Pro Wrestling Contract Season

[Chili]

I do think chucking her on NXT would be a waste though. I think much like Penta or Fenix she is a main TV ready act IMO.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Chris B said:

She was great in that story. Really was. I can't see AEW getting lots more out of her than they got, tbf. This one has kind of worked for everyone if that's where she wants to go.

Yeah I confess I have no idea what AEW should do with her, so much of her character is based around Toni Storm. She/they may have an awesome creative idea for her, but she's not a fantastic promo, and benefitted hugely from spending so much time in ring with Toni. Hopefully she'll be great though.

[Olly1984]

The only thing I think for Mariah that could be a reset from Toni is Mina coming back, she's leaving Stardom and no doubt has already signed so maybe there's a story there. Thing is Mariah is such a great heel that they can't really turn her. If Mina comes back and forgives her, she looks stupid if Mariah eventually turns on her. 

Or maybe have her go after everyone that is linked with the time line of the creation of the "Timeless" character. Fully going off the deep end and becoming " Manic" Mariah. So attacking say Saraya(writes her off as well) Ruby Soho etc. Mad really that we are imagining her leaving AEW, she's a massive star in my eyes but I do also agree she needs something storyline wise to return and run with. 

[Kamran]

It would be sad to see her go, that feud with Toni was one of the highlights of 2024/25. She has a YouTube account and seems to be good friends with Harley, there are quite a few videos with them both. Before I heard the WWE rumours I thought they may do something between the two as they have good chemistry. I wonder when Harley's contract is up as I could easily see her go to WWE too.

 

[tiger_rick]

Arsenal? Fuck off to WWE.

[air_raid]

1 hour ago, Kamran said:

seems to be good friends with Harley, there are quite a few videos with them both

Thought I'd wandered into the historic Mandy Rose thread for a sec.

[LaGoosh]

I'm sure AEW offered her big cash to stay but fundamentally if it's someone's childhood dream to get to WWE then they're going to go there no matter what you offer them. It's a shame but not a huge loss. She had a great run and I have no clue what else they could have done with her. Her character was always a part of Toni Storm's story rather than her own thing.

[LaGoosh]

I'm sure AEW offered her big cash to stay but fundamentally if it's someone's childhood dream to get to WWE then they're going to go there no matter what you offer them. It's a shame but not a huge loss. She had a great run and I have no clue what else they could have done with her. Her character was always a part of Toni Storm's story rather than her own thing.

[tiger_rick]

The biggest problem with all of these things is that AEW now feels like a proper stepping stone to WWE. That doesn't affect my enjoyment of it but might be part of the reason the company continues to feel cold in the big picture.

They were never going to be competition in a WWF vs. WCW way, just because of WWE's 20 year monopoly and market share but they were a clear alternative with real momentum for a while and it was somewhere people with a reputation would rather work than WWE. Now it's somewhere people go if WWE doesn't want them or if AEW get to them first and they think it'll help them make it to WWE eventually.

It feels like WWE are Man City. For a while, AEW were an Arsenal or Liverpool. Now they're Brentford. 

Edited April 15, 2025 by tiger_rick

[Snitsky's back acne]

3 hours ago, Chili said:

I do think chucking her on NXT would be a waste though. I think much like Penta or Fenix she is a main TV ready act IMO.

She may be but I would rather she spend time in NXT than waste putting her on the main roster just because. If they had something solid set for her debut on the main roster, cool, but we have seen countless wrestlers called up for no reason and with no set storyline etc. 

Edited April 15, 2025 by Snitsky's back acne

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

I don't disagree with Gooshy that she's had a great run in AEW, but where I do disagree is that she was part of Toni Storm's character rather than a separate entity. She clearly attached herself to Storm to enhance her career and there were always moments when her real character leaked out behind Toni's back, but the second she had what she wanted, a title shot at Toni, BANG her true character came straight out. Her and Toni played equal parts in telling a great story. 

Mariah moving on now does make sense for her, t'other Tony has shown he can't rehab book women. Once they've had their run and hopefully made some money for everyone they should move on. No-one wants to get Zigglered and outstay their usefulness by about 15 years. 

[LaGoosh]

5 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

The biggest problem with all of these things is that AEW now feels like a proper stepping stone to WWE

I'm not sure I agree entirely. I think because outside of Cody no one from AEW has gone over there and set the world on fire or become a huge star it doesn't feel like that to me. At the moment it's more "AEW star jumps to WWE and gets stuck in the midcard or goes straight to the NXT dustbin". And they're not getting the guys like Hangman, Swerve, MJF etc. where it feels like they're a huge loss or departure. Not yet anyway.

[mim731]

32 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

Arsenal? Fuck off to WWE.

Given she's from London it shouldn't be a massive shock. I was hardly expecting her to be in a 1982 Aberdeen shirt with Neil Simpson on the back. 

[Statto]

Whilst I'm a little disappointed to see Mariah leaving AEW, there's also a nice nostalgic feel to the run she's had. 

Come in, work pretty much everyone of note over the course of 18 months or so, do the honours blowing off a feud on the way out (the fact it was the end of an overarching storyline spanning the entire run is even sweeter) and move on to fresh pastures.

More of this, honestly.

[tiger_rick]

2 minutes ago, mim731 said:

Given she's from London it shouldn't be a massive shock. 

Really? All Man United down there aren't they? </Keith>

12 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I'm not sure I agree entirely. I think because outside of Cody no one from AEW has gone over there and set the world on fire or become a huge star it doesn't feel like that to me. At the moment it's more "AEW star jumps to WWE and gets stuck in the midcard or goes straight to the NXT dustbin". And they're not getting the guys like Hangman, Swerve, MJF etc. where it feels like they're a huge loss or departure. Not yet anyway.

I agree that not too many of the departees (not even a word) have set the world on fire, Cody & Punk aside, and that they've not been major losses to AEW but the momentum has still changed greatly. Cody & Punk are a big reason why, they're doing well and having a blast, but we've seen people like Jade, Penta, Fenix and Starks jump and it's because thy all want to work there really. There was a time when it wasn't quite the dream they all imagined but it clearly is now. You've got a bunch of guys and girls who are HHH people and will rush back to him and then all the others who grew up WWE fans and now see it as a place that matches their dreams.

Truthfully, there are only a handful of people I don't see going there when they can, and assuming they're wanted.