AEW TV 2025 Discussion

[LaGoosh]

I think they should make these two tag champs. And co-world champs. And trios champs. Just give them all the belts.

[HarmonicGenerator]

That Hangman/Swerve segment was magic. They’ll never stop hating each other and they never should.

[RedTwoster]

12 hours ago, BrodyGraham said:

I think Forbidden Door at the latest for the Ospreay win. You wait til next year and we're in full on Gedo booking territory. He won't be ice cold but it'll take him pretty far from red hot, barring some proper booking wizardry.

I don’t think it would require booking wizardry, not when it’s clear that’s the story you’re telling - he can beat everyone, except, apparently, when a world title is involved. To be honest I think he needs an added spark in his story before that first world title win. I may well be in the minority in feeling that way!

 

[LaGoosh]

I used to think they should give the belt to Ospreay this year but now I agree with you. I think with Ospreay they need to get him to the point where the fans are absolutely bubbling and desperate for him to win the belt and I don't think he's there yet and I really don't think they can get him there by the summer. On top of that it still feels like there's juice in a Swerve or Hangman title run and I'd like to see that before Ospreay gets it. He needs the slow build.

[tiger_rick]

Agree with the above points but then, Will has mentioned All In and specifically mentioned Moxley, who he promised Darby he'd get around to. If that's a tease for Mox vs. Ospreay at All In then Will has to win. I'd put the belt on Swerve next week but if they are keeping the Mox run going then surely All In is the last point you can get to with him as champ. 

On 3/27/2025 at 7:50 AM, LaGoosh said:

I'm not sure the Powerhouse Hobbs experiment is working. I just don't think he's good enough. His ring work is missing that snap that it needs for a man his size. I liked how this match started, it made it feel big time. Unfortunately they couldn't maintain that momentum as Hobbs just lacks the presence and physical charisma to keep the people engaged. Davis's flying forearm in the corner was a lovely move though.

Won't shock you, but I disagree. He's still a way off been a real big deal but he's getting a good reaction and his work is coming on. That botch near the end was a real shame, that made them both look rubbish, which is gutting because they're two big guys doing good work. It's just nice to see a consistent push for someone. Hopefully, he doesn't suffer from Tony's shiny new toy disorder anytime soon. Did find the commentary baffling when they talked about Hobbs being used to working smaller guys despite his last 6 months mostly being spent working Big Bill, Archer, Cage and Takeshita.

Really good Dynamite. Last week's was a write off. Finally got around to skipping through Collision and that was a soulless, joyless experience in front of about 7 people who were knackered. Been a while since I've enjoyed the company less. Dynamite was a pick-me-up though. All the good people. Nice flow. Teases that make your pants wet. Thundertits. Minecraft Llamas. No horrific injuries. Good stuff. 

[Supremo]

Genuinely hadn’t even occurred to me that they wouldn’t put the belt on Swerve next week. They can’t end another pay per view with that Roman-Reigns-in-blue-contact-lenses sense of, “oh, fuck off,” can they?

I really rate Darby. One of the most underrated in-ring wrestlers in the world. He’s no Swerve Strickland though.

[LaGoosh]

It's a weird thing because if Darby does climb Mount Everest and put an AEW flag at the top of it (which is what he says he will do) you kind of have to reward that with something big like the World title. It'd be super weird to just slot him back into the mid card. However at the same time since he's been gone it doesn't feel like the fan base are clamouring for him to return and the Mox reign being a dud really doesn't help that story at all.

[RedTwoster]

1 minute ago, LaGoosh said:

It's a weird thing because if Darby does climb Mount Everest and put an AEW flag at the top of it (which is what he says he will do) you kind of have to reward that with something big like the World title. It'd be super weird to just slot him back into the mid card. However at the same time since he's been gone it doesn't feel like the fan base are clamouring for him to return and the Mox reign being a dud really doesn't help that story at all.

To be honest, I’d forgotten about him - everything has been so good recently that it’s not given me time to consider who isn’t currently around.

However, if they lost Swerve, Hangman or Storm I’d really notice that. I might actually throw Mercedes into the conversation there too. An AEW wouldn’t feel right these days without an absolute banger of a match involving her. 

[tiger_rick]

I'd forgotten about Darby completely until I thought about Ospreay & Mox and remembered that promo. Agree with Supes, he is fantastic, and I do want to see another one of these original AEW guys break through, but it just doesn't feel like a story anyone is into. Trying to do the Sting 1997 thing with a guy who is disappearing for months is stupid but I'm not sure it was working anyway.

I kinda do and don't like that I've no idea where this title reign ends. I would like a destination I can get excited about. However, the fact that there isn't one, and that it isn't really a home run for Mox means I could buy that Cope might have won, I think Swerve might win, I can see a scenario where it might be Ospreay at All In, I can see that it might be Hangman and then it kinda felt like the whole thing might be a set-up for Darby. It's interesting, for sure. Personally, I think a little bit of clarity might enhance my anticipation.

 

[Supremo]

I like the idea of Hangman helping fight off the Death Riders at Dynasty, resulting in Swerve winning the belt, because it’s the right thing to do. But then he and Swerve still continue feuding and fight for the Title at All In Texas because they will Fight Forever.

[Jesse]

44 minutes ago, Supremo said:

I like the idea of Hangman helping fight off the Death Riders at Dynasty, resulting in Swerve winning the belt, because it’s the right thing to do. But then he and Swerve still continue feuding and fight for the Title at All In Texas because they will Fight Forever.

Feels like a waste of that moment. If the Death Riders angle had worked better and they really felt like a threat that needed something impossible to overcome then you could justify burning that moment.

As it is, I'd just use this to properly crown Swerve as your ace for the next five years. Everyone wants the belt to be off Mox, have Swerve just be too good, too smart, too tough and too violent for the whole lot of them and end the show as the undisputed best wrestler in the company. Jon can have a couple of months off, come back when Eddie's healthy so they can be mates again, and Swerve can carry the company into a brighter future.

[LaGoosh]

Yeah you've got to go with Swerve really.  He's the man. He's the public face of the company. Everyone loves him, he's a potential crossover star. While on the other hand you have Mox, no one is enjoying this reign and the only time it gets any real attention or reaction is when he does something stupid or gross. It needs to be a clean, decisive victory with no shenanigans. A breath of fresh air and a clean slate.

Hangman/Swerve at All In is the obvious and right move. Just 10 seconds on screen together this year and it had more energy, intensity and electricity than anything else in wrestling all year. And them fighting this time for the World title feels like a natural evolution for this story. I can't see anything else they could have up their sleeve that would match it.

[RedTwoster]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

Hangman/Swerve at All In is the obvious and right move. Just 10 seconds on screen together this year and it had more energy, intensity and electricity than anything else in wrestling all year. And them fighting this time for the World title feels like a natural evolution for this story. I can't see anything else they could have up their sleeve that would match it.

Oh I don’t know - I’d argue that Toni Storm vs Mercedes Mone for the women’s world title would. I do want to see what you suggest, but out of all of the matches AEW can put on right now, Storm-Mone is probably top of my list. 

As far as a men’s world title match goes, you’re probably right, although there was definitely something in the idea of heel Hangman versus babyface Kenny Omega.

Edited March 28, 2025 by RedTwoster

[Guest]

Personally, I don't need to see Hangman and Swerve again for at least another year, particularly because you know it needs to go the ultra-violent route, and I could do with the detox.

Quote

 I really don't think they can get him there by the summer

Oh, I don't know. Have him win a built up tournament against a load of other major talents with a series of bangers before a decent build against Mox (or Swerve, with a repeat of that amazing weigh in angle)? I'm pretty certain that could get him there without any real trouble. Someone please check my work, but a cursory google showed he's their biggest merch draw already, and he's barely gone near the main event. The whole time he's been there, it's been about when he's going to step up to the title, not if, and he's exactly the kind of talisman AEW could do with. He could be the anti Roman Reigns, having a long reign, with multiple stories but having massive fast paced bangers with no interference. If that translates into long feuds with Swerve, Hangman or Omega then that's just gravy. 

It's great that AEW is in this position where they have so many top babyface options, especially after a dragging heel run like we've had. And whoever wins, the Alpha is there, ready to pounce....Ah that's going to be awesome. 

Quote

Won't shock you, but I disagree. He's still a way off been a real big deal but he's getting a good reaction and his work is coming on.

Absolutely with Rick on this one. Hobbs is coming on loads, he's got great aura, his promos are getting better and I love how he plants people.  He needs something more to get to grips with now though. 

Edited March 28, 2025 by Duke

[BomberPat]

It is pretty telling that you could piece together a few different approaches to a dream card for All In, and not really any of them feature Jon Moxley as World Champion or challenger.

When Ospreay cut that promo targeted Mox and the World Title, I figured him challenging at the belt at All In was nailed on, until I realised that he had to enter the Owen Hart Cup to get that shot, and that keeps things a little more wide open.

It definitely feels like Swerve should be the one to beat Mox for the belt at this point, not least of all because he's the first babyface to have really explicitly called Mox out on his shit rather than taking his hard man act at face value. I don't think you can keep doing the Death Riders in their current form once that genie is out of the bottle. And then you have Hangman threatening to get involved in Swerve's title match, but you don't just have the wrestlers say that part out loud on TV if that's the actual plan - I can see Hangman being torn between stopping Swerve getting the belt and stopping the Death Riders because he won't side with them; if I have my fantasy booking hat on, it's Hangman Page having the choice between taking out Swerve or taking out Claudio or Yuta and opting for the Death Riders, or Hangman going to hit Swerve with the Buckshot Lariat but Swerve pulling one of the Death Riders in front of him to take it. Hangman either inadvertently or through inaction creating the sequence of events that leads to Swerve getting the title back feels the right move to me.

Keeping the fantasy booking hat on, I'd look to an All In card that looks like this:

World Title: Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Hangman Page (winner of the Owen Hart Cup)
International Title/Continental Title Unification: Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada
TBS Title: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Athena
Women's Title: Toni Storm (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
Stadium Stampede: The Death Riders vs. Assorted Babyfaces - maybe Darby Allin, The Young Bucks and Orange Cassidy or Jay White, throwing in Willow Nightingale to counter Marina Shafir. Maybe Eddie Kingston on the babyface side if he's back.
Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. either FTR or Nick Wayne & Kip Sabian, depending whereabouts that story has got to.

That's assuming that Darby and the Young Bucks will be back on TV by then, and you would need to find spots for MJF, Ospreay, the Don Callis Family, Jericho, anyone else who might be due back from injury by then or coming in for a one-shot for the big show - if they're smart there will be some Lucha representation, and I wonder if that's where the Jericho/Bandido feud will eventually go. Alternatively there's a Learning Tree break-up by this point, but that feels too similar to the Patriarchy break-up that's more likely to be actually happening.

At some point they might remember that Jeff Jarrett was doing a retirement run story, too.

It being Texas, I'd expect Dustin Rhodes and the Von Erichs to get a look-in somewhere, even if just on the pre-show.