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All Elite Wrestling, or AEW, has grown immeasurably in the past 12 months. The company has continued to deal with the challenges of producing weekly television. Looking back at where AEW stood a year ago, the growth is stunning.
Heading into the fall of 2019, questions remained over the viability of a weekly AEW television show. Undoubtedly, there have been some peaks and valleys for AEW along the way. But aside from some of the obstacles caused by the pandemic, Tony Khan and the company have a lot to smile about.
To illustrate this significant arc of growth AEW has enjoyed since last year, it'd be fruitful to take a look at how the company has fared from a booking standpoint.
General state of play in AEW
At the end of the December 18, 2019 episode of AEW Dynamite, the company shot an angle in which the Dark Order ambushed The Young Bucks. At this stage, the Dark Order was being led by Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, a pairing that lacked the credibility required for a main event angle.
As a result, the stable simply didn’t belong in the final segment of AEW Dynamite. In fact, the group’s positioning was deemed an embarrassment by Dave Meltzer, who said:
“The last 5 mintues of AEW epitomized every misstep...this felt like a tipping point. It felt like I was watching Nitro, and not in a good way… the booking hasn’t been WCW-level but as far as that last segment...the problem here is the top guys are too much team players. They have to find that happy medium.”
What a difference a year makes. 12 months later, AEW has assembled a stacked roster that's renowned for its diversity. The company has displayed its ability to tell compelling long-term stories. AEW Dynamite's weekly audience has steadily grown, so the company is riding high as 2020 draws to a close.
AEW has also established a healthy rhythm for its weekly Dynamite shows. A genuine sense of big-picture thinking is apparent with every episode. Each one of them often feels like it has been mapped out weeks in advance. Plus, there has been a pronounced effort to nurture young talent. This pattern could prove to be vital to the company's success.
AEW World Championship picture
In December 2019, AEW was still very much in its formative stage of development. It relied on the legendary Chris Jericho to captain the ship as "Le Champion." While Jericho’s title run was quite enjoyable, the current state of AEW’s World Championship picture is a remarkable improvement from where it stood a year ago.
With AEW Winter is Coming, AEW Dynamite featured one of the most intriguing title switches in recent memory. New champion Kenny Omega aligned with Don Callis to launch the company into a new era.
This victory was the culmination of Omega's return to the main event scene. For months, he was stuck in the mid-card as a tag team player. But now, Omega is back where he belongs. As he asserts himself as the would-be belt collector, Omega may even take the AEW Championship on a cross-promotional tour. After all, he's quickly becoming the face of AEW's partnership with IMPACT Wrestling.
AEW tag team division
AEW has always showcased tag team wrestling in the same manner as world title programs. But early in the company's history, the depth of its tag division was somewhat limited. The Lucha Bros, Jurassic Express, Dark Order, SCU and Best Friends gave the company a dynamic group of teams that was fairly top-heavy.
To this day, many fans still think that the Lucha Bros should have been the inaugural AEW World Tag Team Champions. Instead, in a head-scratching move, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky won the gold.
One year later, AEW’s tag team division is unrecognizable. SCU has faded into the background while young teams like Top Flight and The Acclaimed have taken center stage. World-class duos like FTR and The Young Bucks lead this loaded division.
The Young Bucks, much like their Elite stablemate Kenny Omega, took the scenic route to the gold. After a lengthy journey, Matt and Nick Jackson finally reign as the champions. The Bucks waited patiently for their coronation. So don’t expect anything less than a long title run for a duo that's often viewed as one of the world's best teams.
AEW mid-card singles division
In December 2019, AEW’s mid-card wasn't defined very well. The likes of Joey Janela, Dustin Rhodes, MJF, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara were regularly featured on AEW Dynamite. But the lack of a mid-card championship kept these stars in limbo, as they weren't quite on the main event level.
It was obvious that Allin and MJF were being primed for future prominence in AEW. Their clashes with main eventers like Cody Rhodes and Jon Moxley made it clear that AEW had high hopes for them. But the rest of the mid-card stars seemed pretty aimless because they weren't really fighting for anything.
But in December 2020, AEW’s mid-card has a clear framework. The introduction of the AEW TNT Championship has helped the group remain relevant. Now, fans know the pecking order of the mid-card, which can be viewed as a two-tier system.
Tier one includes MJF, Orange Cassidy, and Allin. These stars can seamlessly compete in main events. On the next level, Ricky Starks, Scorpio Sky, and Sammy Guevara stand out. They all have unlimited potential, but they don't fit in the main event scene.
The structure of AEW’s mid-card has also been bolstered by logical and patient storytelling. Death Triangle’s feud with The Butcher, The Blade and Eddie Kingston has a backstory. It will likely roll into the New Year. Likewise, the Best Friends' rivalry with Kip Sabian and Miro has displayed some depth, too.
MJF’s involvement with the Inner Circle has been another highlight. This dynamic is now a featured attraction on AEW Dynamite.
Overall, AEW’s mid-card continues to improve with each passing week. It has created new stars, so it has to be considered one of the company's best successes in 2020.
AEW Women’s division
One of the consistent criticisms of AEW has been the shallow depth of its women’s division. While Riho’s championship reign included a memorable string of matches with Nyla Rose, her routine absence from weekly television undercut her title run.
In December 2019, Britt Baker hadn’t yet found her feet as the compelling "Role Model" character. Likewise, Hikaru Shida hadn't asserted herself as the resilient competitor that fans see today. Kris Statlander was one of the division's top stars, but her character wasn’t resonating particularly well with the audience.
12 months ago, sporadic appearances by the likes of Shanna, Jamie Hayter, and Bea Priestley on AEW television were fun. But their ambiguous contract situations meant they never truly felt integrated into the division. There were some bright spots in the women’s division a year ago. But there was also the rather forgettable Nightmare Collective with Brandi Rhodes and Awesome Kong.
One year later, the division has definitely improved, but it's still one of the roster's glaring weaknesses. The additions of Thunder Rosa and Serena Deeb have added some depth, but these two competitors don’t feel like they're truly AEW Superstars yet.
Baker’s character work has been one of the best parts of this division. A feud between Shida and Baker could help the women's division reach the next level. But for now, it still requires a solid amount of work.
Broad outlook for AEW
With 2021 right around the corner, the broad outlook for AEW is rosy. An electric world champion makes every episode of AEW Dynamite a must-see show. Plus, the regular presence of Sting is another reason to celebrate.
Additionally, a budding partnership with IMPACT Wrestling opens the door to exciting crossover programs. AEW will be hopeful that this groundswell of momentum drives Dynamite's average weekly audience over one million viewers in 2021. With so much buzz surrounding this company, that goal certainly seems reachable.
