AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[LaGoosh]

15 minutes ago, Lorne Malvo said:

I feel like the last twenty years of mainstream wrestling would be leagues better if the advice wasn't 'slow down' but more 'wrestling matches can be any pace they want to be'. It's a blank canvas, this advice which serves to make every match feel the same boggles my mind.

Couldn't agree more with this. The pace of a match should be entirely dictated by the wrestlers character/style and story of the match. And I mean really why would anyone ever get match advice from Maven? Did he ever have a single match that was remotely memorable?

[HarmonicGenerator]

8 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Couldn't agree more with this. The pace of a match should be entirely dictated by the wrestlers character/style and story of the match. And I mean really why would anyone ever get match advice from Maven? Did he ever have a single match that was remotely memorable?

He had a few - or at least some memorable matches that he was part of. He’s a highlight moment of the 2002 Royal Rumble, and his 24/7 Hardcore stuff at Mania X-8 was one of the less disappointing parts of that show. I’m also remembering a big eight-man tag at the end of 2004 where (I think) he was one of Raw’s big babyfaces, all teaming up against Evolution(?) and if they won they each got control of the show for a week.

[The King of Old School]

53 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

He had a few - or at least some memorable matches that he was part of. He’s a highlight moment of the 2002 Royal Rumble, and his 24/7 Hardcore stuff at Mania X-8 was one of the less disappointing parts of that show. I’m also remembering a big eight-man tag at the end of 2004 where (I think) he was one of Raw’s big babyfaces, all teaming up against Evolution(?) and if they won they each got control of the show for a week.

Survivor Series 2004 that was I think.

Orton, Benoit, Jericho and Maven vs HHH, Batista, Edge & Snitsky.

[Infinity Land]

Another residency announced, this time at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. 3x Dynamites and 3x Collisions to see out the July dates after All In.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, The King of Old School said:

Survivor Series 2004 that was I think.

Orton, Benoit, Jericho and Maven vs HHH, Batista, Edge & Snitsky.

One of my favourite memories coming out of that was Coachman repeatedly trying to secure a match with Jim Ross, and Benoit coming on the big screen and apologising, because he thought "JR" stood for "Just Rhyno". Teenage me found the expression on his face to be the height of comedy.

also then him having to face Orton and Randy giving him a thumb to the eyes, just because.

Edited May 13, 2025 by Duke

[LaGoosh]

2 hours ago, The King of Old School said:

Orton, Benoit, Jericho and Maven vs HHH, Batista, Edge & Snitsky.

This is the most 2004 match imaginable.

[BomberPat]

I think "slow down" is good advice, but people tend to take it the wrong way, or just use it as the go-to bit of "old school" advice to sound like you know what you're talking about, kind of how "psychology" to a lot of people just means "work a body part" and nothing else. It doesn't mean do less stuff, it means to allow the stuff you do a moment to sink in, or a moment to breathe. On a show I did commentary for, there was a really good young tag team who did a ton of really impressive flips and dives and double teams, but I had to tell them afterwards that they were doing so many so quickly that they never gave me an opening to talk about how good any of it was, because I was rushing to call the next bit!

One of the odd things about wrestling is that, when you're doing it, it feels like everything is moving so much slower than it is, and that your gestures are so much bigger than they are, so you have to force yourself to slow down when you already think you're moving too slow, and to get bigger and bolder in your movements even when you think you're getting too big and starting to look silly.

[Guest]

46 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

One of the odd things about wrestling is that, when you're doing it, it feels like everything is moving so much slower than it is, and that your gestures are so much bigger than they are, so you have to force yourself to slow down when you already think you're moving too slow, and to get bigger and bolder in your movements even when you think you're getting too big and starting to look silly.

I think this applies to most audience facing stuff. When I'm training speakers "Slow down" is one of the most common pieces of advice I have to give, and I feel like musicians tell me the same thing.

[mim731]

3 hours ago, Infinity Land said:

Another residency announced, this time at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom. 3x Dynamites and 3x Collisions to see out the July dates after All In.

Another gorgeous, unique venue. Should look great on tv too! 

[hallicks]

Caught up on both shows. All youse’s enthusiasm for the product got too infectious. I’m afraid I don’t have any clever analysis or anything, but these are super enjoyable, logically booked wrestling shows with some great matches.

Ricochet really is a brilliant prick heel. There’s no reason to cheer him, he’s just a pure arse. Total revelation. Not sure I’m bothered about MJF anymore. Sure, his promo delivery is always on point, but he just seems a bit recycled these days. I haven’t watched regularly for ages but it doesn’t really feel like he’s evolved at all. 

I’m liking Mike Bailey. He’s being given a chance to shine and he’s taking it. Plus, the mullet. The mullet! Outrunners 8-man on Collision was a real blast. Shame the crowd was down a bit from dynamite, probably the only negative as the show just felt that much smaller with the fewer voices and restricted camera angles.

I love how they want people to be stars. You know how anyone that started getting over in WWE would get their legs cut off if they weren’t suitably anointed. None of that shit here (that I can see). And they’ve really changed their tune on the women. I remember when it was one match only, always in the death spot before the main event. Now they’re all over the shows, presented as stars, and living up to the billing. Willow Nightingale. Yes, mate. 

[The Gaffer]

There's obviously also some more than decent in-ring philosophy in there - often touted by brilliant workers past and present - but I associate a lot of the slow it down advice with decidedly mid card, bog-standard guys from the 80s and 90s telling much, much better wrestlers how to work through the medium of shoot interviews. 

It's the same as guys who have objectively failed time and again as writers and bookers making a second career out of doling out endless advice on how shows should be written and booked now. 

The best response I think - à la Cody when he called Disco Inferno out on it - is a "We're actually doing fine, thanks." 

I've not been posting about it but - after endless retries on the "No, it's actually decent now!" ticket last year, that didn't quite crack it for me - AEW over the last few weeks is about as good as I want or need wrestling television to be in 2025. I've been really enjoying watching it in a vacuum, devoid of any newz, social media, etc. It's cozy, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, and it seems like the sky's the limit again. 

Edited May 14, 2025 by The Gaffer

[RedTwoster]

2 hours ago, hallicks said:

I love how they want people to be stars. You know how anyone that started getting over in WWE would get their legs cut off if they weren’t suitably anointed.

I don’t think that happens anymore, to the detriment of the company in some ways; as you end up with situations such as the very limited Jey Uso holding the World Heavyweight title simply because people like chanting ‘yeet’!

2 hours ago, hallicks said:

Not sure I’m bothered about MJF anymore. Sure, his promo delivery is always on point, but he just seems a bit recycled these days. I haven’t watched regularly for ages but it doesn’t really feel like he’s evolved at all. 

Yeah, I’ve definitely revised my opinion on him. At one point he felt like the future of the industry - AEW’s top-star-in-waiting, but at the moment he feels more limited. I hope he finds a way to evolve. The qualities that made him feel like a can’t-miss prospect are still there, he just needs to make a few changes, I feel.

Edited May 14, 2025 by RedTwoster

[Vamp]

20 hours ago, Duke said:

I think this applies to most audience facing stuff. When I'm training speakers "Slow down" is one of the most common pieces of advice I have to give, and I feel like musicians tell me the same thing.

Comes up quite a bit in dancing too. You need to let moments breathe, finish your lines, reach full extension, don't just throw things away, etc. 

[Supremo]

Saw a brilliant comment on Twitter that between the Zack Gowen and Rhyno cameos, it’s looking increasingly likely that Tony Khan’s current nostalgia binge is Smackdown in 2003. Always fun when Tony goes on one of these big kicks.

He’s already worked miracles with Ricochet, Max Caster and FTR. Next it’ll be A-Train!

Can Tajiri still go?

Anyway, based on this theory, considering how tricky that Samoa Joe vs. Mox Cage match finish could be, I think the answer has revealed itself.

*I’m going to be so disappointed waiting for a ring explosion amongst chaos and we end up just getting a flat HOOK heel turn.

Edited May 14, 2025 by Supremo

[RedTwoster]

A decent show, but probably a small step below some of their recent efforts. Speaks to the quality of recent episodes more than it does a lack of quality with this one.

The tag division definitely needs a lift - The Hurt Syndicate are a great act, but why would anyone want to see them face Lio Rush and Action Andretti or Rhodes/Guevara? They need to source some new teams soon, or reunite some older ones. I’ve said it before, but they should bring back Jurassic Express. I’m not opposed to The Acclaimed getting back together either. 

I suppose next week we’ll find out what the deal is with MJF. I’d be surprised if the outcome was Max being part of that stable, though.

Looks like predictions of an intergender Anarchy in the Arena match are correct, something I like much more than a Willow/Shafir singles match. I do wonder if they’ll close the show with this, meaning Willow and Shafir will be the first women to main event an AEW PPV?

Storm/Mina will be good no doubt, but they’re in the difficult position of having to convince people Mina might win when it’s almost certain that we’re getting Storm/Mercedes at All In.

EDIT: oh yeah, and Gowen/Ricochet was a lot of fun. I’d like to see more of Zach in AEW!

Edited May 15, 2025 by RedTwoster