AEW - All Elite Wrestling (*Spoilers for Latest Show*)

Pentecost

She's much more suited to being a heel. It just fits her natural mannerisms better. She was never too great on promos but she had little affectations that suited her character's arrogance.

ThePott

Agree that AEW is stacked right now. It's why I preferred when they had a harder roster split between Dynamite and Collision. Now it feels like you can go weeks without seeing people for no apparent reason.

I've always been a big Sasha Banks fan (even when other haven't been on here). That being said her promos have always been middling at best, which is why I'm surprised they opened with a promo. Made sense with Punk, not so much here. Was fine, I just have forgotten all of it already. Having her do some ring work at the end was a good call.

My big issue is that theme song. Jesus, that is horrendous. Gunther's music and an obnoxious CEO chant. Hopefully once the crowds catch on (Boston already have) they'll take it out. Wish they kept her NJPW one, that one grew on me.

Be interested to see her first feud and what they do with her. Was a hot debut thanks to the crowd though.

Also agreeing, heel Okada with the Bucks is savage.

Agent Coulson

Lol just so HHH won't see them :)

https://twitter.com/FiteTV/status/1768310918113345583

Agent Coulson

I'm guessing Britt will be Deonna's mystery partner.

Patrick Mahomes

This AEW roster must now be the most stacked pure talent wrestling roster every across all the mens, womens and tag team divisions ever in the same company

Regards,

P.

Agent Coulson

They had to bring Mercedes in as a babyface singles wrestlers to be the face of the women’s division.

I will say she would have been great as a heel member of the new Elite.

Headshot

I'm not sure how Chris Jericho is still on my TV, it feels he's the weakest link and seems the fans in attendance are just not pushed about him. I know myself when I see him I just fast forward

AEW don't need Chris being on TV anymore.

Why does Sasha's accessories always look like she got them in a lucky bag?

If you're doing the CEO gimmick get yourself some proper branded glasses and a proper chain.

SteM

Why does a CEO insist on doing a stripper dance?

Hot crowd on Dynamite last night, Osprey is settling in very well.

ThePott

Normally not bothered about ratings discourse but do find this week's interesting and want to hear peoples thoughts. Ratings weren't great, while segments with the new signees are generally quite good, viewers don't seem to be sticking with it.

https://twitter.com/davemeltzerWON/status/1768389867342540811

Personally I think it could come down to a few things.

1) The fans that would switch over for Okada/Ospreay/Moné are already watching AEW so there's no bump.

2) These people aren't going to lead to a bump in viewership (at least initially)

3) The people who watched AEW initially watched because WWE was in a slump and now that WWE is hot again they've migrated back over and aren't coming back.

Obviously, maybe Mercedes will draw as the weeks go on, etc. I think a lot of questions will be asked too if debuting her with a themed show was a good idea, They followed the First Dance format but CM Punk returning was such a different scenario.

Any thoughts?

CastorTroy

Or maybe Mercedes isn't the draw some people think she is.

I've said before but I don't get it, personally.

ThePott

I don't think Mercedes necessarily is a draw but are we saying Ospreay and Okada aren't either then.

I like all three of those talents but I also think certainly in the case of the last two that anyone who would be interested in seeing them is already watching. I just don't think there's any one talent that's going to turn the numbers around or bring them back up to the levels they were at.

hynesie08

Mone is terrible and easily the worst of the horsewoman but a weird subsection clinged to her because she did terrible lucha spots and a pathetic Eddie Guerrero fangirl gimmick...

Who are Okada and Ospreay drawing that isn't already engaged with AEW?

Nobody is switching channels or pausing their Netflix to tune for Sasha's debut.

And if they did, as soon as they saw the same tacky gimmick from WWE they'd switch back off.

~Rebel~

I'm really not a fan of this thing of defending the Continental Championship... that was a tournament. Eddie won. The title should be his until the tournament runs again next year. Just turning it into yet another belt that can be won outside the Continental Classic format demeans it imo.

Also, yeah, Jericho, just go away. Last thing Hook needs is Chris's dead weight pulling him down. Jericho only works as an arrogant heel now I think, where his increasing cringe can work for him. Ideally I just want him gone, but it could be a fun little side story if, for instance, he just waltzed into the Dark Order and started acting like the boss, as if he was doing them a favor gracing them with his presence.

CastorTroy

I agree about the continental championship. Like we don't see the Owen Hart titles being defended.

As for Okada and Ospreay, this wasn't their big debut that had the show named for them. And as has been said, anyone who cares about them is likely watching already.

Mercedes should've at least attacked Willow at the end instead of just celebrating with her. Wasn't she a heel before she got injured? Might have made the opening better in hindsight if it's implied the reason it was so bad was because she didn't mean any of it.

On another note, saying the Bang Bang Gang made me think of the fact that they've been champions since January and haven't defended the title since then or appeared in RoH, that I remember.

Lord TSC

Few things, RE ratings. Per Reddit, these are the figures for the same week for the last four years.

• 2023: 852k
• 2022: 993k
• 2021: 743k
• 2020: 932k

Last Week: 779,000 Viewers - 0.27 P18-49

So it’s not really like the numbers are anything new, or going down either. They’re very much what they are. Which leads to the idea that AEW fans are baked in at this point.

Are Mone, Okada, Osprey draws? For the hardcore fans, sure. For the casuals? Nope. Great additions for the fans already on board, but maybe not massive attractions to draw in new viewers.

realistically, I’d say there’s about three individuals who are “draws” in modern wrestling. Rock is one. Cena is one. Punk is one, thanks to his lengthy absence, but I think that will diminish quick if he can stay fit. Maaaaybe Roman, again due to his sporadically he shows up, but his aura is amazing.

What draws in wrestling is the brand and is the momentum that you get by putting on top tier shows. WWE has that in spades right now, and it’s long been WWE that’s a draw, rather than specific wrestlers. So I don’t think adding anyone, outside of some Uber names, will do much more than spike a rating.

ratings will improve by consistently writing top tier shows, that convince fans they’re worth watching. Not by going, “hey, look at this new person”.

I also think Wrestlemania time is always going to be the toughest to compete with, at the best of times. At the moment, WWE is so hot, and I think even hardcore wrestling fans will have a limit to what they can consume weekly. When WWE is putting out 4 or 5 hours a week of top tier stuff, a lot of casuals won’t add extra stuff on top of that. And there’s a LOT of fans who aren’t wrestling fans, they are WWE fans, and see anything outside of WWE as entirely skipable. They’re locked into that eco system, and will point blank refuse to move out of it.

Ultimately, it’s only the money men at AEW who can decide if the ratings are a massive concern or not. I think it can be dangerous to take a single metric, and run with only it, cause I think demographics are important, the overall viewership and trends in TV is important, how those views translate into money at different levels are important. There’s a lot of shows that would be devastated to have AEW ratings, and there’s a lot of shows that would kill to have them. Compared to WWE, they are at a lacklustre level, and a lack of rising ratings in the face of developing an INSANELY stacked roster is something that they will be studying. But I also think some people obsess about them too, without a more thorough examination of what they mean specifically for AEW.

…..this has been my TED Talk 😂

J. Marston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121895373#Comment_121895373

Ospreay and Okada aren't draws. Ospreay is just a niche banger merchant. There is no star factor to him, except Meltzer's.

Okada has presence about him but he is still niche.

For wrestling hardcores, the real hardcores who are familiar with NJPW, this is a big deal but that doesn't equate to eyeballs.

On Mone. Sasha Banks was a big-ish name, Mercedes Mone isn't. She left WWE and did nothing. People thought she would take Hollywood by storm, she didn't. People thought she tear it up on the indies and Japan, she didn't, partially due to injury.

Also, another thing about her, she doesn't change her gimmick, ever.

Of the horsewomen, Becky and Bayley are only ones who have shown character variety. Sasha has been "Boss" with same mannerisms since day 1. She's boring. Same with Charlotte and "Queen."

Sasha Bank's debut (4:15) from July 13th 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOVRNGpL_cs

Mercedes Moné debut from March 13th 2024.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UttbtQQPcVs&t=36s

Nine years later and it's the EXACT same schtick. The same mannerisms, the same tacky props and accessories.

If she was insistent on sticking with the whole BO$$/C€O gimmick she could have come out in a suit and a decent pair of Ray-Bans and presented herself in a more serious/professional manner. She's here and she means business. If the EVPs try to f*ck her over, she's their match. Man or woman, inside or outside the ring - nobody f*cks with the Bo$$/C€O.

Instead, she still looks like a child that has just raided the fancy dress shop.

Lord TSC

Quick mod note:

I'm deleting three posts that were just taking shots at other posters, or trying to chat **** about each other.

I'm not unaware that the sentiment isn't entirely wrong; that there's some people who display a rabid tribalism, and an inability to discuss this without tribalism coming into play. On both sides.

But that doesn't also mean there's not certain aspects of things that can't be discussed. There's some people only want to **** on AEW, and there's some people who point blank want no criticisms of AEW, and both ends of the spectrum are breaking my heart, tbh. It's killing the discussions for the people in the middle who want to actually discuss things in good faith.

If you can't discuss it all though without starting to bitch and moan about each other, consider stepping away from the screen for a bit. For now, that's a pretty clear line we can all agree on.

ConcertKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121896578#Comment_121896578

I took shots at no one and everything I stated was true.

Not one bit happy you deleted my post!

J. Marston

You can PM me your posts guys. My rabid ego assumes they were about my post anyway 😅.

Edit: And there wasn't one thing about my post that was tribalistic or "bad faith."

ThePott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121896578#Comment_121896578

For the record, I'm not baiting or looking for arguments, missed all of what was said before it was deleted.

I just want discussion on what people think could boost AEW's ratings, if not 'big' stars. Or why those stars aren't drawing people in. I'm not looking for people to tear into AEW, I like AEW by and large and competition is important and their presence has undoubtedly been a net boost to pro wrestling.

As much as I like Mercedes, I think the point that she hasn't changed her gimmick is a pretty damning one. I know a lot of people are also touting the argument that they should have outright said she is going to be there and start revealing their cards a bit earlier.

I definitely agree that AEW's ratings have been up and down at times but it certainly feels like there was a point where a million seemed to be always within reach (or hitting it from time to time) and now it's further away than ever for some reason, even with TV ratings being down across the board.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121896877#Comment_121896877

Mod: Would you prefer a thread ban instead for insulting posters by calling them nobodies and marks? Lord TSC did you a favour deleting it, I suggest you take the favour and tone down the aggression in your posts going forward.

Folks if there's an issue with a post a mod makes PM the mod in question. Arguing on thread with a mod post isn't permitted in any forum on Boards.

ConcertKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121898063#Comment_121898063

Oh here we go again.

I have you on ignore since you WRONGLY banned me from the soccer thread which Boards customer care agreed with when I showed them my commemt so do not reply or comment at me again as I want nothing to do with you!

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121898119#Comment_121898119

Mod: And clearly you can't follow instructions so do not post in this thread again.

ConcertKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121898126#Comment_121898126

I am reporting you to Boards as am sick of you stalking and harassing me!!

Lord TSC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121897957#Comment_121897957

Ah yeah, I'm not lumping you in that group Pott, you're sound enough :P

(When did boards stop us from being able to see who Thanks posts? Makes it easier than having to respond like this, lol).

ThePott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121898176#Comment_121898176

No bother, appreciate it. Didn't think you were either just wanted it on the record to people, that I'm not trying to start sh1te haha.

Agreed, very annoying tbh that you can't see who thanks. Here I assumed it was just me 🤣

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121898176#Comment_121898176

A few days ago for me anyway.

Apparently they tried to fix the Thanks in private groups and it ended up f*cking up public Thanks.

Vanilla being Vanilla basically.