AEW TV 2026 discussion

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

On 10/29/2026 at 3:28 PM, LaGoosh said:

I know that booking two Blood and Guts matches, an Anarchy in the Arena match and a Texas Death match to all take place in basically the same week is fucking bonkers and pretty dumb but 11 year old LaGoosh would think it was the greatest thing ever.

So I'm going to listen to my inner 11 year old. Can't bloody wait!

Just catching up with this thread as my AEW viewing was a little behind. 

Putting your inner 11 year old aside you are right, this is pretty dumb. I know there was a rumour that Nick Khan had been on the blower to Vince Russo but are we sure it wasn't the better wrestling Khan that old Vinny Ru hasn't been talking? "Tony Bro, if less is more imagine how much more more is going to be" 

Separate weeks for those 4 matches would give enough space to make each one seem more special and while I'm sure each will have their moments they all deserve more than that. 

[tiger_rick]

7 minutes ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

I know there was a rumour that Nick Khan had been on the blower to Vince Russo but are we sure it wasn't the better wrestling Khan that old Vinny Ru hasn't been talking?

We'll know the answer if Will Ospreay is a 4-time AEW World Champion by the time we get to Full Gear.

[Supremo]

The difference between Vince Russo and Tony Khan is that Vince Russo’s bullshit demonstrably didn’t work. By contrast, Tony’s been quietly proving himself right for quite some time when it comes to his excessive booking tropes.

Traditionalists would say you should only book one hardcore match on each card, but then Tony regularly books multiple weapons-based matches on almost every pay per view, sometimes one right after the other, and it usually ends up working regardless how much it might make your Jim Cornettes cry.

The Billionaire Excess method has clearly worked for AEW, so who am I to criticise it at this point? I just find it funny. Did they release any photos of what Halloween costume Tony was wearing on Wednesday? As soon as I saw Britt Baker as Miss Trunchbull from Matilda I was hoping to see Tony dressed as this legend. It’s his spirit animal! I bet he eats a full chocolate cake after every meal!

”Bruce! Bruce! Bruce!”

”Tone! Tone! Tone!”

I wonder how much of him booking so many bonkers hardcore matches in quick succession is also rooted in spite. It already felt like they moved Blood and Guts to November to steal the headlines away from War Games. Add Anarchy in the Arena and Texas Death Trios and it’s going to feel positively comical when The Bloodline and The 946 settle the score by participating in WWE’s version of The Generation Game, where they take turns to jog down to the ring and tamely tap each other on the back with sponsored weapons.

I’m in love with this Hangman/Swerve/New Level thing. Hangman and Swerve have done it again. Cannot wait to see the fun-loving Kofi and Creed trying to handle their mate being a murderous psychopath.

Edited yesterday at 12:12 AM by Supremo

[Merzbow]

Ilya Dragonov might end up being the greatest signing AEW has made and I'm not even a huge fan (i think his anime inspired reactions are too much, even for me), I honestly can't think of anyone since Darby that just has an aura unlike anyone else in the business.. a proper one of a kind weirdo that has his very own idea of what a wrestler is. WWE dropped the ball massively with him.

Edited Friday at 11:06 PM by Merzbow

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

1 hour ago, Supremo said:

The difference between Vince Russo and Tony Khan is that Vince Russo’s bullshit demonstrably didn’t work. By contrast, Tony’s been quietly proving himself right for quite some time when it comes to his excessive booking tropes.

How do you define that Tony has been proving himself right? In the old days success or failure was determined by bums on seats and eyes on TV. Tony doesn't need the bums on seats because he's a billionaire, so long as someone is there for the guys and girls to perform in front of then that's fine. As for eyes on TV, that landscape has changed for everyone.

If you want to define getting it right by how much I enjoy the show then Tony wins that battle hands down. There's some stuff I will always fast forward because it doesn't interest me but on the whole AEW is the wrestling I enjoy the most 

[Supremo]

I don’t think there’s ever been a run of pay per views as good as AEW’s in 2026. You can put it up against any company, in any year.

Almost without fail, every big monthly show they’ve ran has been a massive critical and commercial success, selling well, getting tonnes of praise, with crowds staying hot and usually peaking for the main event, despite them being the most bloated, ridiculously excessive affairs. It shouldn’t work but it has.

Double or Nothing 2026 is the one that I remember the most. You’d think it’d be crazy to do both an “I Quit,” Street Fight and a Stadium Stampede on the same show, and yet it’s probably one of my top three pay views of all time. Turns out Tony was right and I was wrong. You can dine out on an All You Can Eat buffet time and time again. Delicious!

“Four ridiculously violent weapons-based matches in the space of a fortnight, Jeremy? That’s insane!”

This, from this week’s pre-Dynamite hype video, made me smile. The man is such a glutton for excess that he’ll even wear the baggiest trousers known to man! He looks like when they bunk off and try to buy alcohol in The Inbetweeners by wearing their Dad’s clothes!

Edited yesterday at 12:25 AM by Supremo

[LaGoosh]

6 hours ago, Lion_of_the_Midlands said:

How do you define that Tony has been proving himself right? In the old days success or failure was determined by bums on seats and eyes on TV. Tony doesn't need the bums on seats because he's a billionaire, so long as someone is there for the guys and girls to perform in front of then that's fine. As for eyes on TV, that landscape has changed for everyone.

The last big TV rights deal they got was essentially the stamp of success I think. And according to Meltzer the company is running at a profit now.

I think fans judge modern day success to what we're used to historically. But as you say the landscape has changed. 

Their PPVs are commercially successful and they are maintaining their live TV ratings at a time most other shows are dropping live viewers. More fans in the building would obviously be great but it's the TV rights paying all the bills these days.

Personally I don't give a shit if AEW loses millions per year as long as I enjoy watching it. Tony can afford to keep it going forever. God bless that weird lunatic.

Edited yesterday at 06:21 AM by LaGoosh

[Infinity Land]

10 hours ago, Supremo said:

It already felt like they moved Blood and Guts to November to steal the headlines away from War Games. 

US Elections the day before pushing NXT head-to-head with Dynamite in the Wednesday time slot. Cena and Cody turning up already confirmed for NXT appearances. 

Blood & Guts is a proven ratings winner at this point and being overshadowed by the WWE C show isn't going to be a good look with all the Skydance changes going on. There's already plenty of fear mongering going on.

[LaGoosh]

Does it really make any difference? Why would someone already planning to watch Blood & Guts change their minds to watch Cody and Cena doing something no doubt boring and shit?

[Infinity Land]

4 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Does it really make any difference? Why would someone already planning to watch Blood & Guts change their minds to watch Cody and Cena doing something no doubt boring and shit?

Who says anyone has to change their minds? Chances are both could have above average ratings because the passive AEW audience turn up for Blood & Guts and the passive WWE Raw/Smackdown crowd turn up for NXT. 

[Supremo]

The freedom AEW gets with all these mad Dynamite overruns is another example of how their excessive approach is successful against all rhyme and reason.

Those pay per view weeks are the best example. Again, traditionalists would say, “you’ve got a three hour TV slot you’re contractually obligated to fill, and then a five hour pay per view at the weekend, so we should probably keep the TV tight and get off the air as soon as possible.” But not Mad Man Tony, who’ll usually go an extra thirty minutes for the love of the game, which the TV execs don’t appear to have a problem with.

A few extra thoughts on this week’s Dynamite…

Steven Borden is quickly becoming the most exciting rookie since Kurt Angle. Considering his inexperience, the confidence he has cutting these promos is insane. He’s got it all. I love him. Is it true the other Sting Junior is also knocking about on the Independents? Does he show as much promise as Steve? This Stinger DNA needs to be studied in a lab.

Of all his successes and everything that Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose has achieved in this business, the work he’s done with Marina Shafir might be his greatest achievement. I still don’t think she has the chops between the ropes, but the aura and stature they’ve built with her is amazing. At one point she felt worthless. Now, she’s a superstar and feels like a legitimate threat to Mercedes. Is Shayna Bazler a free agent? Marina being such a success could be her way into AEW, which is wild to think about considering at one point Shayna felt like the natural talent and star of the group, whilst Marina just happened to be her and Ronda’s mate.

Babyface Claudio going crackers, running about like he’s got a star on Mario Kart, is quickly becoming one of my favourite acts in pro-wrestling. Yet another example of Tony Khan re-conditioning fans to accept and enjoy his excessive tropes; I’m now hoping and praying we get the lights-switched-off-lights-switched-on thing at Full Gear. Claudio getting taken out on a stretcher thanks to a shillelagh is perfect. One of those angles where everything fits perfectly into place.

In the midst of Anarchy in the Arena, it’s going to look like it’s curtains for the Death Riders. The Cut of the Last Outfit are going to threaten caving Moxley’s head in with the shillelagh. And then Tony is going to switch the lights off and on and it’s going to absolutely fucking rule.

I assume he legally owns the name “Sheamus O'Shaunessy,” so can use that in AEW. I hope so. It’s a million times better than, “S. Farrelly.”

Edited yesterday at 12:02 PM by Supremo

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Nevermind. 

Edited yesterday at 09:55 AM by Lion_of_the_Midlands

[Statto]

45 minutes ago, Supremo said:

Is Shayna Bazler a free agent?

She's just signed a contract with TNA last week. Her and Zoey Not-Stark-Anymore won the tag titles at Bound for Glory.

[Kamran]

On 10/29/2026 at 3:28 PM, LaGoosh said:

I know that booking two Blood and Guts matches, an Anarchy in the Arena match and a Texas Death match to all take place in basically the same week is fucking bonkers and pretty dumb but 11 year old LaGoosh would think it was the greatest thing ever.

So I'm going to listen to my inner 11 year old. Can't bloody wait!

I was only thinking the other day how I feel like a kid again watching AEW and I mean that in the best possible way. The excitement for the PPVs this year and the anticipation for the Continental Classic just reminds me of what it was like as a kid watching WWE. 

On 10/30/2026 at 1:38 AM, textonly said:

It's mental to me that Darby is still the same guy he was when I stopped watching three years ago. And while usually that sentence might read as a bit of an indictment, I mean it as a compliment here. The act is the same. I know he's been the World Champ in the interim, but basically he feels like the same guy he was when AEW started and he's somehow not stale. Every match he's in, he somehow delivers something it feels like I've not seen before. Maybe it's a creative spot, maybe it's just the slight angle at which he takes a bump, but it's almost always something. He deserves a world of credit. It's crazy. How many guys in American wrestling have stayed babyface for seven years straight and not felt like a total drag at some point? I mean, I know guys have had longer babyface runs, but someone like Rey Mysterio, for example - there were long periods in which I was more than done with his act (despite his obvious ability). With Darby that's still not proven the case.

Admittedly, it's possible I only feel this way because I wasn't watching for a fair while. Do you guys feel the same or have there been periods over these past few years that Darby's act has felt like it's been running on fumes?

I've watched Darby since the beginning of AEW and I can't say I've ever felt he was getting stale. He's obviously a creative person and it really shows in his vignettes and in his matches. I think it also really helps that he has taken regular breaks (whether to do outside activities or injuries) so he's never been consistently on TV in that whole time. I think it really helps AEW having such a stacked roster that pretty much anyone can take a break and there'll always be someone to step up.

3 hours ago, Supremo said:

The freedom AEW gets with all these mad Dynamite overruns is another example of how their excessive approach is successful against all rhyme and reason.

Those pay per view weeks are the best example. Again, traditionalists would say, “you’ve got a three hour TV slot you’re contractually obligated to fill, and then a five hour pay per view at the weekend, so we should probably keep the TV tight and get off the air as soon as possible.” But not Mad Man Tony, who’ll usually go an extra thirty minutes for the love of the game, which the TV execs don’t appear to have a problem with.

I have to admit I'm a little worried about their TV rights. Skydance have said they plan on reducing their debt by $80 billion in 3 years as well as reducing their rights fees by over $6 billion per year, they are going to make cuts across the board. I'm pretty sure AEW's TV deal is coming up for renewal too so they'll be one of the first to negotiate a deal. 

Edited yesterday at 12:28 PM by Kamran

[RedTwoster]

17 minutes ago, Kamran said:

I have to admit I'm a little worried about their TV rights. Skydance have said they plan on reducing their debt by $80 billion in 3 years as well as reducing their rights fees by over $6 billion per year, they are going to make cuts across the board. I'm pretty sure AEW's TV deal is coming up for renewal too so they'll be one of the first to negotiate a deal. 

I honestly wonder if it even matters anymore. AEW has a consistent, dedicated and almost guaranteed audience so someone would snap them up - but even in a worst case scenario MyAEW seems like a viable platform - particularly if they get it added to Amazon Prime and Apple TV as an app. If they’re not on TV in the States - which seems unlikely to me - I genuinely don’t think it’ll make a noticeable difference to anyone watching on these shores.