I wouldn’t be shocked if Bandito gets lost in the shuffle, too.

It’s a harsh reality, but not everyone can be a star. That’s not a knock on anyone’s talent level either, I have used this example a few times since this scenario continues to be relevant, D'Lo Brown wasn’t necessarily going to main event Wrestlemania, but was a solid in-ring performer that consistently delivered quality matches and helped build a card in the process. His role wasn’t to work a a 20-minute main event, but rather contribute to the overall quality of the card. The same can be said for Al Snow, who knew how to entertain audience and was a solid performer that consistently delivered what was asked of him by the office. In the social media page, so often fans jump to the conclusion that a performer is being buried by management, but you have to consider that some talent are showcased in a specific role for the overall quality of  the product. A successful career as a mid-card performer is still successful because it provides financial security, and the bottom line of the wrestling business is to make the most money possible. There’s a reason that guys like also Brad Armstrong and others were under contract for as long as they were because they could deliver what was needed for the show on any given night.

In many ways, AEW or more specifically, Tony Khan has not grasp this concept. It’s a harsh reality, but when you try to get everyone over, generally nobody fully gets over as well as they would’ve otherwise.

That is to say that not every match on a pay-per-view needs to be given 20 minutes, or that each performer should be given equal time to shine throughout a contest. While it would be nice if everyone could be a big time star, it’s not realistic and ahead of 2023, AEW must work to maximize its assets in an attempt to maximize its audience. 

This is where the situation gets a little murky because with Raw, the traditional flagship show of the biggest wrestling promotion in the world, garnering less than 2 million viewers on some weeks, and SmackDown generating a little over two million viewers on network television, the question is, what's the ceiling  on an audience for the second biggest national wrestling promotion in the United States? We can make the assumption based on the fact that All Elite Wrestling debut broadcast drew 1.4 million viewers that they could definitely be drawing better numbers than the million or so viewers that they hover around on a regular basis. In fact, more recently, the program drew a little over 800,000 viewers, which would be concerning because there is somewhat of a level of inconsistency with the ratings based on the competition of other sports on a certain week.

Regardless of how you look at the numbers, it's clear that All Elite could draw better ratings.

If that can be accomplished remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, if Dynamite is going to draw better numbers, there must be a more organized approach to the product. Again, when you try to get everyone over, it makes it difficult for anyone to get over. Pentagon was featured on national television, but his current path will probably be to put The Elite over in an unnecessary best-of-seven series. In my opinion, Tony Khan should pick a few of the prospects that might have potential to be the future of the company and plan to give them consistent and meaningful television exposure. A few months ago, Daniel Garcia was a regular on Dynamite, but has been floundering in Youtube obscurity for the past five weeks. How's he supposed to become a star for the company without consistent momentum? Can anyone find Miro?

Booking pro wrestling isn't easy, and Tony Khan found that out during the past few years. There's a reason that the vast majority of notable bookers throughout the history of the sport are also usually considered some of the best minds in the industry. Tony putting names on paper isn't necessarily booking wrestling. As I've said before, you have to give Khan credit for being willing to invest in a sports entertainment venture, but at the same time, getting the "booker of the year" award from The Wrestling Observer doesn't sell tickets. Tony Khan is a billionaire so I'm nobody to tell him anything, but my two cents on the situation would be book the product with guys like Wardlow, Powerhouse Hobbs, Eddie Kingston, and Pentagon as those that should have the main event spots this time next year. The reason being, the argument could be made that all of those guys should already be in a better spot than they are now, but Tony didn't fully utilize the opportunities for them to get to the status in the company.

Full Gear review

After a rocky few months, All Elite Wrestling was back on pay-per-view for their first PPV since the infamous All Out debacle led to a backstage brawl that resulted in the EVP‘s of the company suspended and arguably the biggest star on the roster set into exile. The Full Gear event served as somewhat of a benchmark in terms of being an indication of if the promotion could get back on track as far as making progress toward building the product, as well as elevating the status of key players on its roster. After the broadcast went off the air, the argument could be made that all of the pieces of the puzzle were moved into the right place, but the follow up is just as, if not more important in the grand scheme of things..

Still, considering that AEW follows the traditional pay-per-view model of a $50 premium event, how did the show measure up in terms of quality and presentation?

The show opened with Luchasaurus vs. Jungle Boy in a steel cage match, which I’m guessing had something to do with setting up the cage so it was put on the card first to avoid having to stall at some point to get the cage around the ring. While that’s understandable, the flip side of that is when you start with the cage match, it becomes much more difficult to properly pace the card and thus you could unintentionally have a low point in the action as the night progressed. That said, this match-up was a textbook example of when the narrative of classic professional wrestling is applied correctly. Jungle Boy was the fiery underdog baby face that had to fight from underneath the entire time, and this was one of the rare occasions that Luchasaurus actually looked like a vicious heel. The spot fests usually seen on AEW programming showcase incredible athleticism, but the argument can be made that the visual of Jungle Boy bleeding up against the cage is really where you make progress toward making a star. The match had great action and built to a baby face come back, which are the key elements that can make a match work on multiple levels. The way Jungle Boy hit the cage and sold showed the progress in his overall presentation, which seemed to be lacking at certain points to the past. The choke slam through the chair looked absolutely brutal, and the finish with the elbow drop from the top of the cage through the table looked spectacular. More than anything, this looked like a fight and a true grudge match. The bottom line is, that type of narrative is what draws money. You’re going to see high spots throughout the entire night, but the storyline and the characters are what made this particular belt stand out. Jungle Boy got the victory and appeared to make major progress as an overall performer in this match so it was mission accomplished. I’m not sure what the status of Christian's injury is, but I’d say there’s still at least one more grudge match for this angle.

After the previously mentioned controversy and the supposed investigation that cleared them of blame for the backstage fight with CM Punk, The Elite made their return to the company after a three-month hiatus. As I’ve written before, I don’t think the company would be in any jeopardy if Kenny Omega or The Young Bucks left, but I also said that it wasn’t meant as a knock against the trio, but rather to point out that the company has enough depth and star power to continue to draw fans. However, despite what any critics might say and even if those critics have valid points, it’s undeniable how over The Elite are with the core AEW audience. Their return received a tremendous reaction and regardless of some of the repetitive spots with trademark offense of their style, the crowd followed the action throughout the contest.

The match itself was what you would expect, it was a dazzling spot fest with incredible action and athleticism. However, maybe I’m too much of a traditionalist, but one of my biggest pet peeves is the lack of tags or following any of the rules. Granted, the trios titles were more or less created in AEW to allow for these type of high spot matches, but I don’t think that justifies ignoring the rules or the blatant lack of logic. With as popular as Death Triangle are, this contest was missing the baby face/heel dynamic because The Elite were tremendously over with the audience, but up until this point Death Triangle weren’t exactly portrayed as heels. I’m guessing that’s why the hammer was finally used, but there needs to be a clear statement made about who the baby faces and heels are across the board in AEW. I know the trope of shades of gray is sometimes used as an excuse, bottom line is, there are heels and baby faces in real life. That dynamic is something the audience can identify with and that’s ultimately what draws money in the wrestling business. After the disputed finish, with Fenix using the hammer to get the win, it was announced that there will be a best-of-seven series for the Trios titles. Again, maybe I’m too much of a traditionalist, but there's absolutely no reason to have carbon copy matches seven times for these titles. If I had to guess, Tony Khan was a fan of the WCW best-of-seven series in the late-90s and wants to re-create that in AEW. The nature of high spot wrestling can be repetitive and this series can make that aspect exponentially more obvious if fans are see the same spots from the same wrestlers in the same type of match on a weekly basis for an extended period of time.

The TBS title was up next and after following a bloody cage match and the trios bout, this was probably an avoidable low point in terms of action, but the six-minute bout was needed to attempt to pace the card. There wasn’t anything too spectacular, but that’s not a criticism, only to point out that this segment was more to benefit the overall presentation of the card. That’s something Tony Khan should actually try to focus on more often because not every match needs to have half a dozen false finishes and be given twenty minutes. If anything, too many matches are given that type of structure and it actually takes away from specific matches standing out more than they would otherwise. Jade getting the win made sense because it continues to build her title reign as TBS champion.

The action of the Ring Of Honor title contest was fine and there was nothing wrong with it, except that the result didn't truly have an impact in the company so I would actually consider this match skippable on a four-hour show. At this point, the result of Chris Jericho retaining was obvious because we know that Tony Khan wants to use Jericho‘s name value to attempt to get ROH TV deal. I understand the logic, but as I’ve written many times and will attempt not to retread it, Ring Of Honor is not a brand that can draw on its own in 2022. I will still say that the ROH titles and the attempts to keep the brand relevant dilute the progress of AEW. This match was fine, but I think the card would’ve been better suited for any combination of matches with these performers than the four-way bout for a championship that represents a stagnant brand. Jericho got the win and will continue the title reign, but I think the attempts to get ROH off the ground are moot.

Saraya squared off against Britt Baker for her return to the ring after a five-year hiatus from what was considered a career-ending neck injury. I’m not sure if it was the understandable ring rust or perhaps the segment just didn’t gel, but for some reason this match never got into second gear. It wasn’t a subpar contest, but it wasn’t necessarily the quality you’d expect from these two performers. However, the bigger story is the 30-year-old British grappler is healthy enough to return to the sport, and considering all that she has endured on a personal level over the years, it’s great to see Saraya doing better today. She got the win, but I would guess this rivalry will continue on Dynamite.

The TNT three-way title match was a hard hitting, physical segment that made each athlete look like a star. This was only about 10 minutes and that’s all it needed to be. It was impactful and got the story across to the audience. Depending on what happens next, the decision to put the title on Samoa Joe might be a little puzzling. This could open the door for Wardlow to move up the card to feud with MJF for the world title, which would make sense based on their history previously. The other option would be to continue the Joe/Wardlow feud and that might be able to continue to showcase Wardlow since he will be working with an experienced veteran. Powerhouse Hobbs is a money prospect, but was basically shoehorned into this equation  so it would be wise for Tony to give him a clear direction going forward so he doesn’t get lost in the shuffle again. I know it probably won't happen, but it would be nice if Joe unified the ROH TV title and the TNT title to get rid of some of the extra props on AEW television.

Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal vs. Sting and Darby Allin was fine for what it was but, all things considered, it was really unnecessary to put it on this card. Double J is in great shape for his age and he has history with Sting, but I think a slot on Dynamite would be more than fair for this segment. That’s not a knock on any of the participants in this match-up, but this is where that four-hour aspect of the show is a factor. What is this really needed to add anything to the shelf that wouldn’t have been there otherwise? Again, this isn't meant as a jab, and you have to give Jarrett credit for working on pay-per-view at this point in his career, but was there really a demand to see another chapter of Sting/Jarrett in 2022?

The AEW women’s title match was very solid and one of the better matches on the card. It was almost a 15-minute contest that built toward the conclusion and had a major reaction when Jamie Hayter finally won the title. The only problem and this was mentioned earlier is, it it wasn’t clearly defined who the baby face and heel was throughout the match. Sure, Hayter was portrayed in the heel role, but she received a baby face reaction for several weeks before the pay-per-view. It's Tony’s responsibility to adjust accordingly to that. it didn’t do anything to diminish this particular segment, but something should be booked to firmly turn Hayter baby face on television. Side note, unless Thunder Rosa is going to return to the ring within the next few weeks, Hayter should be considered the undisputed champion. The interim status dilutes the championships for a promotion that already has too many belts.

The tag team title match was fine and The Acclaimed are of the most over acts on AEW programming, but at this point in the show, the broadcast started to drag. Furthermore the Swerve character has to become a full-fledged heel because the heel turn was somewhat flat previously. The Acclaimed retained the championships.

The main event was very solid and a quality world title match. However, there was a lot of stunts booked throughout the show so it put MJF and Jon Moxley in a tough spot when they had to work a standard match. The audience saw blood, tables, chairs, and high spots for three and a half hours, you just can’t expect to get the same reaction from a head lock or submission reversals. The Regal turn was obvious, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right decision. As I’ve said before, Regal is one of my favorites of all time and I sincerely believe he’s one of the best minds in the history of the industry. The endorsement from the legend puts a stamp of approval on the coronation of the young champion. How they follow up with this will be key, more specifically the next feud for the championship. It should be noted that Jon Moxley might be the MVP of All Elite for 2022 because he provided a level of stability for the company when there was speculation about disarray backstage.

Overall, I think full gear gave the fans their money's worth and that’s ultimately a critical point of success because it helps make the sell for the next pay-per-view, the company's biggest revenue stream, easier in the future. That being said, more wrestling does not automatically translate to better wrestling and these four-hour shows are just too long and often become a tedious viewing experience.

Will Stone Cold return?

After a historic and newsworthy 2022, with the "retirement" of Vince McMahon, and the backstage fights in AEW,  the prospects for an interesting 2023 have already began to take shape before the end of this year. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that WWE brass offered "Stone Cold" Steve Austin another match for next year‘s Wrestlemania, which is set to be held over two nights in Hollywood. While you have to take most of what Meltzer reports with a grain of salt because that’s the nature of the business, there seems to be some credibility to the speculation since Steve Austin, the 58-year-old former champion, posted a workout video on social media recently and looks to be in great shape.

The rumors of a return of the ring go along with reports that Austin was happy with his comeback against Kevin Owens earlier this year. Keep in mind, Austin was asked to come out of retirement 19 years after his final bout because the company had to sell tickets to two stadium shows, and it’s no surprise that Owens was chosen as his opponent. Despite the fact that the booking of Owens was hit or miss over the course of his WWE run, make no mistake about it, he’s a quality performer that can do anything management ask of him, and that versatility is what made him a great opponent for a returning legend. Owens made Austin look like a million dollars and was safe in the process. As much as some fans on social media will overlook it, the fundamentals of the industry are always key to success.

Of course, with reports of a return to the ring, there will be speculation of who the opponent might be at Wrestlemania.

The first name to jump from the rumor mill was John Cena, which makes sense because of the location and his status as a new star in the film industry. Adding Cena to the card would make another Hollywood addition to the event, with speculation that we could finally see Roman Reigns vs. The Rock on the second night. If I had to to guess, I’d say that Cena/Austin is the bout that has the best chance of actually happening, as well as being the biggest draw. As we know, Steve Austin is the biggest star in the history of the business and sold more merchandise in a relatively short time than anyone else in the history of the industry. Sometimes it seems like within the Pryo and ballyhoo of the Attitude Era, some fans don’t realize that Austin had an abbreviated run because of the injuries, but still sold more merchandise than any other wrestler in the history of the company. Obviously, Austin represented the Attitude Era more than anyone else on a star-studded roster at the time  and along with that was the biggest pro wrestling star when more people were watching a product than any other time in history. On the flip side, Cena is the biggest star of a different generation and his character was tailored to the PG era. That dichotomy and stark contrast between the two is a story that writes itself. Steve Austin was the rebel that broke all the rules to become the antihero, and John Cena represented the traditional baby face hero. It’s not often that the two biggest stars from two different generations truly get a chance to face off on a big time stage because the timing usually isn’t right. As disgraced as Terry Bollea might be in real life, the last time a generation vs. generation match on this scale happened, The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan was one of the most memorable matches in pro wrestling history. Aside from the draw and the ability to sign him for an appearance, John Cena is also a safe opponent that will make Austin great during the match. With all those ingredients, Austin /Cena is a match that can print money.

However, nothing is confirmed and there are other rumored names that could be an opponent for Austin, assuming Stone Cold wants to do another match. CM Punk, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn triceps, is a name that has been thrown around, but I put no stock into that speculation. Besides the fact that punk has been injury prone and has a rocky history with WWE management, he hasn’t finished the negotiations for a release or buyout of his AEW deal. That puts the odds against Punk being cleared, either medically or legally, for such a match. Considering how rare another Austin match would be, it might be taken into account that CM Punk proved not to be at the level of a star that could shift the industry when he showed up in AEW, and by that standard alone, the Cena match should take priority. Don’t get me wrong, Punk is a star, but aside from being difficult to work with, his tenure in All Elite proved that he is just a level below the truly top-tier names of the industry, which isn't meant as a jab against him, but rather a realistic look at his Impact in All Elite wasn't comparable to when The Outsiders showed up on Nitro. The ratings for Dynamite were relatively the same so Punk's ability to move the needle was minimal. That’s why I would say that Cena/Austin is the bigger match. In many ways, the bloom is off the rose for CM Punk so to speak. Fans waited seven years for him to return to pro wrestling and it garnered mixed results so by nature there won’t be the same level of anticipation if he returned to the WWE. It might be harsh, but the ratings were the same, Punk was injured for about a quarter of the time he was there, and he buried the company in what will probably be his final AEW appearance.

Another name throwing around was Brock Lesnar and while it’s undeniable that it would be a huge match for a number of reasons, the fact that Lesnar works such a physical style would not gel with the 58-year-old Austin as an opponent. Especially given Austin‘s history of neck injuries, German suplexes and the vast majority of Lesnar‘s offense would realistically be off the table. In a match at that level, you either have to deliver with the fans expect what would be an authentic Lesnar bout against Stone Cold or it could be a disappointing segment. Given how protective Austin is of his legacy, including turning down several offers  to to return to the ring before he actually did earlier this year, I don’t think he would want to risk a disappointing performance if his health wouldn’t allow him to work an authentic match on a stage like Wrestlemania.

Former WCW champion, Bill Goldberg has even been mentioned for what would be the WWF vs. WCW clash that everyone wanted to see 20 years ago, but it’s another one of those matches that is better left to the imagination because neither Austin or Goldberg could replicate what they were two decades ago and thus it wouldn’t be what fans expect from such a spectacle. Similar to the Lesner scenario, Goldberg works a very physical style and while none of it is intentional, The Undertaker bout proved that injuries can happen if  he's not in the ring with someone that complements his style. Let’s be honest here, again with Austin‘s history of neck injuries, is it really wise for him to take the spear?

As mentioned, John Cena would be my pick for Austin's opponet, but just the fact that the match is a realistic possibility for Wrestlemania 39 shows just how unpredictable the industry can be and as cliche as it might be, anything is possible in the pro wrestling business.