All Elite Musings - #9 Booking Full Gear

All Elite Musings

Booking Full Gear

   AEW Dynamite set up Full Gear in the most sensational fashion! Promos from Cody and Jericho ramped up the levels of intrigue for their AEW Championship clash alongside a fiery post match brawl to end the show. 

   This is AEW's first PPV with a weekly build and the anticipation is sky high. All three titles will be on the line for the first time ever. Moxley, Pac and Omega will all be in action as well as intriguing feuds such as Baker/Priestley and Bucks/Proud and Powerful set to light up the card. 

   Statistics and AEW rankings will be referred to throughout. These are not the official AEW produced stats and ranking. These are the PWM stats which create the +1/-1 based PWM Rankings Tables. These can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_4-Gs5TfEQ-ZYfyRqQ6P6Zfoh1GxfQ9Ve0EcvNh1PhE/edit#gid=1251272314

Britt Baker vs Bea Priestley

      This is scheduled to be on the 'Buy In' which a lot of people have an issue with. I would have liked this to have been built up more however it seems Bea Priestley's scheduling has restricted the regularity of opportunities to further the heat between these two. What does seem likely based on their previous skirmishes is that this will he a frantic, fiery encounter between two women both aiming to be the face of AEW.

   This will be Bea Priestley's first one on one match in AEW while Baker is 1-1 in one on one competition. Overall, Baker is ranked 3rd in AEW's women's division with a 4-2 record and Priestley is ranked at 10th in the women's division with a 1-3 record. 

   Statistically, it would be a disaster for Bea to lose again especially with the rare nature of her appearances meaning a -3 differential would be an arduous process to rectify. Britt, on the other hand, would remain 3rd in the rankings and would still have a +1 differential which at this stage in the evolution of AEW's win-loss record is a good record.

   Bea Priestley should win here to start the process of maximising her notable talent. Assuming, Riho remains champion, Bea Priestley would be an excellent bullying heel to match up against the best underdog performer in AEW. Baker has already had a title match and would benefit from a prolonged road to title glory to flesh out her character. Just being a doctor is not enough...

Shawn Spears vs Joey Janela

   This match was build in true AEW style, in a series of short character driven videos. The clash of styles is noticeable and the rivalry has been heat up quickly and effectively. This won't be anyone's favourite match of the evening but it should be a great clash.

   Neither man has excelled in the early days of AEW in terms of their win-loss record. Spears is sitting at a -1 record at number 27 in the men's overall rankings. Janela has actually fared worse, sitting at 46th in the men's overall rankings with a -3 record. However when we look a pure matches, one on ones, Spears is evens with a 2-2 record with Janella lagging behind with a 1-2.

   Spears needs this more therefore should come out victorious. Janela will be a big deal in AEW eventually, he has star quality and is very likeable. Shawn Spears has been packaged very well and his match with Cody was excellent. However, he does not have the same following as Janela, is much older and is not a stand out performer in the ring. If he is going to lose tonight it will hurt him.

AEW Tag Team Championship Match - Private Part vs SCU vs Lucha Bros

   This is set-up to be an exhilarating clash. A high paced, mad-cap dash filled with multi-man spots. Although we have just seen Lucha Bros vs SCU, the participants make sense from a win-loss record stand-point.

   Private Party are now the top ranked team in AEW with Lucha Bros now at number 2. SCU are ranked 5th with the obvious caveat they are the champions. Private Party have a 3-1 tag record, Lucha Bros have a 4-2 tag record and SCU have a 2-2 tag record. This doesn't make the champions look strong however when you factor in all match types Sky and Kaz are now ranked 2nd and 3rd in AEW overall rankings.

   Booking a winner from this match is tricky. Taking the belts off of SCU already seems like it would devalue the belts, however the way they presented the tournament to crown the first champions build a lot of prestige around the belts possible giving it some protection. Crowning new champions already would add to the sports based anything can happen including upsets.

   Despite all of this, SCU should prevail here as the other two teams will be AEW Tag-team champions in the future and a loss for SCU here would undermine their status as the inaugural champions.

Pac vs Adam Page

   These two have been associated with each other since the inception of AEW. Both would benefit from being separated for a while and with all the friction between Page and the other members of The Elite it seems likely another focus is on the horizon for him. Nonetheless, this match needs to be a success to ensure both men's stock rises with fans to legitimise AEW's match quality.

   Pac is joint second in the Men's Singles (one on ones) standings whereas Page is joint 10th, +3 and 0 differentials respectively. When we include all male wrestlers and all match types Pac is 9th with a +2 and Page is 16th with a +1. From this we can surmise that Page hasn't had the success of Pac in one on ones but isn't too far behind within the Overall standings.

   Pac will win this match. Page doesn't need to win, he is now more over than ever before and looks as if he is about to enter an Elite faction disfunction storyline. Pac on the other hand, has been packaged as a big threat as a wrestler and a badass. He needs this win to cements this.

Young Bucks vs Proud and Powerful

   This could be the in ring quality match of the night. Both teams are excellent workers and are masters of their craft. The factions will be a big part of this match with it almost being a opening act for Cody/Jericho. The build for this match has seen Proud and Powerful get the best of the Young Bucks repeatedly on Dynamite. It seems they may have got in the heads of the Bucks with this week's episode of Dynamite seeing Nick Jackson take a huge risk to get at his adversaries and Matt Jackson being the trigger for the Inner Circle's and Elite's re-engagement after being successfully separated briefly.

   Proud and Powerful have a 100% record in AEW thus far, having won both of their matches. Young Bucks have wrestled in significantly more matches with a more mixed record. They are 3-2 in tag team competition and 6-3 in all match types.

   Proud and Powerful need this more and should take the victory. This wouldn't be a defeat in the same upset vane as the one to Private Party for Matt and Nick so it would not undermine their standing or the sports-centric packaging of AEW. The Bucks are established, uber-popular and can climb the rankings at any point. It would take an unnecessary re-building job to re-establish Proud and Powerful after a loss and would be to the detriment of the Inner Circle's build.

AEW Women's Championship Match - Riho vs Emi Sakura

   A hastily put together match perhaps suffering from the defending of the title against Britt Baker on Dynamite. The mentor-student dynamic is an engaging one and will need to be highlighted more via a preview video or commentary. However, it is disappointing to see AEW's Women's division struggling already and giving the impression of being an afterthought. With the championship belt looking sub-standard in comparison to the other belts, this is not a good look and is many people's biggest criticism of AEW thus far and I would echo these sentiment.

   Riho is 4th in the company statistically with Sakura languishing in 28th. Overall records are at 6-2 for Riho and 2-2 for Sakura. Significantly, Riho is 3-0 in one on one singles competition with Sakura not even having wrestled a match on on one in AEW.

   Riho will win here, Emi Sakura is not going to be pushed as champion. This will be a good match due to the numerous previous times the competitors have worked together. Hopefully, this match will aid the ailing Women's Division.

Lights Out Unsanctioned Match - Kenny Omega vs Jon Moxley

   Potentially going on last as it is outwith the show, this is a huge matchup and a first time meeting of two global stars. The animosity between Omega and Moxley has followed a refreshingly untraditional format. This is not heel versus face. Moxley has crossed the lines between the two traditional roles. Both assaulting Kenny Omega from behind and refusing to use numbers advantages against him. Even saving him from beatdowns at the hands of others.

   Moxley is unbeaten in singles competition in AEW, with a victory over Shawn Spears and an unsanctioned match win against Joey Janela. Omega has had his ups and downs, he has a 2-2 one on one record and a 4-4 record overall. Omega also holds a lights out victory over Joey Janela.

   Moxley needs this more than Omega, therefore he should take the win. Some will argue Omega hasn't been built up like the megastar he was in NJPW to the newer members of the AEW audience and must start to collect victories in high profile matches to do so. However, Omega is such a talented worker and character-builder he can shoot himself into the stratosphere whenever the company is ready to make him the main man. 

   Moxley, albeit, the most recognisable face outwith Chris Jericho needs the win more. He suffered from being off TV with his injury and does not have all the momentum he built during his indy run and New Japan exploits post-Dean Ambrose. Moxley should be a huge star in AEW and this could be the next step.

AEW Championship Match - Chris Jericho vs Cody Rhodes

   The build for this match is unlike anything wrestling has seen for some time. The character work by Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes has been on a different level.

   Chris Jericho has reinvented himself yet again and has produced memes, character work and promos of the highest echelon. Some may have questioned his position at the top of the card as the very first champion due to his age and WWE affiliation. However the way he has taken on the role and elevated others in adversary or co-operation is gold-dust for AEW.

   On the other hand Cody, another ex-WWE performer, has matched Jericho's wonderous heel work with some spectacular babyface work of his own. The promo this week and the segment where he stormed the VIP box will live long in the memory of wrestling fans. The stakes being raised, putting his eligibility to challenge for the top title in the future on the line, alongside the already intriguing stipulation of judges separating the competitors in the event of a time-limit draw, makes this a layered and hard to call match up.

   Jericho leads the AEW standings with a +6 differential, 2 points ahead of everyone else. He is 3 and 0 in one on one singles competition and has an unblemished record in AEW match ups. Cody also has a strong record matching Jericho's unbeaten status in one on one matchups and is 4-1-1 in all match types. He is unpinned in AEW.

   The future implications for Cody do make this match seemingly more difficult to book but they don't. Jericho must win here. He is doing an incredible job in his role thus far and should be permitted to continue. The Inner Circle would immediately look far less threatening with a loss of the title belt and AEW would benefit from Jericho being dethroned after a lengthy reign.

  The future of Cody becomes fascinating if he loses here. It seems unlikely that he will actually never challenge again. This opens up the possibility of a truly cathartic babyface moment years down the line when he eventually becomes champion after years of fighting his way into a position where he is undeniable. Alternatively this is how Cody replaces Jericho as the uber-heel of AEW. Throwing his promises out of the window and politicking his way to AEW champion. The storyline possibilities are mouth-watering.

Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think. :-)

All Elite Musings - #6 Booking the Tag Team Tournament

All Elite Musings

Booking the Tag Team Tournament

   The first episode of AEW Dynamite was very story driven and perhaps not the sports-centric product that was promised. Hopefully, this was due to them establishing characters and storylines to move forward with. A tournament is the perfect antidote to this. The most sports-like aspect of most companies is often tournaments,  from King of the Ring to the G1, these competitions add story based around competitiveness around each match that mirrors real sports competitions.

   AEW needs to have this built into their product. If they are a wrestling league then the majority of matches need to be in this ilk which the first episode of Dynamite did not showcase. The Tag Team Championship tournament must be the first steps of establishing this.

First Round

Young Bucks vs Private Party
  Another Bucks/Lucha Bros match could be tricky. They have faced each other a lot in the run-up to AEW on TNT and the matches have been excellent. Would the fans tire of these matches? I believe having it in the final would run into that problem therefore having them in the same half of the bracket avoids this issue if they are going to cross paths again. That brings us to the match in the first round versus Private Party.

   Private Party have looked great so far, a really compelling and exciting tag team who feel like the next big team to follow in the footsteps of the Hardy Boys and the Young Bucks. If this was the WWE, Private Party would have a real possibility of winning here. However, AEW are aiming to be a more sports-based brand therefore the Young Bucks should win but would put over Private Party in the process.

   That would all be well and good. On the other hand sports have upsets, the best teams don't, generally, win every single match. Tournaments should include upsets occasionally and in this tournament Private Party are the best placed team to do this with. Private Party shock the Young Bucks.

Lucha Bros vs Jurassic Express
   The Lucha Bros are two of AEW's most premier teams, along with the Young Bucks. Neither should win the competition especially not the Young Bucks. The Lucha Bros winning it could make sense however handing the first ever AEW Tag Team reign to another big team would really establish them.

   The Lucha Bros should go far in the competition to use their star power to elevate another team as the Young Bucks-Lucha Bros feud, excellent as it has been, is risking becoming stale. It is for this reason that the Lucha Bros will defeat the Jurassic Express.

   The Jurassic Express could be an option as a shock win however there's probably more sense in elevating Private Party first and the Young Bucks can bounce back from a first round loss easier than the Lucha Bros.

Best Friends vs SCU
   A match that has already taken place but one that will still be an outstanding contest.

   Best Friends are an outstanding duo. They can be serious and excellently proficient competitors or goofy entertaining performers. Their gimmick is simple and very over and their relationship with Orange Cassidy is a potential goldmine. However, they don't need this victory nor are they particularly strongly positioned to pick it up.

   SCU, Frankie Kazarian and Christopher Daniels, are veterans of professional wrestling and as they enter the last phase of their careers, they have the opportunity to become synonymous with AEW as it establishes itself as a promotion. These men have wrestled excellent matches in the road to AEW Dynamite and their connection with the crow is a precious commodity.

   SCU should win out over the Best Friends and go far in the tournament.

 

AEW Power Rankings - 02.10.19

All Elite Musings - #7 Top 5 - AEW Should Sign...

All Elite Musings

Top 5 - AEW Should Sign...

The list below details five wrestling acts that AEW should sign. This is a list of signable names. AEW signing Kazuchika Okada and Daniel Bryan would lead to some incredible matches however this is unrealistic. Below are 5 exciting yet viable options.

1. Tessa Blanchard

   Impact Wrestling's brightest star and one of women's wrestling's biggest stars. A future megastar in the making. Everything about her is top class. She looks like a star, wrestles compelling matches and has the charisma of a big time player.

   There is no doubt that WWE will want to sign her. However, it seems that if she wanted to go there she would have done already. A stint in Japan would make sense, following in the footsteps of the likes of Bea Priestley and Toni Storm. However, AEW will want to sign her and they should.

   AEW's women's division is not up to the same standard as the men's or tag divisions. The WWE has hoovered up most of the talented female wrestlers available in the world today. Not only is Tessa Blanchard a talented female wrestler out with the WWE but also she is arguably more valuable than any women on the WWE roster. Her work for Impact wrestling has become renowned within the wrestling industry and community over the last year and she has become a revolutionary figure with her matches against Sami Callihan and oVe.

   AEW's women's division needs Tessa Blanchard and AEW could be the perfect platform for her to fulfil her astronomical potential.

2. Will Ospreay

   It will be the goal of any wrestling company to sign and create stars. If AEW want to create a main event scene full of big names that can wrestle excellent matches they need to find these talented individual's wherever they can. Men in the ilk of Kenny Omega, PAC or Jon Moxley are hard to come by. AEW will want to avoid just signing any decent wrestler cast off from WWE however an excessively high percentage of wrestlers with main event star potential are with the WWE or have been through the system.

   One man who does not wrestle for the WWE and has best in the world potential (if he's not there already) is Will Ospreay. Currently wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, Will Ospreay is an upper midcarder with limitless potential. A man whose talent is scarcely believable .

   Ospreay, seemingly, has his heart set on becoming the IWGP heavyweight champion. A prestigious achievement but not one that is out with the grasp of Ospreay's potential. Yet, AEW must find a way of bringing him to the company. It needn't happen this year or even next, but they should aim to have him wrestling in their main event scene regularly within the next five years.

   This would make sense. His partner, Bea Priestley, is already working with AEW and he is often muted as the successor to Kenny Omega. Additionally, this ever more capable version of Will Ospreay versus Kenny Omega is a 'match of the decade' contender potential proposition.

3. The Revival

   Contracted to WWE, alike many other that AEW would probably like to sign, The Revival have still managed to flirt with the idea of wrestling for AEW and more specifically against the Young Bucks.

   AEW are aiming to have the best tag team division on the planet and they are very much on the way to achieving that if they have not already assembled it. The best tag team wrestling in the world over the last five years has taken place in NXT, with The Revival very much being a part of that. The idea of matches between The Revival and the Lucha Bros or Ortiz and Santana is mouth-watering.

   The sticking point is whether they genuinely want to leave the WWE or have just stoked the fire to encourage a new deal. The other difficulty is the manner in which the WWE is treating it's want-a-way talent to ensure they don't benefit other companies.

4. Minoru Suzuki

   This man is a phenomenon. At 51 he is a unique talent that can have an engaging match with anyone. Wrestlers across the world covet matches with him and he has taken part in some of the best stuff NJPW has put out over the last few years.

   News has recently surfaced that Suzuki is not fully content in New Japan and baring in mind that he has been a journeyman throughout his career this doesn't seem like too much of a stretch. He has previously done a lot of work with New Japan's western partners Rev Pro and Ring of Honour.

   AEW would be foolhardy to miss out on such a compelling talent. He may be 51 but Suzuki's style and conditioning means this isn't an issue and he can still have matches at the top level. 

5. Marty Scurll

   It seems a foregone conclusion that Marty Scurll will be rejoining his 'Being the Elite' cast mates again in AEW. In fact his contract is, reportedly, up in September.

   This is great news for AEW. Scurll is a wonderful talent. A talented wrestler who can have matches with anyone due to his cerebral style and infectious charisma.

   Again this seems an unimaginative pick as it seems likely that Scurll to AEW is a sure-thing. However he is included on this list because of the scale of his talent. The Villain in AEW is a must thing.

All Elite Musings - #5 Booking AEW on TNT Ep.1

All Elite Musings

Booking AEW on TNT Ep.1

   Today is the start of the Wednesday Night Wars in America, or for those of us the UK tomorrow is. In anticipation of the first television episode of AEW, I am going to attempt to book the card in the blog post below. I will suggest what would be the decisions that should be made to give the company a strong first show.

Cody vs Sammy Guevara

   Cody has ended up being positioned as the premier babyface in AEW as the show proceeds through it's genesis. I still find this a little strange in light of his outstanding heel work during his ROH/NJPW run. However, he is so intensely likeable it works. Solid in the ring with a great look and a strong promo, Cody is well positioned to shine at the front in the early days of AEW.

   Guevara looks a supremely talented worker with decent charisma, especially as a heel. He is young, was relatively unknown before AEW and seems to have his finger on the pulse. Guevara won't rise up the card quickly but will eventually due to his buckets of charisma.

   How to book the match? Cody wins. It will be a showcase to punctuate the beginning of AEW on TNT. Cody will build his momentum as he heads towards a World Title match with Chris Jericho. However Guevara will get time to put his best foot forward and get his moves in.

Brandon Cutler vs MJF

   What a build to this match it has been! Built around Twitter and comments around Dungeons and Dragons, it has been a refreshingly different narrative to build the feud.

   Cutler could do with a win here to help establish himself as a competitor out with his friendship with the Young Bucks. It could be suggested MJF doesn't need the win, that it wouldn't affect his character. However, in MJF, AEW have a star in the making. He must cut a promo, it's a guaranteed home run for AEW. This should come after the match after MJF wins. He is a valuable commodity in the early days of the 'war' and should be utilised.

PAC vs Adam Page

   This is a hard one to call. It seemed at the beginning of AEW that Page may be one of the biggest stars of AEW. However the loss to Jericho really harmed Page's momentum. A lack of star making charisma and a truly star-making feud or match means he has taken the loss to Jericho heavily. A victory over someone as renowned as PAC would be the ideal solution.

   PAC is a star. A potential mega-star. The way he carries himself, his angry charisma and unreal talent in the ring. The AEW World Championship must be in his future. PAC just defeated Kenny Omega in his only AEW match to date, momentum is very much on his side.

   The deciding factor here could be the relationship between PAC and AEW management. Is he in it for the long haul? Because Page most certainly is. This may lead them to push Page ahead of PAC. PAC should win. Page isn't a main-eventer yet, PAC is and could become a huge draw for AEW.

Riho vs Nyla Rose

   AEW's women's division is the weakest part of their product. Neither Nyla Rose or Riho are established nor have they really built any intrigue in their characters. The cultural differences are a factor for Riho and the other Joshi talent and Nyla Rose's character is hampered by the disparity between her on screen and off screen rhetoric.

   With Nyla they have a dominant heel champion for the babyfaces to chase. A safe and engaging tactic. However her comment on Twitter was both extremely inappropriate and unintelligent.

   Riho provides a deserving champion and sets up a unique women's division. This would be an unexpected move and may build up a lot of interest. This is the path they should take, Riho wins.

The Elite vs Jericho, Ortiz and Santana

   Despite the criticism of the reveal of the formerly LAX being prematurely debuted, this will be a barn-stormer of a main event. The dynamics here are great! Jericho vs three of the companies EVPs that he keeps antagonising, Kenny's continuous slide into defeat after defeat and delirium, and the potential of Ortiz and Santana putting themselves on the tag team map in AEW.

   A win for the Elite would establish them as a force in AEW which would work for the fans would followed them to AEW. It would also fit in with Kenny's arc having him struggle when he is without the Young Bucks. However this isn't the best way to go in regards to potential storylines.

   A win for Jericho, Ortiz and Santana should be the result. Jericho needs to be booked strong to build him as a champion that will be a challenge to dethrone. A loss to the Young Bucks makes no sense and it's too soon for him and Omega is the last person who should be pinning Jericho at the moment. Jericho pinning Omega could work, elevating Jericho and further building Omega's story. 

   The obvious route is for one of the formerly LAX to pin Matt or Nick Jackson thus elavating them as a legitimate top-tier tag team immediately. Having this pin fall occur with something significant going wrong for Omega would be the smartest booking. Jericho could 'Juda's Affect' Omega in the closing sequence to take him out of the equation.

Additional Points

• AEW should give promos a prominent platform. MJF and Moxley must be given significant mic time.
• WWE or NXT shouldn't be referenced.
• The women's match needs to be noteworthy in terms of match quality.
• Promotion of women wrestlers in backstage segments. An unlikely return from Kylie Rae would be incredible.
• No Jake Hager. He just doesn't fit what the product should be.

All Elite Musings - #4 How to Structure a Sports-centric Wrestling Company

All Elite Musings

#4 - How to Structure a Sports-centric Wrestling Company

   The first thing you will notice here is that there are a lot of titles. I like the idea of a lot of very distinct divisions which wrestlers compete in depending on their record or style. Having such a variety of divisions and titles means that wrestlers can be absent for a couple of weeks as the spotlight is put on other wrestlers and divisions.

Tier 1 - AEW World Championships and Tag Championships

   World title competitors will have strong statistical records and will have to ear their place. Currently Cody is getting a title shot as he has the best win-loss record so far. However, in the future I would expect wrestlers to have to win a lot more than three matches to earn a shot at either the top men's or top women's spot in the company.

   I wouldn't have the title defended on every show and I would not have the champion pinned out with a title match except very rarely. I would like to see number one contenderships earned through tournaments and fierce competition.

   Wrestlers such as Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Cody Rhodes and Adam Page seem suitable for the men's top tier and competitors such as Nyla Rose, Britt Baker, Bea Priestly and Awesome Kong for the women's top tier within the company's current roster.

   The tag division would be alongside these divisions. With teams having to work together for an extended period of time before having the synergy to be able to compete for the titles. Currently, The Young Bucks, Lucha Bros, SCU and the former-LAX seem appropriate leaders of this division.

Tier 2 - AEW Intercontinental

   There should be secondary tier titles for the male and female divisions. I've called them 'Intercontinental' as is the convention in wrestling companies however the name isn't important and an unique name would be better.

   This could be an explicit system where contenders for tiers are recorded based on ability and results as happens on old '2k' WWE games. Wrestlers working their way to the top of a division to earn a title match or get promoted to a higher division will give matches meaning without needing overly elaborate soap-opera stories.

   Competitors such as Riho, Brandi Rhodes, Sadie Gibbs and Big 'Swole or competitors such as MJF, Jimmy Havoc, Sammy Guevarra, Darby Allen and Shawn Spears would be well-positioned to build these divisions in the early days of AEW.

Tier 3 - Alternative Divisions

   The TV Title should be a thing. A title that does not appear on PPV but does on most TV shows would be another way of differentiating action in AEW. This title would be competed for by wrestlers looking for a platform to show off their talent to earn further opportunities. Wrestlers from other divisions looking to make a point or even wrestlers from other companies looking to earn a spot would comprise this division.

   AEW is aiming to avoid the cookie-cutter approach of the WWE. Therefore divisions should have clear characteristics. They have shown an interest in more extreme/hardcore wrestling in the early days of the organisation. A title for hardcore, death match or strong style wrestlers would be an interesting differentiation and offer variety to the card.

   The New Blood title would be a version of the Junior division, cruiserweight division or X-division that you see in other companies. It would be a division for younger, lesser known talent who are looking to wow the audience with their youthful talent and athleticism.

   A lot of companies have trios titles however the faction system in New Japan is a very effective story driving system. By having a set of Faction championships, AEW could use them flexibly to add interest to matches between different groups of wrestlers. They could be defended in six man, eight man or ten man matches depending on the number of wrestlers involved in each faction. AEW already have various groups of wrestlers out with the tag division.

Power Rankings - 2019 So Far...

Power Rankings

2019 So Far...

   This is my Power Rankings for the year in wrestling so far. I will be ranking wrestlers in terms of their achievement within the world of wrestling inside and outside of the ring.

1. Kazuchika Okada

   Another year of excellence from the ace of New Japan. 2019 saw Okada win the New Japan Cup, win back the IWGP Heavyweight Title and put together a string of masterful performances in the G1 29.

   Okada is currently the most valuable commodity in professional wrestling. A dynastorial champion who elevates whoever gets in the ring with him. Okada is already the greatest IWGP Champion of all time and he is only 31. He is definitely one of the top three wrestlers in the world and he will get better. Another ten years of brilliance is probable.

   His matches with Ospreay, Suzuki and SANADA have been highlights of the year as he rebuilt his Rainmaker character, short trunks and all.

2. Becky Lynch

   She has, inarguably, cooled off in recent months but on the strength of her Royal Rumble win and the defeat of Ronda Rousey at Wrestlemania as well as the evolution of her 'The Man' persona she is undeniable one of the very hottest commodities in the business.

   Her promos are polished and yet organic. She connects with the fans yet is face of the biggest company in the wrestling world. Becky Lynch has used 2019 to become one of the most recognisable names in wrestling.

   When handles correctly she is part of scorching hot feuds and creates a big match feel. Her feud with Rousey was the perfect example of this and her upcoming feud with Sasha Banks is in the same vein.

3. Chris Jericho

   Chris Jericho is 48 years old yet has possible had the biggest year in his wrestling career. He has been the IWGP Intercontinental Champion, challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Title and has become the first ever AEW World Champion.

   He is a promo machine and has been 'don't take your eyes off him' good in feuds. His work with Adam Page, Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega has been compelling.

   He is now going to be the centre piece for the television debut of AEW on TNT. He will get significant mic-time and will be feuding with the biggest and most skilled performers in AEW. He has proven that he can draw interest and create brilliance with relative ease.

4. Tessa Blanchard

   An Impact Wrestling star yet on the most compelling and now influential performers in the world. Callis and D'Amore deserve a huge amount of credit for how they have booked her however her talent is shining through in a big way!

   Her intergender matches are pulling up trees in the wrestling world. She has an incredible look, a believable style and a compelling ability to sell. It's inconceivable that Impact can hold onto her for much longer despite the incredible job they have done to elevate her.

   It could be argued that she is the next stage of the woman's evolution within wrestling, that it is in fact her that is the heir to the four horsewomen. If AEW can get hold of her it could be next level for all parties. She is poised to take the work of Becky Lynch to the next level.

5. Kota Ibushi

   An incredibly gifted performer and perennially cited to be a breakout star. However Kota Ibushi is 37 years old. That's six years older than Okada.

   2019 has been different though. Ibushi has signed a lifetime contract with New Japan after years of flitting from company to company. This has seen New Japan become comfortable with investing in Ibushi. 20189 say Ibushi win the G1 29 and he is scheduled to face Okada at Wrestle Kingdom.

   Incredible in the ring, uber popular with Japanese and Western fans and star-like looks Kota Ibushi is about to fulfill his monstrous potential.

6. Jon Moxley

   What a year it has been for Jon Moxley. From leaving WWE to cryptic messages to resurfacing as Jon Moxley to AEW to NJPW to the G1 and the incredible podcast tell alls. Jon Moxley has gone from struggling as Dean Ambrose to storming AEW and NJPW as Jon Moxley.

   His self promotion, the way he has conducted himself and his sheer talent in the ring has enabled him to power back to prominence in the wrestling world. He is now a star in Japan and is poised to be a major player in AEW.

   His promo work in AEW has proven him an intelligent man who understands the business and what fans want but iti has been his work in Japan that has really stood out. His G1 run was incredible. He mixed it up with a variety of styles and worked the incredibly difficult New Japan with aplomb.

7. Cody Rhodes

   Cody is an interesting wrestler. Often maligned as not up to the standard of the other wrestlers that are pushing the business into the future yet he is a compelling worker and a magnetic personality.

   He has had incredible matches against Shawn Spears and Dustin Rhodes so far this year. He is a masterful promo and a genius businessman. He is the face of AEW and possible the most over babyface in the fledgling company.

   His ability to build up a match giving each a big match feel is invaluable. He is not in the top bracket in terms of wrestling technical ability but his charisma and creative skills are very special.

8. Seth Rollins

   It has been an interesting year for Seth Rollins. Elevated in difficult circumstances, Rollins has been the mainstay of the main event scene on Raw for a year now. He is the number one babyface but is a somewhat controversial character.

   Incredibly skilled in the ring yet he struggles to remain over with the fans. A questionable Twitter game and some poor character work has made life difficult for him however he has had some superb moments this year.

   His victory against Lesnar at Summerslam was an incredible performance and has rehabilitated his character. He is now one of the most valuable commodities in the business.

9. Will Ospreay

   Considered one of the best, of not the best wrestler in the world. This year Will Ospreay won the BOSJ, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title and competed in the G1 as a junior heavyweight.

   Ospreay has moved to Japan and is becoming a major player in New Japan. Apparently he is considered the heir to Kenny Omega. He has put on a succession of terrific matches this year against Eagles, Takagi, Ibushi and Okada.

   With an ever evolving moveset and a unique charisma at 26 years old, the world is in Will Ospreay's hands.

10. Johnny Gargano

   The injury to Tommaso Ciampa was gutting for NXT fans who had watched their epic feud. However the somewhat impromptu match with Adam Cole was an incredible spectacle.

   Four five star matches as a WWE wrestler is something to take notice of. Gargano is an incredible worker and is almost guaranteed to have the best match on the card.

   He is in an interesting position. He is almost the next Brian Danielson yet he is already signed by WWE. Yet if he did decide to go elsewhere he would hit the top of the card instantly.

Honourable Mentions

• Kenny Omega - The best wrestler in the world and AEW EVP is building a compelling story in the fledgling promotion.
• The Young Bucks - The Jackson brothers are at the forefront of a tag team dynasty.
• The Undisputed Era - This quartet will be at the front of NXT as it takes on AEW in the 'Wednesday Night War'.
• MJF - A truly special promo. He has so very much potential as a heel in AEW.
• Sasha Banks - The possible resurgence of Sasha Banks coupled with her wrestling ability is potentially very special.
• Io Shirai - Wrestling ability as it has always been, top tier, however her character work has taken the wrestling world by storm.

AEW Musings - #3 The First 10 AEW World Champions

AEW Musings

The First 10 AEW World Champions

#1 - Chris Jericho

   AEW have a limited window with Chris Jericho if they want to have him as their world champion. He has been a phenomenon over the last few years in relation to the way he has done some the best work of his career at his relatively advanced age. It seems a bit of a publicity grab to have Jericho as champion however he is an incredible talent and the character he has sculpted over the last two years is fascinating.

#2 Adam Page

   It has obviously already been decided that Adam Page is going to be a huge part of the main event of AEW. Have him lose to Chris Jericho in the first title match and have him chase. Make his coronation as a main event player mean something. Let Jericho run with the spotlight for the first three or so months and have Page come in at the turn of the year.

#3 PAC

   Arguably PAC should have been AEW's first champion. He has taken the wrestling world by storm since leaving WWE and quite rightly so. An incredibly talented man who fits the AEW wrestling mold to a tee who has sculpted an engaging heel act. Have him take the title off Page in dastardly fashion and establish him as one of AEWs premier heels for years to come.

#4 Kenny Omega

   Kenny Omega loses his match to PAC at All In and then loses to a returning Moxley. He then going on a redemption 'tour' putting on a string of great matches with AEW's intriguing mid-card; MJF, Gueverra, Havoc and Allen. 

   Eventually, Omega rises back to prominence and returns to his best bout machine best with dominion 2018-golden hair and defeats the now seemingly imperious PAC in a marathon match.

#5 Cody

   The Elite can't stay together forever in AEW. There are too many potential stories and feuds to be told between the individuals. Cody will eventually return to ROH-style uber-heel Cody. Thus becoming one of the top heels in AEW. Cody will end a prestigious longest yet Kenny Omega title reign after becoming progressively more deranged. Notably this feud will not draw on their executive positions in the company. These won't be mentioned.

#6 Adam Page

   AEW's belief in Page is exemplified by him becoming their first two-time champ. Cody's old training partner will be the one to serve him his comeuppance after a somewhat lengthy and dastardly title reign. By this stage it will be apparent whether Page is main man quality and presumably with the level of investment in him he will be by this stage.

#7 Kazuchika Okada

   AEW and NJPW must strike up some sort of deal. Without it, NJPW could see their US expansion recede and AEW would really benefit from the temporary presence of Japanese superstars. 

   It is to capatalise on both of these that Okada would have a short title reign where he puts on a string on incredible matches and looks undefeatable to create a new AEW top star and bring eyes to NJPW.

#8 Jon Moxley

   Moxley's evolution comes to a head with a victory over Okada. His unpredictable but unnervingly intelligent shtick that he was building in the G1 29 will come into full affect with Moxley defeating Okada with a mix of wrestling ability and ruthless aggression. Moxley as top champion in AEW is too good not to do. His creativity and promo skills are now evident. He has limitless potential. 

#9 MJF

   Rejoice, it will happen eventually. Maxwell Jacob Freedman has too much potential, too much ability, way too much charisma and will get way too much of a reaction from the crowd to not eventually have a run in the main event with the top belt. He will take it by the skin of his teeth as a result of a cheap trick or some other complication before becoming a dastardly heel, ducking and cheating to hold onto the belt.

#10 Will Ospreay

   If AEW want to be home to the best wrestling as the years role on they need to get hold of Will Ospreay as soon as he has completed his odyssey of becoming IWGP heavyweight champion. He is the successor to Omega. Yes, he has arguably surpassed him but Omega will be back. However Omega is older than Ospreay and as Omega moves into and through his 40s, Ospreay is the man to get to replace him at the top of the card.

Other Intriguing Prospects

• Marty Scuryll
• Heel Kenny Omega
• Shota Umino
• Darby Allen
• Someone from WWE
• Johnny Gargano

AEW Musings - #2 Booking All Out

All Elite Musings

#2 - Booking All Out

Private Party vs Jack Evans and Angelico

   Private Party are a class act, they will go far in AEW. They are a young exciting tag team with a unique look. I fully expect to see them win the tag titles after a long and arduous journey as a babyface act. Evans and Angelico are a much less certainty in AEW. They certainty look talented and are exciting athletes. However I just can't see them gathering much steam at the moment.

   I'm finding this match hard to call. My first instinct was that Evans and Angelico would win as they need it more than Private Party. However I'm now expecting Private Party to win as they are a potentially huge commodity in AEW.

   I would book Private Party to win in a fairly even contest showing off the athleticism of both teams. They should go far in the tag tournament on TNT.

Casino Battle Royale

   Straight to it. I would book Kylie Rae to win this. However it doesnt seem like she will be at All Out. Dave Meltzer has reported she is out with an unknown medical issue and she has removed her Twitter account. I hope she's doing okay and reappears soon.

   I'm hoping for a star making performance here from Sadie Gibbs who looks like a tremendous prospect. Allie is another interesting candidate for this match, however she would benefit from a longer road to the main event. I really hope Brandi Rhodes isn't pushed in a corrupt authority figure role. I would have her pull away from Kong and run as a babyface. I'm unsure about the Japanese talent in this match hopefully it will help the audience get to know them better.

   That leaves Nyla Rose and Britt Baker. Expect them to be the last two women standing. I'm not sure Rose is ready to be pushed that high that fast. Expect Baker to win and I whole-heartedly agree with that. I believe only she, Allie and Rae are ready for the role with Baker being the most equipped at this moment.

SCU vs. Luchasaurus, Jungle Boy, and Mark Stunt

   This will open the show and will be an absolute fire-cracker of a match! SCU have been part of some amazing tag matches in AEW thus far. 

   A Boy and his Dinosaur have captured the hearts of fans in AEW very quickly. The addition of Stunt is an interesting one. He will add another dimension. Expect innovative three man offense and memorable spots.

   SCU should be pushed in the early days of AEW. I would have them beat their opponents here and get to the final of the tag tournament on TNT.

Riho vs. Hikaru Shida

   I'm struggling to get to grips with the Japanese talent thus far in AEW.

   Riho has featured regularly so far and Kenny Omega presumably rates here very highly. Shida is not someone that I or most Western viewers will be familiar with. Some quick research reveals she is talented in the ring and is charasmatic in a manner that will connect with Western audiences.

   Riho should go over here as she has been present in AEW for longer and would be heavily damaged by a loss here. However you should expect big things from Shida in the future she looks an intriguing prospect.

Joey Janela vs Jimmy Havoc vs Darby Allen

   This will be excellent. I really enjoyed the 6-man from Fight for the Fallen and saw it as a collection of wrestlers any of who could break into the main event with the correct booking. This will be a more competitive version of that.

   Allen has caught the attention of fans. The is a compelling performer with an excellent character and phenomenal talent in the ring. Janela is a creative force and a surprisingly talented performer.

   Havoc should win this. Allen doesn't need it as the fans are behind him and his character would not be affected by a loss. Janela's character can absorb a loss as well. Havoc is lesser known but is enormously talented in the ring. Seek out his two out of three falls match against Will Ospreay in Progress.

Best Friends vs The Dark Order

   It has seemed for quite some time that The Dark Order is going to get the bye in the tournament. However they have not been successful in their presentation thus far. The Best Friends on the other hand are very over and are great talkers.

   AEW should change tactic and give the win to The Best Friends. The can be charismatic, capable representatives of the prized AEW tag division. The Dark Order seem outdated despite their obvious in-ring talents. Time to cut the losses.

Cody vs Shawn Spears

   This will be a theatrical masterpiece, Cody's matches have been so far. The addition of Blanchard is fascinating. The link to Cody's family is typical of his booking so far. There will be shenanigans here and Cody will put on an emotional masterpiece. 

   Shawn Spears position in AEW is interesting. Currently, they don't have a lot of heels. This could indicate big things for him. I don't really see it thus far but I hope I'm wrong. He comes across as a guy who has worked hard and has done everything right but for the machine to take the magic out of him.

   Blanchard will be a big part of this as will whoever eventually corners Cody. MJF may be involved in some capacity however I don't see the double-cross just yet. Expect Spears to win and this is the right decision. A loss would completely derail a potentially compelling character.

Lucha Bros vs The Young Bucks

   The two best tag teams in the world. Their matches so far have been incredible. It appears The Young Bucks are on a mission to catapult tag team wrestling in AEW into the Stratosphere. Therefore this will be an incredible display of tag team excellence.

   This match will be largely designed to put over tag team wrestling in AEW and particularly the Lucha Bros. Expect crazy stunts and scarily dangerous dives. Hopefully from both Nick Jackson and Rey Fenix, who will with luck healthy to compete.

   The Lucha Bros will win here and they should. The Young Bucks can lose here and still be considered favourites for the tag competition on TNT.

Kenny Omega vs PAC

   Jon Moxley's injury is a big blow. His proposed match with Kenny Omega should have been the culmination of a terrific run since leaving WWE. His time in Japan has shown him to be an outstanding wrestler and a compelling worker. Hopefully his eventual arrival, proper, in AEW will be explosive and rewarding.

   PAC is the best possible replacement. An excellent wrestler with a, coincidentally, similar path to Omega. This match would benefit from a Road to All Out appearance from PAC or a backstage interview before the fact.

   This will be a nailed on outstanding match. PAC must win. A loss on his debut wouldn't make sense. Omega will eventually be an AEW World champion and the face of the company. Perhaps he should be wrestling for that here but that's not the case. PAC can be huge in AEW he needs to win here.

Chris Jericho vs Hangman Page

   This is an interesting match to headline AEW's big event before the TNT run starts. A lot of people would have been expecting PAC or Omega to be fighting for the title in this event however that's not the case.

   I've gone back and forth on this. It's really a case of whether they want to capitalise on Jericho or not. He doesn't have ong left where he can really compete in top of the card matches. If they want to have a Jericho title run this may be the only opportunity.

   Page on the other hand is basically guaranteed to hold the belt eventually. The Elite have clearly decided he deserves to be a big star and may very well want him to be the first AEW Wold champion.

   It may seem cheap to put the belt on Jericho due to the perspective of that being an easy road to more exposure for the new brand. However Jericho is a phenomenal character. A Jericho title run could be special and boast some incredible confrontations. This is the route AEW should take on Sunday.

All Elite Musings - #1 Booking Brandi

All Elite Musings

#1 Booking Brandi

   Brandi Rhodes is a divisive character within All Elite Wrestling. As Chief Brand Officer and wife of Cody Rhodes, she is also a prominent figure. She is a charismatic individual and clearly a very talented woman. However, she has often faced backlash on Twitter over her position in AEW. Be it, her appointment as CBO or her in-ring opportunities. Fans often claim she is benefiting from nepotism.

   I am not going to focus too much on this claim, I am going to look at how best to maximise her substantial potential. Is she in her positions because of her relationship with Cody? Maybe, partially. But we don’t know how involved she has been in Cody’s rise to prominence, we don’t know what goes on behind the scenes at AEW and as for in-ring, she has clearly progress significantly. What is clear is that she is an incredibly talented and driven woman.

   Brandi Rhodes is currently a heel in AEW. This is what I wish to muse over in this article. It seems the obvious route, one that is tried and tested and one that she is very good at. Her run with Cody in ROH saw the two of them as entertaining uber-heels, this being her most prominent role to date. However is this really the right route for her?

   Before Fight for the Fallen, she did an interview as part of Road to Fight for the Fallen where she spoke candidly about her past struggles with performance anxiety. This was well received and many believed it to be a face turn of sorts. This didn’t materialise with her playing the heel in her match with Allie.

   This match was criticised by some fans on Twitter. These fans believing her not to be on the level of other women in AEW. However, in the previously mentioned video she had cited this stating that she often struggled when the lights are on bright. Lots of fans will have connected with this and been able to relate to it. She put herself across as a relatable character which is a precious commodity in any form of celebrity.

   Why not run with this. Be the real Brandi Rhodes, if this is indeed the real her, the hard-working individual who has built herself from the ground up alongside her equally hard-working husband. In this way when she has weaker performances she can reference that struggle and talk about how she is training. Therefore, her stronger performances, which I believe are the norm, can become Bayley-esque moments.

   Her endless reserves of charisma can drive forward either character. The fire that was present in the recent Road to All Out video would also fit really well with a babyface character. I believe this character would be a departure from the norm for Brandi and a very interesting avenue to explore.

   In the end, her charisma and work ethic make her an incredible talent regardless of who she is married to. She has clearly earned her place and is an important figure. It seems possible that as AEW progresses Cody will become a maniacal heel again as the company doesn’t have many established heels outwith Chris Jericho. Perhaps, her current heel role is a precursor to this. Or perhaps they have just decided that the women’s division is best served with a heel Brandi Rhodes in the mix.

   After her ‘Road to…’ work I am intrigued to see how her AEW role grows over the next few months.