AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[LaGoosh]

I hope they do some mental big angle this week. The shows could use a bit of a shot in the arm.

[tiger_rick]

3 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

I hope they do some mental big angle this week. The shows could use a bit of a shot in the arm.

I'm waiting for the next big thing too. I dunno what that it is. For the last 25 years, it seems every time a company needs an idea they just rehash the nWo, so I really don't want to see that or some faction, and definitely not the return of you-know-who but, it does need something that sparks everyone. I've been thinking of who could turn heel and make any sense and create intrigue but, there's no-one really who would have the effect they need.

[BomberPat]

all I really want from this show is a clear indication of future direction, especially for Hangman Page.

Moxley is facing Darby at the PPV, so Hangman being in a match with the Death Riders feels like filling time. I know I keep banging the drum for Kenny & Hangman vs. The Bucks, but Kenny being in a match against them already makes me think we might start moving in that direction, though it could equally just be building to an Omega vs. Josh Alexander match. 

It's difficult to predict what else might be happening at Wrestledream, which is only a couple of weeks away, so hopefully there will be a shot in the arm for at least a couple of big angles here. Other than Okada/Tanahashi and the Death Riders stuff, it doesn't feel like there are many ongoing storylines to pull from right now - even in the women's division, the champion is tied up in the Death Riders story, and practically everyone else is going to get pulled into Blood & Guts rather than focused on the PPV.

[Supremo]

Jay White feels like someone who could challenge Hangman. They always had great chemistry together, although White never managed to feel like a proper headliner. It always felt like B show when he was in the Main Event.

I’d just pull the trigger on a babyface vs. babyface Title defence, with Hangman against Kenny Omega.

[BomberPat]

Jay is out long-term injured, unfortunately. As good as the Bang Bang Gang are, they are absolutely cursed injury-wise, and it's put a ceiling on them becoming more of a top act. It's a shame, because Jay and Hangman had a nice thing going for a while where Jay just had Hangman's number, and although Page has beaten him now, it could still be a nice feud to revisit with a more confident and self-assured Hangman.

I know we only had this conversation about a week ago, because I was expecting last week's episode to give us some indication who Page's next challenger would be, and now I'm doing the same guesswork a week later and if anything only less clear on who it could be. Looking through the roster now, and assuming they don't go for another Champion vs. Champion deal and have him face someone like Bandido or Okada, and knowing that MJF is out of the picture and Moxley is booked against Darby, it's even trickier to figure out who would be a worthwhile opponent, particularly with only three episodes of Dynamite to heat someone up.

• Bobby Lashley? He would be a believable threat, and they could even lean into the stories of the Hurt Syndicate refusing to lose in order to make people thing the title is in more jeopardy than it is, but I don't see them doing that. They seem pretty set on the Syndicate as a tag team/trios act.
   
• Ricochet - I think could be heated up as a viable challenger, though not one that anyone would really buy as being able to beat Hangman. They were clearly leaning towards a Trios Title shot for The Demand, though, so again, I just don't see it.
   
• Chris Jericho - God I hope not.
   
• Bryan Danielson - I assume he comes out of retirement eventually, but against the Death Riders in some capacity, so not here.
   
• Christian Cage - too soon into a babyface run when he should have renewed focus on the feud with FTR and the team with Copeland, even in Cope's absence, to be going after singles gold against a beloved face champion. 
   
• Eddie Kingston - they have clearly slotted him in as a midcard Collision act since his return, unfortunately. Still holding out hope for him stepping up to something more substantial, but it's unlikely.
   
• Jeff Jarrett - remember when he was retiring and wanted one last title run?
   
• Keith Lee - apparently a comeback is being discussed, but it would take a lot to get him believably into a main event title match.
   
• Konosuke Takeshita - there's a possibility there, leading on from the Kyle Fletcher and Don Callis Family stuff, that Take could step up, and it would be a great match. It just depends how and where it fits with his broader story.
   
• Mark Briscoe - Hangman said he wanted to give him a title shot if he beat MJF, and that hasn't really been mentioned since, and I expect it probably never will be. It feels like a TV match more than a PPV

 

And that's sort of it really. Assuming the other Death Riders will be accounted for elsewhere on the show. I agree that a singles with Kenny could be the way to go, but I could see Hangman either being in a tag or defending in a multi-man, because there's just no clear big singles title match on the horizon for him. Of that list, Takeshita feels the most viable, but it's a bit of a rehash of the Fletcher story, rather than a viable threat.

[Dr. Alan Grant]

Well, this is pretty damn cool. A DC Comics/AEW crossover series is on the way. 

https://www.allelitewrestling.com/post/dc-and-all-elite-wrestling-join-forces

The people demand a Willow Nightingale variant cover.

[lanky316]

8 hours ago, BomberPat said:

It's difficult to predict what else might be happening at Wrestledream, which is only a couple of weeks away, so hopefully there will be a shot in the arm for at least a couple of big angles here. Other than Okada/Tanahashi and the Death Riders stuff, it doesn't feel like there are many ongoing storylines to pull from right now - even in the women's division, the champion is tied up in the Death Riders story, and practically everyone else is going to get pulled into Blood & Guts rather than focused on the PPV.

For what it's worth (and it's not much admittedly) Sareee "walked out" of Stardom in search of new challengers for her title and posted a picture as she was boarding a plane so it looks like that'll be for a match there. I'm leaning towards it being with Mercedes but unless she's just teasing the internet and taking a much deserved break I guess they'd start working towards a program there for Wrestledream.

[RedTwoster]

7 hours ago, BomberPat said:

Eddie Kingston - they have clearly slotted him in as a midcard Collision act since his return, unfortunately. Still holding out hope for him stepping up to something more substantial, but it's u

I’m hoping that’ll just be a short term thing, much as they slowly worked Punk up towards bigger things when he made his return. Kingston has looked a little rusty in his appearances so far, so I kind of understand why they might not want to go full force with him at the moment.

 

[Supremo]

Swerve Strickland healing from surgery in record time, appearing at the end of tonight’s show to challenge Hangman at Wrestledream. Manifest it!

[RedTwoster]

Another weird Dynamite. Odd creative choices, but I really enjoyed it making it rather hard to assess.

For a few horrific moments, I thought the person standing behind Kenny Omega post-match was Chris Jericho. That made Andrade’s return a welcome surprise, although having him join the ever-expanding Don Callis family was an odd choice. Does anyone want to see THAT much of Callis on any one show? 

I’m disappointed that they’ve gone ahead with the dumb clone angle anyway, particularly after seeing just how unique the guy under the mask, Arez, actually is. Repackaging him is a mad decision.

Page/Joe should be fun, and I hope they take this opportunity to retire the trios titles, having Joe absolutely destroy them as he fully turns heel and focuses on his quest to win the big one. You can do Joe/Hobbs after, and that could be enjoyable and beneficial for Will.

I really hope Statlander/Storm main events Wrestledream. Both women deserve it, although I still think they’ve missed an opportunity in not turning Statlander heel, with her becoming a Death Rider. Seeing Storm confront her in that context would have been electric. Fuck the people who gave Toni the ‘what’ treatment, though. 

Moxley/Darby is what it is. I know it won’t be my cup of tea.

I’m guessing we’ll get Okada/Takeshita at Wrestledream, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s coming either way, and although Okada has been a shadow of what was promised, the build has been strong.

So a good show overall. Flawed but fun. And when I’m watching wrestling, I want to have fun, so I’m not going to complain about that.

[Supremo]

Best storyline of the year. Never gets old.

Good show. Big angles. Big developments. High energy. Only real negative was the building. That’s the first smaller venue they’ve used where it looked a bit crap. Considering how well they made the ECW Arena look, from the hard camera this truly felt like it was being recorded in a crappy University lecture theatre.

Excellent video package celebrating the six years. Bonus points for including the likes of Cody and Punk, despite them not being there anymore. It cannot be overstated how far it goes when AEW continue to act like normal, functioning human beings in this war.

Forget John Cena being called, “The Last Real Champion.” Andrade is, “The Last Real Pro-Wrestler.” Endlessly bouncing from company to company, being a complete menace, getting himself sacked whenever he fancies a change, confident enough that his talent means someone will pick him up regardless of his troublesome history. What this business is all about. AEW’s only six years old! Imagine what Andrade will achieve in the next six years!

You’ve got to hand it to Andrade. No doubt a pay per view match with Kenny Omega is a huge upgrade to slumming it around the Smackdown Tag Division, sharing a locker room with your ex wife. Even funnier that he immediately joined the Don Callis Family. At this rate, the Family will have their own pay per view like the nWo. I’m gonna go Don Callis Wolfpack when the inevitable split happens. By 2027 we’ll all be in the Don Callis Family. And Andrade will be back in the Fed. Honestly, being so ridiculous has made me like Andrade more than ever. Looking forward to him having another blistering Continental Classic, giving Sammy Guevara a couple of smacks and then being back in WWE in time for the Saudi Wrestlemania pay day. Real graps.

Fans doing the, “What,” chant to Toni Storm is it, yeah?

Delighted they’re still going with the Evil Clone angle. I like a clever, progressive storyline as much as the next guy, but you know what else rules, sometimes? Some delicious Wrestlecrap! I enjoyed him taking the Goodie mask off to reveal the Baddie mask, causing the music and lights to glitch out. Baddie mask must have 5G! Work starts now to give him the same win-loss record in time for GoodieGram to return.

It was a bit rushed and made it obvious how few heels they have lined up for Hangman, but how they got to announcing Samoa Joe vs. Hangman worked for me. Sometimes all you need is two double hard bastards looking at each other the wrong way and deciding it’s time for a scrap. Pair of Ronnie Pickerings. Really good promos from both lads. Wrestledream is shaping up great! However, just in case there was any doubt about who to root for in that match;

My Cowboy. My Champion. Forever.

Edited October 2, 2025 by Supremo

[TheBurningRed]

PAC looks like TNA era Austin Aries with that haircut. It’s taking some getting used to seeing him with short hair. 

[RedTwoster]

6 minutes ago, TheBurningRed said:

PAC looks like TNA era Austin Aries with that haircut. It’s taking some getting used to seeing him with short hair. 

I love his new look. It’s amazing how something as simple as a haircut can freshen a wrestler up. He looks even more menacing now than he did beforehand.

31 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Good show. Big angles. Big developments. High energy. Only real negative was the building. That’s the first smaller venue they’ve used where it looked a bit crap. Considering how well they made the ECW Arena look, from the hard camera this truly felt like it was being recorded in a crappy University lecture theatre.

I really like it, the fact Dynamite is recorded in buildings that look so different goes a long way towards making it feel like a travelling event for me. WWE has such a uniformity to its look that you quickly forget where any given episode is recorded unless they’re on tour. And there are probably benefits to that, but I do enjoy the fact that most shows feel completely different from one another. Arenas can feel lifeless but the range of buildings AEW uses rarely do. 

[LaGoosh]

Fucking hell who isn't in the Don Callis Family these days?! I had a thought that maybe they're building up to a Don Callis Family vs The Conglomeration Blood & Guts and doing a double Blood & Guts in November. I really hope that they do not do that. The Clone stuff was dreadful - I really hate that kind of low rent shit.

I think I enjoyed Andrade's AEW run more than most people and always thought he had more to offer. Hopefully they've got him on a short term deal though just in case. I've had enough of mopey ex-WWE guys hanging around for years on end.

Rest of the show was pretty good. I would be very interested in a Hangman vs Daniel Garcia singles match at some point - I think it'd be a banger. There was a lovely moment in the six man tag where Garcia is being slippery and scrappy and Hangman is struggling to get a hold of him and eventually with an incredibly frustrated look on his face just boots him clear in the face, sending Garcia flying then immediately tags out with a "I've had enough of that little prick" body language. Love little moments in matches like that.

Edited October 2, 2025 by LaGoosh

[mim731]

When is Andrade's contract up? Hoping for a surprise Rumble return.