AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

8 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

Nah, not at all - she’s had some objectively brilliant matches in ROH. It’s definitely not the equivalent of being ‘good in Japan’, her matches have been great by any standard.

Karl Anderson got to a G1 final brother. 

[CDM]

6 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

Good to see Willow mentioned as she's been an option for longer than Harley has but for some reason always forgotten about.

She doesn't seem to be being used much recently. I think some of the critism of aew is over exaggerated but one thing I do agree on is they always seem to push someone for a bit and then just stop. 

[Supremo]

It’s coming home.

As am I. Good grief.

Edited February 27, 2025 by Supremo

[DavidB6937]

I'm so excited I could punch myself in the forehead!

But who cares about the silly bit because TK is in his Willow era and I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

The Mox stuff probably had its best week. Under the assumption that it's down to Tony giving it all a bit more direction, good for him for rescuing that shit.

Takeshita/OC is exactly what AEW is for me at its best.

[Hannibal Scorch]

5 hours ago, Supremo said:

It’s coming home.

As am I. Good grief.

He came in via the heel tunnel and left via the face tunnel.

I squealed!

[RedTwoster]

2 hours ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

He came in via the heel tunnel and left via the face tunnel.

I still have no idea which tunnel is which, and I’ve been watching the company since day one! I only ever remember it’s a thing when I read about it on here, I don’t actually notice it during the show. 

Another decent episode of Dynamite, I thought. It was nice to see Willow, but I have to admit; it’s the first time I’ve seen her involved in a major angle where I’ve just felt a bit empty about it - not because of her, not because of the Death Riders, but I think I’ve maybe given up hope that she’ll get the push she deserves. I really hope I’m wrong.

I enjoyed Cassidy/Takeshita, and as @DavidB6937 said, that was AEW at its best - fresh match-ups between wrestlers who feel new and exciting, even if Cassidy has been around for some time now. I had no idea what the result would be even if, in hindsight, it probably should have been obvious, and the match breezed by. Brilliant stuff.

I was a bit disappointed to see Deonna lose to Harley. I’m all for a Harley Cameron push, but Deonna is super-talented and deserves to be featured more than she is. 

Ricochet continues to be a revelation in AEW, proving all of his doubters wrong. I was absolutely fine with him joining the company, but I’d never have expected him to become one of the best heels in wrestling. There was a narrative surrounding him, suggesting he was weak on the mic - WWE seemed to have bought into that idea too, but he didn’t just develop this ability overnight. He came into the company boldly stating he wanted to prove he could be the face of a company, and was ridiculed at the time. Well done to the guy for proving his doubters wrong. He’d be a fantastic champion in AEW, and I hope he gets the chance to hold the big belt before the year is out.

AEW is on a great run right now, and I really hope it translates to higher attendances. If they continue producing quality television after this PPV, I think that’ll happen.

One suggestion though - ditch Forbidden Door, or at the very least, ditch the concept of it being a crossover show. It frequently derails all of the good stuff, with very little upside to it all. 

Edited February 27, 2025 by RedTwoster

[LaGoosh]

28 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

I still have no idea which tunnel is which, and I’ve been watching the company since day one!

Likewise. I hate the concept of it to be honest. The only time I've really noticed it is when that mark Cody teased going through the "heel tunnel" but then went back through the "babyface tunnel".

Haven't finished the show but Ospreay/Keith was the type of thing I don't like. Perfectly fine action but Ospreay is way higher on the totem pole than Keith and should be dispatching him in a quicker fashion than this. 7 minutes maximum. I would say a shorter match time would have benefited the match too. 

[Carbomb]

3 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Likewise. I hate the concept of it to be honest.

Same here. Always hated that delineation.

I like the idea of two tunnels as a kayfabe mechanism to say "we're keeping these two people separate from each other to prevent a potential backstage barney", but don't have heel- and face-specific tunnels. That's shit.

[RedTwoster]

16 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Haven't finished the show but Ospreay/Keith was the type of thing I don't like. Perfectly fine action but Ospreay is way higher on the totem pole than Keith and should be dispatching him in a quicker fashion than this. 7 minutes maximum. I would say a shorter match time would have benefited the match too. 

Much against my expectations, I quite liked it and I genuinely think it’s because of the poster @Supremo shared earlier in the week. 

[LaGoosh]

What a fantastic beast Takeshita is. Good lord.

 

[Supremo]

Another really good episode.

An absolute rush watching Hangman drive in wearing street clothes, walk straight to the ring and kick some arse. He’s the fucking man. I saw some people mention the camera caught Christopher Daniels blading or punching his own head to get colour, but fucked if I noticed. Couldn’t take my eyes off Hangman Adam Page, sexiest wrestler to ever live. Him going back through the Babyface tunnel is a cute little touch. I live for this hunk.

Do you reckon MJF’s tattoo was a fake all along? Or has he genuinely got it lasered off? Either way, I’m taking it as the ultimate symbol of AEW itself no longer being a character or stake within the fiction. I think that’s half the reason everything has improved so much these last few months. Absolutely everyone has stopped banging on about saving, “The Soul of AEW,” or how AEW saved their lives. Fuck all that noise. Fight over belts and personal issues.

On that subject, this was the most I’ve enjoyed FTR in over a year. Some amazing, wild action in that Trios match. Excited for that Tag announced against Kyle and Roddy for Collision, too. There is a direct correlation between how enjoyable FTR can be and how far away Dax is kept from a microphone or Twitter.

It speaks to how tight and well written everything has been recently that it was so jarring when a plot hole did emerge. Copeland getting out-numbered and beaten up by Death Riders when FTR and Daniel Garcia were in the ring literally seconds earlier felt really silly. They were all Cope’s friends and Moxley’s mortal enemies only a few weeks ago! I instantly forgave them when Willow came out though. Most underrated and underutilised wrestler in the whole company. Hopefully a sign of things to come. Not a single week should go by where she isn’t a major focus. Have Willow and Hangman ever interacted? That’s the zenith!

They’d displayed such restraint on Attitude-Era-style vehicle angles that Copeland’s Ambulance was actually quite novel and fun. Really cool visual them all watching the ambulance take Marina and Claudio away. About fucking time. We’ve built heat and darkness for what’s felt like the entirety of Winter. So nice to finally get some catharsis.

Outrunners win! Outrunners win! Love it. Great fun. Gonna be a shame when the Hurt Syndicate murder them. Hopefully they make that the pay per view match. Get Turbo and Truth some of those sweet Silver Vision VHS royalties!

Ricochet remains a phenomenal dickhead. He looked such a plank in that hat, robe and glasses. On the surface, them announcing Ricochet vs. Swerve as a Number One Contender match seems to give away the result of Mox vs. Cope. It now seems almost certain that Mox will win and end up having his dream Deathmatch against Lucha Underground’s Kill Shot. I’m not complaining though. Prophecy is coming true. Swerve is going to enter the Death Riders orbit at exactly the same time that Hangman Adam Page is completing his redemption arc. It’s coming. There’s going to be a day where Swerve is getting beaten up and Hangman fucking Page is going to make the save. Ideally with the old music. Hangman and Swerve are going to nod to each other, or shake hands, and it’ll solve all of the World’s problems. If they can change, and we can change, everybody can change.

One thing that I think/hope has changed is any plans of Darby Allin winning the belt off Mox. That ship had sailed. Stay up the mountain, Darby. Freshly turned, fully redeemed, Ultimate Babyface Hangman Adam Page is beating Mox for the belt at All In Texas, Barbed Wire Deathmatch.

Fantastic main event. That Blue Thunder spot was incredible.

As a promoter who has a weird obsession with annual traditions, I like that Tony Khan always insists on the Revolution pay per card being stacked as fuck. Just look at this! No wonder Hunter has been so reluctant to reveal his Wrestlemania plans! How on Earth do you compete with this?!

AEW World Championship Match: Jon Moxley vs. Cope

Steel Cage Match: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

AEW International Championship Match:Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kenny Omega

AEW Women’s World Championship Match: Toni Storm vs. Mariah May

AEW TBS Championship Match: Mercedes Mone vs. Momo Watanabe

AEW World Championship #1 Contenders Match: Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet

MJF vs. Hangman Page

Edited February 27, 2025 by Supremo

[HarmonicGenerator]

2 hours ago, Supremo said:

It speaks to how tight and well written everything has been recently that it was so jarring when a plot hole did emerge. Copeland getting out-numbered and beaten up by Death Riders when FTR and Daniel Garcia were in the ring literally seconds earlier felt really silly. They were all Cope’s friends and Moxley’s mortal enemies only a few weeks ago! I instantly forgave them when Willow came out though. Most underrated and underutilised wrestler in the whole company. Hopefully a sign of things to come. Not a single week should go by where she isn’t a major focus. Have Willow and Hangman ever interacted? That’s the zenith!

This! I had the exact same thought. What a pair of twats FTR are, there’s no way they were far enough away to be unaware of the beatdown happening. Shocking.

Willow actually in the ring on a Dynamite - more please!

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Decent episode. I think everything important has been said (IE Hangman). 

Harley Cameron Vs Purrazzo seemed to spend a lot of time in slow motion, and oddly I don't think it was Harleys fault, Purazzo just didn't seem to have any faith in her to hold up her side.  

[tiger_rick]

Another fantastic episode this week. It doesn't have to be, I'm fine with that if they keep things moving to the destination but when that outstanding Revolution card continues to build AND there's stuff on the show such as Hangman's tribute to Randy Savage, the tag match and that main event then it's all the better. Really like the stakes being added in Swerve and Ricochet. 

Ever since they stopped pretending that the D-Riders is some faction taking over AEW and are just a very impressive goon squad defending Moxley and holding the trios title, they've massively improved this as a top angle. As much as I'm not really feeling him, I do think Cope as top challenger is working too. I can't decide if I'd pull the trigger now. I think not, especially if Hanger is the destination.  

15 hours ago, Supremo said:

It speaks to how tight and well written everything has been recently that it was so jarring when a plot hole did emerge. Copeland getting out-numbered and beaten up by Death Riders when FTR and Daniel Garcia were in the ring literally seconds earlier felt really silly. They were all Cope’s friends and Moxley’s mortal enemies only a few weeks ago! I instantly forgave them when Willow came out though. Most underrated and underutilised wrestler in the whole company. Hopefully a sign of things to come. Not a single week should go by where she isn’t a major focus. Have Willow and Hangman ever interacted? That’s the zenith!

I can forgive stuff like that if it builds drama. I know it'd be best if they filmed them earlier in the show leaving or something but I think it's just about acceptable, especially as the FTR link needs to be left alone anyway.

I thought the biggest gaffe was Don Callis coming out of Jericho's dressing room when we'd just seen him in the box before and he was still in the box after, although I might have missed them announcing it as a pre-taped promo. I don't think they did though.

Speaks to how well they are currently booking that they've even recovered Don Callis. He was a massive turn off for me last year.

21 hours ago, Carbomb said:

Same here. Always hated that delineation.

I like the idea of two tunnels as a kayfabe mechanism to say "we're keeping these two people separate from each other to prevent a potential backstage barney", but don't have heel- and face-specific tunnels. That's shit.

I noticed Hangman go through the right tunnel too. The concept is absolutely fine. It's barely ever been mentioned in 5 years and is the most subtle of plot devices. There are a handful of occasions were people have done something good or dastardly and left through the other tunnel. Probably about 7 people notice and care and they don't scream and shout about it. It's not at all "shit".

As for logic, it's similar to the heel v face Survivor Series teams. Why are all the goodies on one team and all the baddies on another when none of them are ever mates on screen. They just are. Somewhere backstage, there's a moral code and people who naturally don't like the knobheads get changed in a different area or something. So minor.

Revolution looks absolutely insane. When's the write up coming @Supremo?

[Carbomb]

1 hour ago, tiger_rick said:

I noticed Hangman go through the right tunnel too. The concept is absolutely fine. It's barely ever been mentioned in 5 years and is the most subtle of plot devices. There are a handful of occasions were people have done something good or dastardly and left through the other tunnel. Probably about 7 people notice and care and they don't scream and shout about it. It's not at all "shit".

As for logic, it's similar to the heel v face Survivor Series teams. Why are all the goodies on one team and all the baddies on another when none of them are ever mates on screen. They just are. Somewhere backstage, there's a moral code and people who naturally don't like the knobheads get changed in a different area or something. So minor.

Who's screaming and shouting, rick? No need to be a nob about it - nobody slagged you off personally for liking said delineation. I said why I didn't like it, and I don't agree with a single thing you said. And just because it's a minor detail doesn't mean it's not worthy of mention. That's what a fan forum is for.

It's nothing like the teams in Survivor Series. That's about people of the same moral code hanging out with each other. Doors, furniture, etc. are inanimate objects that don't have a moral code. There's not a force field that springs up and klaxon that sounds backstage saying to Moxley "YOU POKED ADAM COPELAND IN THE EYE LAST WEEK, SO YOU CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS DOOR".