AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[LaGoosh]

My main takeaways:

1) Most important thing to discuss on the show. The main thing I'll remember. Willow's absolutely lovely cardigan and skirt combo. What a delight she is.

2) Gotta' hand it to 'em. Omega/Ricochet/Speedball is the least interesting outcome from that 4 way anyone could have thought of. 

3) Toni Storm doing bits on commentary is always going to be a highlight. Glad to see her getting these big babyface pops. Toni clotheslining Bayne over the top and Bayne landing perfectly on her feet is exactly the type of spot I love - it gets both the plucky babyface and the monster heel over.

4) First 2/3rds of Mox/Cope was pretty bad. Apparently Mox drove 11 hours to get to the show because the weather meant his flight was cancelled so I don't know if he was just knackered or what but he seemed like he was barely in the match for most of it. Looked like he couldn't give a fuck. Cope did what he did, I dunno, it's not working. I liked him as the Collision veteran trying his hand against the new young generation but main event Cope is a waste of everyone's time.

5) The spike spot. I have both good and bad views on it.

The bad - obviously it was absolutely gross. I very much doubt Mox planned for it to get stuck in his back but it was a bit too gruesome ever for me and my tolerance for that kind of stuff in wrestling is higher than most peoples. The fact that they even had to go there on free TV to get a reaction shows how cold this feud is.

However the good - and I'm not saying I liked or even approved of the spot (I didn't) but I like to look for silver linings where I can - the spiked bat is now over. In wrestling there's history of wrestlers bringing out weapons which you just can't convincingly use because by real world logic it'll kill someone. The most obvious example being Triple H and his sledgehammer where he has to do some weird sideways swing and he obviously hits someone with his hand and not the weapon. It's always been really, really dumb. I've felt the same about this dumb spiked bat. I even felt it in the match with the first two shots, one to the stomach and one to the back, where there was no visible marks and in reality a spiked bat would leave blood everywhere. No one really bought it as a believable weapon. The good we can take away from that suplex spot is now going forward when the spiked bat makes it's next appearance it will immediately create a real and genuine tension and reaction from the audience. It gives it a storyline heft and weight because we've seen it create real damage and violence. Whenever Cope pulls it out from this point onwards the audience will immediately remember the scene of it stuck in Mox's back and believe that they might see something like that again. I hope that we never see a spot like that again but it does mean the spiked bat can be used as an effective storytelling device either in angle or in a match in the future.

Edited March 20, 2025 by LaGoosh

[RedTwoster]

Never mind anything else on this show - there was an Athena tease! I’m absolutely buzzing for that. She’s absolutely the right person to end Mone’s title run and I can’t wait to see it happen.

Then, at some point before the end of the year, we can get Toni Storm vs Mercedes Mone! I can’t wait for that. 

Omega/Bailey/Ricochet should be great fun. I’m not typically a fan of triple threats, but when you know it’s going to be a mad, fast, fun spot fest it’s hard to complain. It’s going to set the bar high given that WWE has a triple threat themed Wrestlemania just days later, that’s for sure. 

I didn’t care about Moxley/Copeland or even the result, so I skipped right past it and completely missed the spot everyone else is talking about. It doesn’t sound like something I’d ever want to see, so I’m glad I did. And as a result, it was a fantastic show. But it’s spots like this that have me convinced that Moxley will never return to WWE. Clearly he loves that kind of thing, and they’d never let him do it - so we’d best all learn to enjoy him as he’s not going anywhere.

But it kind of doesn’t matter. Remember during the Vince McMahon era when WWE commentators would try and push that they were a variety show (with ‘action, comedy’ etc)? Well, AEW right now is probably the closest any company has come to actually being a true wrestling variety show. Don’t like the Moxkey gorefest? No matter, they have crazy spotfests with the likes of Ricochet and The Bucks. Don’t like that? They also have technical showcases with the likes of Danielson and Mercedes Mone. Still not for you? They have comedy in spades that is objectively funny with the likes of Harley Cameron and Toni Storm? STILL not for you? Well, then there’s a deep, long-term stories of Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland.

Dynamite was awful last year, but my goodness, 2025 has been great. In spite of having - in my opinion - their worst ever champion, they’ve somehow managed to have their best run of shows since the pandemic. While I don’t think they deserved to win best show at the 2024 UKFF Awards, if they keep this up throughout the year, I’d be amazed if WWE picked up a single vote in 2025. Even Collision has been great this year, it’s quite remarkable.

[LaGoosh]

4 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

I didn’t care about Moxley/Copeland or even the result, so I skipped right past it and completely missed the spot everyone else is talking about. It doesn’t sound like something I’d ever want to see, so I’m glad I did.

That's ok. @LEGIT by his own admission has and never will watch a single second of AEW in his life but he still came in the thread to have a cry about it.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

While I admire the posititivy of my fellow Khan Ultra Gooshy I cannot share his positivity regarding the spike nonsense, though I do share his enthusiasm for the loveliness of Willow. As I have said before and I will repeat again. Moxley is a terrible wrestler, the TikTok Tommy Dreamer if you will, and this next in a long line of stupidity only confirms that. The question has to be; Where does it end, because now he has done this what's next? He always has to push the violence a little bit further because he can't actually wrestle to get a reaction. Logically this ends up with him winning a Darwin Award because he is as thick as mince and Tony Khan never says no. 

[Supremo]

You can take the nutter out of CZW, but you can’t take the CZW out of the nutter. Just wait for the inevitable Meat Hook Deathmatch between Moxley and Zandig (2025 Daddy Magic).

[LaGoosh]

2 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I cannot share his positivity regarding the spike nonsense,

I wouldn't say I'm positive about it. I said I was looking for a silver lining. I'd personally rather not see that stupid spiked plank (or any other genuine murder weapon) ever again.

[DavidB6937]

It definitely feels like Mox has regressed to his worst, most basic form. I say worst because I'm going to deliberately gloss over some of the shit he did as Ambrose for my own sanity.

I'm pretty sure he was doing death matches back in like 2009 or something with Nick Gage. Fair enough. It's fairly early in your career and you're looking to gain attention and work on yourself.

So then you go through FCW, work with guys like Punk, Regal and Foley, get to the main roster and be a part of one of the biggest factions in WWE history. You admittedly have a rollercoaster ride as a singles guy and lose your smile and end up leaving..

.. where in AEW, you're pretty much on top ASAP and everyone loves you. 

But it's not a "ooh look at what stupid shit he can do!" kinda love. There's a massive amount of respect for a guy who comes across as legitimate and he doesn't need to be doing spikes and whatever else. He just oozes charisma and he's a cool guy and a little bit of a lunatic but the OTT violence isn't his personality. He's not the guy who was having death matches years before and he doesn't need to be.

But now? It's as if he's forgotten everything he ever learnt and he's woken up in some weird time loop where he thinks the main thing he can do to get over is stupidly violent stuff. And no one is telling him to stop it this time.

I don't really understand it. I get some people aren't fans but he absolutely has something about him beyond the basic indy violence approach.

[RedTwoster]

27 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

That's ok. @LEGIT by his own admission has and never will watch a single second of AEW in his life but he still came in the thread to have a cry about it.

It’s a shame that it’s dominating the conversation really, as the rest of the show was fantastic. I really enjoyed Mercedes/Starkz, but at the end I was expecting Athena involvement. I was disappointed that it didn’t happen…but then there was that Mercedes promo which made it clear that we are indeed getting Mone/Athena! I am absolutely buzzing for that match - along with the fact there’s now a clear road map that’ll lead to Storm/Mone, which is one of the biggest matches AEW can offer right now.

And what a turnaround from Mercedes too - I think I might have nominated her for worst wrestler last year, and if I didn’t I certainly considered it. That was based on her character being shit, but she’ll definitely get my vote for best wrestler at the 2025 awards if she keeps this up. I hope she never goes back to WWE, she’s been one hell of a signing for AEW.

Edited March 20, 2025 by RedTwoster

[LaGoosh]

Mox used to be the ace of AEW and his importance and contribution to AEW can never be denied. I'm not sure the company would have survived without him. But he's been there a long time and he's spent too long at the top. There comes a time where your top stars have run the course on top and need to move down the ladder into a dependable, established upper/mid card role (usually best as babyfaces) and be used to get the next generation ready. That's where Mox should be right now. Not panto snarling as the joyless heel Champ no one wants.

[Hannibal Scorch]

Yeah I’m with @LaGoosh on both his views on the bat. It never ever needs to be used again, physically. It’s the same as the barb wire baseball bats we had in the attitude era, and that kind of stuff should be left their in mainstream wrestling. The match was better than Revolutions, and at least it created storylines out of it, but glad it’s done. 
 

That aside, a fantastic dynamite.Had low expectations for the 4 way, but thought it was huge fun and a creative ending I’ve not seen before. Sorry, but I think a Bailey/Rick O/Omega match could be great fun. But yeah, get him some shoes ffs.

They kept the better Stark with Billie. Best Mone TV match and Starkz was brilliant. She’s got a great future ahead of her.

MJF giving his answer next week huh… hmm. Ospreay/Fox was as expected a fun little high flying match.

Statlander Bayne 2 was great. Storm on commentary was wonderful. Saying Tony Schiavone was named in the JFK files, suggesting he paid $45 for his own Hollywood Ending, suggesting the woman must have crushed watermelons with their thighs, even a Bane/Bayne pun. The best! It will be a shame for Toni to lose the belt so quick, but it’s Megan’s time to shine.

[RedTwoster]

1 minute ago, LaGoosh said:

Mox used to be the ace of AEW and his importance and contribution to AEW can never be denied. I'm not sure the company would have survived without him. But he's been there a long time and he's spent too long at the top. There comes a time where your top stars have run the course on top and need to move down the ladder into a dependable, established upper/mid card role (usually best as babyfaces) and be used to get the next generation ready. That's where Mox should be right now. Not panto snarling as the joyless heel Champ no one wants.

I agree to an extent, but some of Moxley’s early heel promos were excellent - had he not veered off to extremes, I still think he could have made a tremendous heel champion. But that ship has sailed, and there’s no salvaging this heel run for me, at least.

1 minute ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Statlander Bayne 2 was great. Storm on commentary was wonderful. Saying Tony Schiavone was named in the JFK files, suggesting he paid $45 for his own Hollywood Ending, suggesting the woman must have crushed watermelons with their thighs, even a Bane/Bayne pun. The best! It will be a shame for Toni to lose the belt so quick, but it’s Megan’s time to shine.

I disagree - I think the way to go is to put over Megan strong, but have Storm win, making it clear she escaped by the skin of her teeth. That way you can have Athena beat Mercedes, build up to Storm/Mercedes for the title, build Megan up as the big threat to Athena (‘the person who took Toni Storm to the limit’) and then, further down the line, have Bayne defeat Athena and build to a Mercedes/Athena rematch for the world title.

It would be a mistake for Storm to lose, I think.

[Callum1993]

9 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Yeah I’m with @LaGoosh on both his views on the bat. It never ever needs to be used again, physically. It’s the same as the barb wire baseball bats we had in the attitude era, and that kind of stuff should be left their in mainstream wrestling. The match was better than Revolutions, and at least it created storylines out of it, but glad it’s done. 
 

That aside, a fantastic dynamite.Had low expectations for the 4 way, but thought it was huge fun and a creative ending I’ve not seen before. Sorry, but I think a Bailey/Rick O/Omega match could be great fun. But yeah, get him some shoes ffs.

They kept the better Stark with Billie. Best Mone TV match and Starkz was brilliant. She’s got a great future ahead of her.

MJF giving his answer next week huh… hmm. Ospreay/Fox was as expected a fun little high flying match.

Statlander Bayne 2 was great. Storm on commentary was wonderful. Saying Tony Schiavone was named in the JFK files, suggesting he paid $45 for his own Hollywood Ending, suggesting the woman must have crushed watermelons with their thighs, even a Bane/Bayne pun. The best! It will be a shame for Toni to lose the belt so quick, but it’s Megan’s time to shine.

Wasn’t a Barbed Wire Bat literally used at the last AEW PPV though? Granted in a different match with Ospreay and Fletcher but it’s still there and not left in the Attitude Era as you seem to be suggesting. 

[Hannibal Scorch]

@RedTwosterI see your point, but this her 4th reign. She doesn’t need the title for me at this point to be credible and there are lots of women who are deserving of a first or second run themselves with the belt.

@Callum1993 I didn’t say they aren’t still used, more that I don’t think they are needed in 2025 like they were in the 00’s. The shock value is pretty much gone. Same as when Sami and KO used one last month.

Edited March 20, 2025 by Hannibal Scorch

[LaGoosh]

I like OC missing out again on getting Omega. They are slowly building to this one rather than rushing to it. It feels like a big match and they clearly don't want to waste it on a "B level" PPV like Dynasty. They're going to get there eventually and I can't wait.

@Hannibal Scorch I think Toni Storm dropping the title when she's at the start of her first big babyface run and as over as she's ever going to be would be a huge mistake.

Edited March 20, 2025 by LaGoosh

[TheScarlettChad]

Mox constantly showing himself to be the worst member of The Shield. What a numpty. No need for that gross shit.