AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[Chili]

5 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

And the 50 thousand capacity stadium had no bearing on your thoughts at all. 

Not in the slightest. Wrestling does TV to massive audiences sometimes, and I just thought being in a country that didn't get much live wrestling it might be the case. Does that cover it for you pal? ?

[Hannibal Scorch]

11 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

And the 50 thousand capacity stadium had no bearing on your thoughts at all. 

The first Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe got just over 20,000 people in there. A stadium. Grand Slam, the event was always a TV special event over Dynamite and Rampage and latterly, Collision.

You can have your opinion, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume Chili’s crazy for thinking it.

[LaGoosh]

2 hours ago, The King Of Swing said:

It's like they are actively trying to keep Marina (should be noted that I've seen nothing of her work in ROH or elsewhere) out of the ring in AEW. 

I think because fundamentally she's not that good in the ring and the second she shits the bed in an actual match her aura as Mox's bodyguard is essentially ruined.

[DavidB6937]

4 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

The first Grand Slam at Arthur Ashe got just over 20,000 people in there. A stadium. Grand Slam, the event was always a TV special event over Dynamite and Rampage and latterly, Collision.

You can have your opinion, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume Chili’s crazy for thinking it.

First one was their NYC debut and their first stadium show in a well established US market. Although to be clear it's a large tennis stadium rather than a big football one or anything. So world of difference there.

When you then see what they did in an international market like us and Wembley I think it's not crazy on the flip side for Australians to expect something of a similar calibre if they were targeting a 50k stadium. It definitely gives off different vibes.

In the end I can see how it would be perceived both ways depending on how you looked at it. That's fine. We are where we are and hopefully it'll just be a good event and they can learn from their booking and marketing mistakes. It's never good to disappoint a new market.

[Infinity Land]

8 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

And the 50 thousand capacity stadium had no bearing on your thoughts at all. 

Not really no. Australian's are even more starved of major live wrestling events than us. The ancient Hulkamania tour with no TV had 6k in Brisbane.

https://411mania.com/wrestling/hulkamania-tour-11-26-09-brisbane-australia/

Even with the abysmal promotion of this event its meant to be at capacity of the local arena. If they actually put the effort in they could have done something decent in the stadium. Hide half the stadium behind the hard cam. 20k in a 50k capacity stadium would certainly look and sound better than the 2k in 20k arenas they often do.

Half capacity stadium shows aren't exactly unusual. Tokyo Dome only does 20-30k. Nitros ran NFL stadiums with 15-40k. Logistically its always been difficult doing a traditional PPV in Australia. Since the majority of the paying audience will be in their beds. Which is why Global Warning was a home video release and WWE wouldn't return until the network era.

Going into Grand Slam Australia the initial ads presented the same Grand Slam we've come to know just in Australia. When the live event schedule came out in November there were double Dynamite/Collision tapings announced. Week of Grand Slam Australia had a special Tuesday Dynamite taping (avoid spoilers as its coming out Wednesday as usual) then Grand Slam Australia on the Saturday. So what I was expecting was a Grand Slam Australia MAX special maybe a zero hour type pre-show on youtube, possibly shown in the Collision time slot as they've doubled up Collision with Rampage/BOTB in the past but that's the US so i don't really care. Certainly wasn't planning on a £20 ppv purchase.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Obviously the hundreds of people who got tickets and dumb dumbs like myself are not as clever as you lads who immediately upon the announcement of a 50k stadium show in a new market thought "That will be a PPV" when you smart lads were busy thinking "That's a strong booking for the B Show" I used to think like you lads, and that's why I didn't go to either Wembley show because I thought they were taping Rampage and Dark Elevation. I was fumin when I found out it was a PPV. I have a history of this though, I also didn't go to Summerslam in 1992 because I thought it was just a recording of Wrestling Challenge. 

[Hannibal Scorch]

17 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

Obviously the hundreds of people who got tickets and dumb dumbs like myself are not as clever as you lads.

I appreciate the acknowledgement and recognition. Very reasonable of you.

Collision was another banger of an episode. Can’t remember the last time they had 3 back to back shows which were 8/10+. Love the Trios (and glad something is finally being done with those belts). Bandido and Bryan Keith didn’t disappoint, fun Lucha action with a returning hologram (still not a great mask, but at least they can/do sell them), Harley Cameron made the worst segment in wrestling (the concert) fun, and I enjoyed the Toni switcharoo as the mind games with Mariah continue. Just the main to go, but I definitely feel that Tony being back in the weeds has been a good thing.

[RedTwoster]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

I think because fundamentally she's not that good in the ring and the second she shits the bed in an actual match her aura as Mox's bodyguard is essentially ruined.

It’s possibly a bullet dodged, but I don’t know why they didn’t use someone like Athena or Serena Deeb in that role, someone who could actually wrestle and benefit from the Moxley association. I’m guessing he’s pals with Shafir, but even so. Had this actually worked, you’d have been looking at a top level female heel to insert into the women’s title picture. 

Edited February 9, 2025 by RedTwoster

[Chili]

15 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

It’s possibly a bullet dodged, but I don’t know why they didn’t use someone like Athena or Serena Deeb in that role, someone who could actually wrestle and benefit from the Moxley association. I’m guessing he’s pals with Shafir, but even so. Had this actually worked, you’d have been looking at a top level female heel to insert into the women’s title picture. 

Nail on the head. It's because Mox likes her because she did legit MMA stuff and he's a bit of a weirdo for it. It's a mates push without the Nepo factor. She hasn't got better, she's just less of a fucking disaster on the mic because they don't give her one anymore. But she can do judo throws, so Jon has a throbber for it.

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Decent show, it's good that they remembered they have a trios and a women's division. 

Harley Cameron making me not hate Mones appearances has been a minor miracle. I can see them giving her the belt so Mone can go on to fued with Storm. Hell, it actually got my wife interested for a few minutes.

Then she saw the Death Riders promo, called Yuta a pretty boy and went back to her book.

[LaGoosh]

2 hours ago, RedTwoster said:

It’s possibly a bullet dodged, but I don’t know why they didn’t use someone like Athena or Serena Deeb in that role, someone who could actually wrestle and benefit from the Moxley association. I’m guessing he’s pals with Shafir, but even so. Had this actually worked, you’d have been looking at a top level female heel to insert into the women’s title picture. 

You're not wrong but I think Shafir has been good in the role. She looks the business and she's believable. She benefits from the association by being tied to the top act and featured in the main angles every single week. Personally,  it doesn't bother me that she's not wrestling. 

[The King Of Swing]

Another very good show helped by a hot crowd.

Bandido Vs. Keith was great and Hologram's return was well handled. 

[LaGoosh]

A few things I could nitpick but overall a very entertaining and consistently good episode of Collision. Give me that every week and I'll be a happy man. Great and varied bouts, loads of stories/character bits and a hot crowd - fucking lovely stuff.

Any other promotion that main event would be in the top 10 matches of the Year. In AEW we'll have all forgotten it by Wednesday. Tremendous effort from both men. I first saw Kyle Fletcher 9 years ago in Shepherds Bush and he was so skinny and shit I couldn't believe he was a real wrestler. Today...he's absolutely one of the best going and they'd be wise to plan the future of AEW around him.

[LaGoosh]

Grand Slam Australia - there's a fair few Aussies on the card. Obviously they need to have that hometown hero pop. The card is cleverly set up actually to really maximise it because you've got Fletcher, Matthews and Cameron all in matches that they are most likely going to lose so when you have the final Aussie Toni win the main event the roof of the building should blast off the place.

[tiger_rick]

17 hours ago, ReturnOfTheMack said:

Decent show, it's good that they remembered they have a trios and a women's division. 

Come on, that's a 2021 take. Mariah & Toni are about the two most featured people in the entire promotion. Mercedes and Harley aren't far behind. Julia Hart's return has been a big deal of late, Penelope Ford, Jamie Hayter, Queen Aminata, The Vendetta and Statlander are on one of the shows every week. Megan Bayne is the new toy getting some shine. Their women are great.

Willow should be massively featured and I'd support any criticism of the fact that Dynamite still only has one women's match every week but as a whole, it's in a miles better place. The Japanese ladies dip in and out and Thunder Rose is inconsistent, perhaps because she's a bit of a Britt.

The best thing you can look at to see the improvement in AEW Women was the brilliant Women's gauntlet recently which was full of stars and great work. I genuinely think this Women's division is criminally under-rated. Too much talk when it wasn't good, too little talk when it's really good.  

Edited February 10, 2025 by tiger_rick