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Bully Ray said if there's one thing AEW is getting right, it's Wardlow. Ray believes they're pushing him the right way, terming his appearances 'Austin-Esque.'
For AEW fans, one of the more intriguing storylines on Dynamite has been Mr. Mayhem's feud with MJF. Perhaps, it's a classic tale in wrestling where the muscle turns on his employer, much like Diesel and Shawn Michaels. Wardlow has captivated audiences ever since he broke off from MJF.
On the most recent AEW Dynamite, Wardlow cost MJF his match against Captain Shawn Dean by getting him counted out. While reviewing the segment on Busted Open, Bully Ray said Wardlow is being pushed the right way:
"They are pushing Wardlow the right way. Week after week after week of Austin-Esque appearances where you can invest yourself into him more and more. Now, we're panning to the back during MJF segments or MJF matches and we're seeing people laid out and all of a sudden, people are popping. Because they know Wardlow is in the house. Meanwhile, they haven't seen Wardlow yet. That's when you know you're doing something the right way." (from 25:45 to 26:30)
Bully Ray isn't wrong about AEW's booking of Wardlow, as they're teasing audiences weekly. While some may find the Austin comparison a little bewildering, it's about the segments being captivating.
Will the Warner Bros-Discovery Merger hurt AEW?
For those unaware, one of the biggest media stories in 2022 is the Warner Bros-Discovery merger. AEW shows air on TNT and TBS, and fans wonder whether this will affect the company.
On an episode of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Top Story, veteran journalist Bill Apter was asked to comment on the merger. Here's what Apter said:
"Somewhat [getting affected by the merger]. What happened with WCW is the executives said, 'this doesn't really fit our profile.' So, yeah, I mean, something like that could happen. Although it's a ratings winner. They are making a lot of money on advertising so as long as AEW keeps making revenue for them, then the guys sitting in the office at Discovery who said 'we don't need wrestling on here,' somebody else is gonna show them the sheet with the money they're bringing in and that's where it's gonna go as far as I am concerned." (from 28:15 to 28:52)
AEW airs internationally on Eurosport, a Discovery-owned property. Seemingly, AEW has a relationship with Discovery, which could bode well for its future. But just like everything else, time will tell.
