Anyone who is a wrestling fan can be excused from being confused by Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega staring at one another across the ring before engaging. This was something that we never imagined would happen. Even though we knew it was coming months ago, it still is difficult to grasp. It's like going to see your favorite band for first time. It may seem like you have the tickets for months but it isn't real until the lights dim.
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They were the subject of almost everyone's dream booking. This means that it cannot actually happen. It couldn't even live up to what you imagined, as it isn't supposed to.
These two are among the few who have been widely considered the best world wrestlers over the past five to seven years. They were supposed to be the one thing that kept them apart. Omega was the one WWE wouldn't get. He was the one who gained mass popularity in Japan with matches that were aired in the middle of the evening. This might be his greatest testimony to his talents. Because of the loud buzz, he was the one that wrestling fans looked for replays and feeds. He was the one who showed the world all that could be found off the main road.
Danielson was the indie wrestling champion WWE could not stop. He was the one who briefly took over the company designed to keep him out. Both Omega and he are from the same family, having both been in ROH back in the day. However, their paths had taken very different turns. They were not together for the first time, but they were the first to be in the ring together after becoming KENNY OMEGA (and BRYAN DANIELSON). They were not meant to be in conflict. They were two poles that were completely opposite, no matter how similar they were.
This is why AEW exists. It might seem like a wealthy failureon spending dad's money on his favorite wrestling toys. Isn't that fantasy booking? It is the desire to do this. AEW was created to allow any type of match to take place, and where wrestlers could do what they want.
It is why we are all here. It's the first time I've seen fans go crazy for the lock-up. Perhaps we all needed that moment of realization to realize that it was real, that no matter how many rubicons were crossed, they were there. Your favorite band is playing the opening riff. It's going to happen. That realization had to be voiced. Fuck, it was on my couch so I don't know what it must have sounded like at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
We are here to lose ourselves in stories, moments and matches, or whatever else you wish to call it. It's theater. Immersed is what you want. You want to be immersed.
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Omega and Danielson managed to create a story that was different from the usual. It did not follow the Shine-Heat–Comeback format of a match. It was not dominated by Omega, who worked from the top as the heel. It was back and forth, because it was inevitable. If these two are the best, they would have an answer to every question the other tried. They've been there all. They would be a stonewall to each other. They would have ebbs, flows, and codes that neither one can crack.
Their sense of crescendo is what makes these two great. They didn't even have the time to finish last night. The opening of the match was slow for most wrestlers but these two used it to bring more drama. They use the leeway they have better than other wrestlers, and they do so with skill. As the match progressed, it picked up in pace and action over the duration of the match. However, it never felt like it was stepping on the gas pedal. The pace was steady and it built without stopping. You were absorbed in the match, almost like you were melting into it. It was the boiling frog story. You didn't realize how long it had been twenty minutes before you realized.
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The trust that AEW has built between its fans and what these two can do made it so that the draw that ended in a time limit was not met with a flood of boos. Partially, this is because a draw leaves the story unfinished, which means there will be more of it, and no one will complain about that. This is just the opening chapter. But AEW, Omega and Danielson did their work and laid out all the details so that an ending in a draw was a logical conclusion and not just the cheapest and easiest way to get more matches from the story. Omega wanted to show the world that he is the best, so he left out the heel shenanigans. Danielson was unable to get through Omega without using any subversive tactics. However, Omega was also not found by Danielson. What is he going to do? The match was so close, they didn't even pull out their finisher. They could not get to them. They just kept slugging in middle of the ring, and the match did not end with a furious chase to get in before time ran out. They both accepted that they wouldn't have enough time to resolve this problem so they will just continue to slugging. These were the layers they could communicate in half an hour. This is the art. This is why we watch.
It was even on TV! It was not a pay-per view, and it wasn't airing at night with a 13-hour difference in time. This was put on TV for everyone. Enjoy this video and discover why it's so popular.
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I have spent a lot of time picking apart AEWs flaws and they are still there. I criticize AEW from a place where the company is capable of being more, but not while it is. It is the company that can make anything happen. Fans are encouraged to believe it will and to enjoy the moment it does. Even a year ago, it was almost impossible to open the show last night. It happened. It was amazing. It was amazing. Everyone was in awe. AEW believed it could exist and we all agreed to it.
