Could we be seeing another Monday Night Wars?
Because look how well the last Monday Night War (WWE vs Impact) worked out.
IMO they missed a spectacular opportunity with their name: they should have gone with American Wrestling Elite for AWE. The promos write themselves that way and who can forget AWE as an acronym? Much better than AEW, which has no character, no zazz…
They could have had a great slogan: “We’ll leave you in AWE”.
Their program could have been called “Shock & AWE”. They could bill themselves as AWEsome. Seriously, it would be so easy because they just write themselves.
These guys did sell out an indy show not so long ago, and they’ve signed some top shelf talent. Then again, the best way I know to make a small fortune in the wrestling business is to start with a large fortune. I’ll likely check them out on TNT and give them a chance…
Won’t be much of a war when the promotion is playing on one of the only days there is no WWE programming. It’s slated to go on Tuesday, a day after RAW, a day before NXT and three days before Smackdown moves to Fridays after Fox.
I haven’t watched wrestling since the late 1970s and even I had heard of some of the names the AEW has: Chris Jericho (his band gets written up a lot in metal mags) and the Buck Brothers (I saw a short doc on them a couple years ago).
I watched a little bit of the dying days of TNA/Impact, and some New Japan in the last couple of years. Cody Rhodes is Dusty’s son (not sure why he can’t use the Rhodes name, possibly something to do with WWE). Kenny Omega was main eventing in New Japan. Brandi Rhodes is Codys wife.
I expect the product will be stiff, high impact, dangerous stuff similar to what New Japan does, but probably with more angles and interviews.
I’m looking forward to seeing what AEW can do.
My WAG is that they considered it but there is already a wrestling organization called AWE (Allen Wrestling Entertainment). Considering that WWF lost their name due to conflicts with the World Wildlife Fund, they may have been shy about inviting a lawsuit.
The name is what it is because the faction of Cody, the Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega - the guys who are starting this promotion and booked the debut show in a 10,000 seat arena with their own money, are called “the Elite” from there time in New Japan as the leaders of Bullet Club.
I did not know there was already an AWE. i do remember the WWF lawsuit; it made the news quite a bit.
Another new fact for me; thanks!
You’re correct. WWE owns the rights to the name “Cody Rhodes.” Since he left WWE, he’s gone by “Cody,” “The American Nightmare, Cody*,” and “(with his wife as manager) Cody and Brandi Rhodes.”
I haven’t seen a lot of NJPW, but from what I’ve seen, it seems high impact, but more involved in storyline then a dangerous spot-fest.
*That’s A riff on his late father’s wrestling name, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
This. No predictions, let’s see what they can produce.
I haven’t decided if I want to spend $50 for their upcoming PPV - Double or Nothing, since I already get WWE’s PPVs for $10 a month. I’m sure it will be reproduced in YouTube in some fashion and split up into spoiler headlines.
I look forward to seeing the product on TV.
I just hope they stay away from the hokey BS, they have done some really silly stuff. The Hangman Page/Joey Ryan feud featured Ryan’s death, a talking cowboy boot and Ryan’s return via a penis parade.
run down on the AEW ppv:
Double or Nothing was sub-par all around. Lucky for them that sub-par is the par for wrestling these days. More than anything they need a better director, the camera angles sucked, not enough close-ups, and cuts to some stupid audience reaction right when something good happens. We never need to see audience reactions because we are the audience!
Also, a masked announcer sets new standards for stupidity.
The Rhodes Bros. fighting each other was good. Joining up as a tag team next is stupid, first they team up, then have a falling out, then engage in a blood bath.
Jericho and Omega was good also. I was not all that impressed with the first one, I think Omega was better this time.
Ambrose needs to be Ambrose again. I don’t care about his name but he has to return to the character that made the Shield something in the first place.
The rest of it was mostly crap.