B/R/AEW
Jim Ross said it best when All Elite Wrestling's All Out Pay-Per-View on Sunday night ended: The game is different.
After Kenny Omega retaining AEW World Championship through a win over Christian Cage to close out the show, AEW saw not one, but two of the most talented talents on the planet surprise debut.
He wasn't the only one who was formerly known by his name Daniel Bryan. He finished second to Adam Cole. Cole completes his whirlwind WWE tour by surprisingly linking up with Omega, the heel faction that wants to run AEW.
Fans knew it was coming, just like CM Punk's debut. Bryan Danielson was obvious. He even hinted at it. Cole's radio silence after it became clear that his WWE contract had expired made this obvious too. It didn't matter. Both debuts, like Punk in Chicago were significant moments in the history of the wrestling industry.
When it comes to WWE leaking talent and AEW luring them into town, there are many details. Two of the most important modern legends are a NXT legend, and a Wrestlemania main eventer.
It's easy to see the big picture by simply looking at All Out's fallout from a simple perspective. Fans have yet to see the implications of Danielson joining forces with a faction that opposes Cole, Omega, and the rest. After his victory over Darby Allin, Punk is also in that category.
The main event scene features a reprise of Brock Lesnar's and Roman Reigns, while the other looks across the aisle. SummerSlam was the second-largest event for the company. It featured a few disappointing matches like Becky Lynch returning in order to bury fan-favorite Bianca Belair.
Sunday night was in many ways the best pro-wrestling show of the year. It didn't require a Punk match, big debuts or anything to make it a pro wrestling show. All Out was all it needed to be great. The card was simply stacked and the live crowd was extremely hot.
For example, every title felt respected with big-time performances. Miro beating Eddie Kingston to keep the TNT Championship was an entertaining slugfest. Britt Baker defeated Kris Statlander to keep the women's title. It was the most exciting match of the evening. Fans have seen many of The Young Bucks, The Lucha Brothers and other characters since its inception. But the Lucha Brothers pulled off a near-classic win to win the tag titles.
Other matches, even those not related to titles, were still captivating. Jon Moxley can do that all by himself, but the combination of Satoshi Kojima and Minoru Suzuki in slugging it was chef's-kiss. Chris Jericho put his in-ring career at risk against MJF, which seemed a bit excessive. But the two of them made it work. After her debut, Ruby Soho also joined the fray to boost an already strong women's division.
The show was spectacular at almost every turn, just by looking at the names. AEW has merged the sport's top tag team division with a stellar women's side. They also have a current and legendary outlook. Sting was even there.
It's still an indication of the talent involved that almost every match felt as though it was going to win the show, only for the next to take its place in an increasing example of what the sport will look like in 2021.
That has to be terrifying for WWE. While the company won't lose any major television contracts, AEW has grown faster than anyone could have imagined and created genuine, irrefutable competition for pro wrestling while generating more excitement than ever before.
Nevertheless, we are closer to asking if AEW is able to compete with WWE in the ring. The gap in star power is closing quickly. While WWE relies on returning part-time performers, AEW boasts some heavyweights with Punk and Danielson as well as Omega and other notables. These international stars have thrived without being part of the WWE environment. The future is brighter if there is a laser focus on local talent, such as Allin.
This is not a coincidence. It's why guys like Punk and Cole, Cole, and even Jon Moxley have a reason. Malakai Blackit, a man with very limited creative control, continues to thrive in a place that has little creative control.
WWE should be uncomfortable with the heavyweights in AEW, but the nature of the programming as well as the excitement generated by the company should not. This is how companies can bring back lost fans and earn more outside eyes. When those lapsed fans return, the scale begins to tip and WWE-only viewers might notice.
Although it will be many years before we can truly look back at All Out and determine if it was a turning point, fans feel they are witnessing something significant.
With AEW on fire and WWE reacting, it was the fans who won.
