IWC Scum — Tony, Starks, and the Fate of AEW’s IronMen

Welcome back to the column that puts the incessant whining and complaining in IWC. I’m a seasonally dependent writer named SkitZ, and this is a slight detour from all the WrestleMania chatter.

Backpedaling through wrestling history is a lot like riding a bike. It works in cycles. WWE dominated the industry throughout the 80s and early 90s thanks to Hogan constantly moving the needle. At least up until the steroid scandal, which prompted The Hulkster to flip the script and turn full Hollywood sellout in WCW. Vince eventually put them out of business and sent Shane over to pick from the scraps, but everybody remembers that period when WWE was no longer considered the cool trendy thing to watch. AEW sure does, because they had the wrestling world buzzing in 2019 while every episode of RAW & SmackDown felt intoxicating for all the wrong reasons. After Vince rescripted the deaths of WCW & ECW for the sake of a big flex, WWE ruled the landscape for nearly two decades. Then this new company brought to you by some billionaire fan and his indie friends came along and BOOM – we suddenly had a Nitro-esque alternative. Much like what happened with Ted Turner opening the checkbook for Hulk Hogan and other stars from up north, TK was offering guaranteed contracts to seemingly everyone. Many of whom were disgruntled wrestlers unhappy with their lack of opportunities in WWE. 

It felt like every notable name from Jon Moxley to Pac to Matt Hardy to Miro was jumping on board after AEW launched. Once we were past the pandemic and superstars like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan started turning up, all signs pointed towards the upstart company making some major waves within the wrestling industry. AEW had all this aura and momentum swirling around it. 

Meanwhile, Vince and his 24/7 Championshit Wrestling was sending droves of the audience scurrying due to creative blunders, manic rewrites, worthless payoffs, etc. Despite being a WWE fanboy since the Attitude Era days, I started switching over to Dynamite during the pandemic when VKM’s product was proving bad for my health. The only storyline with any consistent value was The Bloodline saga, which really didn’t chart into cinematic territory until late 2022. Therefore many of us were checking out AEW, because we’re all naturally intrigued by anything that’s new and different from the norm. 

At the risk of sounding like a biased cynic, I believe AEW’s popularity peaked about 3 years ago. They were bitten hard by the injury bug, feuds and angles became increasingly more cringey, segments often felt bloated and unsatisfying, and backstage drama began to overpower whatever was playing out on TV. Not even the additions of names like Edge and Christian, Saraya and Mercedes Moné managed to accomplish much, aside from drawing TNA comparisons for signing so many WWE talents. Once the weekly ratings and attendance regressed, and Triple H’s fresher booking approach began garnering critical approval, we began seeing the pendulum swing back the other way. All these former WWE guys and gals who changed companies awhile back are suddenly having second thoughts, and one-by-one we’re watching them return to their old stomping grounds now that Vince is no longer there coming up with shitty titles for PLEs. 

What’s even more ironic about AEW intended to be an alternative and safe haven for wrestlers out of a job is… they’re more of a developmental system for WWE than NXT is nowadays. Jade Cargill, Ethan Page, Ricky Starks, etc. Pretty much anyone Cody had a hand in training, and you know there’s more defections to come. Aleister Black is bound to reappear soon, Paige recently mentioned being open to a WWE return, there’s weekly reports of Rey Fenix rejoining his brother, and Britt Baker has burned so many bridges that the only one left standing leads directly to Triple H’s doorstep. 

Did the executive officer of the Jacksonville Jaguars fumble those talents? Or is that just the nature of the game? Have his enthusiastically generous ways paid off in the bigger picture? Eh. It isn’t even necessarily that old cliche of nice guys finishing last, but you get taken advantage of, ridiculed for not being a tougher boss, and ultimately labeled a spoiled rich boy who’s naive to the wrestling business. 

Mentioning how you live on your daddy’s yacht isn’t going to quiet the heckling either. I do think Tony has begun to smarten up though. Vince caught plenty of flack over his latter years running WWE for keeping talents home or off TV who planned on leaving the company once their contracts ran out (Brodie Lee and FTR to name a few). Now we’ve witnessed Khan do the same with guys like Ricky Starks. Fans were perplexed over why the young star hadn’t been onscreen in ages, but you know the deal. TK catches wind of Starks being backstage at a couple WWE events, he knows Ricky is good buddies with Cody Rhodes, sees the writing on the wall, and opts to keep Starks out of AEW’s storylines. Criticize the pettiness all you want, but it makes sense business wise. That’s Pro Wrestling Politics 101.

I often feel bad for Tony Khan, because he clearly means well. The dude probably doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, but today’s wrestling fans still seem more concerned with discrediting what little bit of backbone he has left. You’re either a genius or an epic failure of a promoter. There’s no in-between evidently, yet the perception changes week to week. Look no further than Grand Slam: Australia last month, which was a helluva show, but caught crap for the ring being smaller than its standard size. 

Now Tony Khan finds himself dealing with a resurgence in WWE’s popularity under new(ish) leadership; compounded by mounting criticism towards AEW’s creative direction and talent relations backstage. When a veteran wrestler has to come out and cut a rah-rah speech because the roster is up in arms over a former employee’s appearance on a podcast, that’s a fragile company. I’m of the opinion that you deal with the situation internally while carrying on with the show as if CM Punk never existed. Showing the backstage footage from All In: London 7 months later is a bad look. 

AEW may cater to a niche audience, but there’s always gonna be a market for what the company offers. They’re like a new age ECW, if Paul Heyman came from money and landed a lucrative TV deal. People can point to low attendance all they want; fans still show up for PPVs, and AEW draws huge raucous crowds whenever they travel overseas. Shows like Revolution always deliver, assuming you’re into more violent, fast-paced action. WWE matches rely more on drama and storytelling, and I’ll be the first to admit they’re a snooze fest sometimes. 

A large portion of the IWC loves shitting on everything AEW does, but I totally get the appeal of watching pop-heavy bangers bursting with excitement, compared to the bubble most WWE matches are confined within. They’re able to string together great episodes here and there, and this stretch of Dynamites lately is a perfect example. As long as Khan doesn’t start losing all his heavy hitters, the company will be fine going forward. Fortunately for AEW, most of their top stars are happily under contract for the next couple years.

MJF is locked in until at least 2029. Re-signing with AEW a year and change ago was absolutely the right decision, because there’s not only more room for profit, but more room for The Salt of the Earth to grow before making that leap. Max will still be in his early 30s when the opportunity comes back around, so there’s no need to rush such a big move. Not when there’s currently so many AEW talents bolting for WWE. I suspect MJF will already be a multi-time World Champion when that day comes, and he leaves when there’s nothing left to accomplish in Khan’s company. CM Punk’s insult was accurate at the time, but what’s funny is I envision Max becoming a more famous version of Miz in WWE, as far as main eventing and landing movie roles goes.  

As a huge Lucha Underground fan, I loved Killshot and had high hopes when he first signed with WWE. It’s easy to daydream about what could’ve been with Swerve Strickland had Hunter been calling the shots when Vince released the former Isaiah Scott. However, the chances of WWE allowing Swerve to cut loose like he has in AEW were slim to Keith Lee. Strickland has reached his full potential whilst working for Tony Khan, and it’s resulted in him being on the verge of capturing the World Championship at Dynasty for a second consecutive year. I’m psyched to see Swerve back at the top of the card. When he dropped the title to Danielson last summer, I worried he might never make it back. Strickland strikes me as the loyal type. He ain’t going nowhere for the foreseeable future. 

Tony Khan has a real hard-on for Will Ospreay, and it’s pretty obvious when you look him up and down. Billy Goat I mean; not the bulging man love Tony’s sprouted for him over the years. While it’s completely subjective, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better wrestler in the world from bell to bell. People tend to pick apart his promos, but they come off like Will’s talking to a bunch of lads in the pub, which gives them a certain charm. If that sort of delivery works for Sheamus, then why not Ospreay? Plus he has mentors like Chris Jericho to lean on in terms of character development. Billy Goat might believe in AEW for now, but I think he’ll be tempted to spring for WWE in 2027. Ospreay should be around 33 when his current deal expires, and by then he’ll have assuredly reached the mountaintop in Khan country once or twice. 

The Elite gets lumped in together. Sue me. Even if they didn’t all sign long-term contract extensions in 2023, you think they’d willingly go work in the same company as CM Punk again? Never. If Kenny didn’t change companies two years ago, I don’t really see it in the cards for him at any point. Omega also doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who needs the fulfillment of a WWE run to feel validated. And as for Hangman and the Young Bucks, they’re the types who would go down with the ship if AEW ever went under. I enjoy Page’s work in the ring and on the mic for the most part. He’ll continue to thrive in that environment. The futures of Nick & Matt Jackson on the other hand are inconsequential. I couldn’t care less what they do or say. 

For all the hate Mercedes Moné receives, I’d take her over Charlotte Flair in a heartbeat. Those who initially criticized the reigning TBS Champion for being an overhyped flop in AEW have since quieted down, because the former Sasha Banks has shown that she’s better than ever. People call her unprofessional for walking out of WWE, but she simply followed in Punk’s footsteps, and the fans welcomed his ass back with open arms. Depending on the length of her current multi-year contract, Mercedes should be in the 35-37 age range when she’s available for a conversation with Papa H. The CEO is destined to hang up her wrestling boots in the same locker room where she became a household name. In the meantime though, I expect Moné to keep building the Women’s Division in AEW while cementing her own legacy in the process. 

While the details of Toni Storm’s current contract are hard to come by, you’ve gotta figure she recently signed a 3-5 year extension given how prominently she’s been featured. Fresh off the best women’s feud in wrestling since last summer, Timeless Toni Storm is firing on all cylinders. There’s no need to rock the boat when your career is cruising along this smoothly. Vince misused the blonde Aussie on the main roster mind you, but that’s kinda become his calling card so no surprise there. Despite all her success in AEW, I do believe Storm will eventually be swayed by Hunter & Tony’s big bro into going back. Once she’s set the record for most Women’s World Title reigns out of every other chick’s reach. 

And lastly, we have the current AEW World Champion (for a couple more days or weeks at least). The Jon Moxley slander kills me. Certain fans would have you believe The Death Riders storyline is steering the company towards an untimely demise, when in reality it’s just a shitty phase that will pass. You could easily make a case that he’s been the MVP of AEW since the very beginning. Mox navigated the company through the pandemic and CM Punk drama en route to becoming one of the key guys Tony leans on in keeping that forbidden door open. And for anyone saying Moxley is a shell of his former WWE self, let’s not forget how – outside of The Shield stuff – Vince booked Dean Ambrose like a slightly more serious Santino Marella. You’ve gotta be higher than me at the moment to think Mox will ever return to WWE as an active wrestler. Why would he? Khan has placed the AEW World Title on Moxley a record 4 times and featured him prominently over the past 6 years. The reigning champ has all the perks and creative freedom he could ever want in AEW. That might not always translate into quality television, but Mox is a dedicated soldier who isn’t gonna be swayed by a bunch of coworkers circling back to WWE. 

I didn’t bother including Bryan Danielson or Chris Jericho because I doubt either man could withstand the rigors of an IronMan match at this stage. When it comes to their careers, Danielson has one foot out the door and Jericho’s got one in the grave. This column’s also not meant to be a burial of Tony Khan or AEW. Despite the gen X’ers on Twitter associating words like “downfall” with the company’s trajectory, I’d argue they’ve been on a creative upswing recently. Sure, the Death Riders arc needs to be swiftly terminated Sons of Anarchy style, but let’s not pretend as if every wrestler and storyline in WWE is thriving. For every Penta, there’s an Andrade who’s no better off now than he was the first time around.

One of the main criticisms I’ve seen aimed at Tony Khan over the years is this idea that he has no Creative Team in place. The dude is apparently just winging it whilst operating without a net. Then AEW started receiving some praise in recent months, and it’s now being reported that TK has taken complete control of AEW creatively… so are we to believe The Young Bucks and their elitist buddies were booking the shows this entire time? All I know for certain is that every mark on the interwebz seems to think running a wrestling company is a no-brainer. HA. More like a migraine-inducing chore that affects your mental health and sanity. My mind is so scatterbrained that if I tried to grow an AEW from the ground up, that shit would never make it out of the dirt.     

Twitter: writersblock_skitz (@SirSkitzAlot)

Email: skitztmrlop@gmail.com