FanPost

AEW 'A Traditional Wrestling Promotion' Outside The Curtain 2th Edition.

So. I bet that title caught you off guard there huh?

Yes, If there Is one thing that I truly believe In pro wrestling, is that Unity can surely brings us together!...Even If that thing makes two of the more notable groups in pro wrestling 'Traditional and Modern Fans' agree on something for the first time in 65 million years. They both thought that the meteor that ended the dinosaurs should have put over someone first before jumping promotions 'Last I heard, The Meteor got a really cushy booking gig with Kaiju Big Battel'

Anyway now that I have your attention for a moment while you go and prime those torches and gather those pitchforks, I will now talk about what this series is.

'Outside The Curtain' Is a written look at the pro wrestling world from someone who does not consider themselves an" insider" of the iron curtain of pro wrestling. Instead these posts will be a look from outside of the curtain. As 'The Curtain' is the traditional dividing line between fans and pro wrestlers. As I'm currently not affiliated with any pro wrestling promotion, hence I am also being outside of it.

Ok with that now out of the way, the reason today why I'm talking about All Elite Wrestling is two things. One The Orange Cassidy signing, and Two pointing out to both sides just how much of a traditional wrestling promotion AEW actuality is.

When news broke that Orange Cassidy had been signed by AEW., the reaction was interesting to say the least. Some derided the signing saying that he wasn't a " true wrestler" and he was just some comedy guy with an insane cosplay wrestler gimmick. Others were far more open to the idea of their favorite modern or postmodern wrestler getting a shot with a big 'Modern Promotion' like AEW. But If they were stuck inside a confessional booth, they most likely will tell you that they had concerns about his gimmick being 'ruined' by the large promotion and that what made him "special" was being in the tiny indie art-house promotions.

My first reaction was the following' " Oh wow they added another traditional wrestler to there roster neat! " My second reaction was "Uh you might want to get someone to find a way to make those contracts indestructible to juicers because gloss paper is expensive"

Now before you get out the tennis rackets and golf clubs, let me point something out here. If you put Orange Cassidy in any territory in the territory days, he would fit like a glove. In Memphis he runs over the top face or heel with a golf cart just like everyone else does. In New York his stalling is so typical of that market "back in the day" and In some markets the glaring angry granny in the front row would yell at him and chuck there steel denture at him for working to fast.

Now throw in one of those territory wrestlers in his spot for example. The Original Sheik, Baron Gattoni, The Mighty Atom, Wild Bill Curry or The Great Kabuki and guess what? They fit in this promotion like a glove as well because they and Orange Cassidy are the same kind of wrestler.

The unpredictable wild-man,The oddball, The psycho who eats a metal tow hook on there way to the ring. He's that kind of wrestler. That guy who might chuck a chair or brawl in the crowd. The Orange juice and those sunglasses are only things keeping him calm and sane-ish for goodness sake.

So while the shock of me referencing wrestlers from the circus days sets in. Let's take a look at that promotion Orange Cassidy signed with.

All Elite Wrestling feels at this moment like a sports expansion team in there first year. Which is fitting given who owns AEW. The Khans with Cody 'insert last name here' as executive vice president.

Now 'The Jacksonville Jaguars' were an NFL expansion team in 1995 that Shahid Khan acquired in 2011. That have at best a mixed track record in the NFL. However they did great in there second year in 1996 by making it to the playoffs and going all the way to the AFC championship game.

One must assume that this reasonable goal is what President Tony Khan and Vice President's Cody 'this space for rent' The Bucks and Kenny Omega want.

But let's be reasonable here. There are gonna be a few stumbles here and there. And they had a few already which is reasonable given that this is a expansion team. An expansion team that is one of the more traditional wrestling promotions that has hit in years.

While MLW is trying go for girt and realism, NXT going for Indie hype and signing everything that has a pulse and ROH stumbles in the dark, due to the still poor lighting of there shows. AEW definitely has the clearest goal in mind despite everyone on the outside being confused as heck as to what they are doing.

Here's a few observations from outside the curtain. My thinking is that they start solid and modestly push forward much like a traditional promotion does ironically in Vincent J. McMahon Old 'Capitol Wrestling Corporation' territory. With there first TV taping being in Washington DC. With them throwing a little salt into Vince Jr eyes by running there, Philadelphia and Boston. Three areas that Vince Sr ran in the 60s and 70s.

They have also benefited from WWE pulling a Montreal Canadians style screwjob, by letting their star player go after a rough patch. The Patrick Roy in this case was the man formerly known as Dean Ambrose. Jon Moxley who has immediately benefited from the change of pace and hopefully won some neat giant poker chips with a tiny bit of blood on them.

In fact If I was them. I would send a giant thank you care package on Christmas day to WWE Head of talent relations. The person responsible for bringing you all together in vengeance HHH.

A person who is clearly on the hot seat after spending The National GDP of a second world country on free agents for his NXT World empire. Only for his grand plan of world wrestling domination to hit few snags.The overspending has in result hit WWE financials with below average Q1-and Q2 results. Yes the main roster is also part of the issue but most of his talent that he signed Is on that roster.

This has of course has greatly benefited AEW as well. As the free agents who fit AEW roster will go to them and they don't have to take on wrestlers who most likely don't fit there roster scheme or philosophy.

And what you maybe asking is there roster scheme? Well it's a roster of wrestlers, who don't look out of place in a 1950s TV syndicated wrestling show. A bunch of light heavyweights and your random assortment of oddball monsters. Now the thing that is forgotten about in this era of the 50s. Is that heavyweight wrestlers were not seen on TV every week, unless they booked the promotion. This was due to everyone in those days moving around from area to area. They would go to the local studio for tape or live shows on a tape-delayed broadcast. Or they stayed in the area for a month or two to do a feud with the local champion.

Heck even the way that AEW does feuds Is out of that era with The Being, The Elite, and The Road, to 'insert event here' shows. As remember how in-between Pre-taped matches. TV promotions did promos,comedy skits,announcements of live shows,sponsor segments and segments building feuds between wrestlers and stables.

How is AEW different in that regard? I mean the content might be different and confusing to some and possibility has more syllables in it. But at the same time watching a promo on a tablet or computer. Is no different then watching wrestling on a tiny black and white tv that gets at best five channels on a good day.

In closing. If you think about it for any period of time. The idea that two sides want to force each other into a box. Is to be frank quite silly.

As you the general consumer sitting back and seeing the chaos unfold around you. My advice is this. Give this AEW thing a shot. If you don't like it then there is plenty of alternatives out there.

As for me I'm gonna wait and see what AEW does. The hype doesn't interest me in general when it comes to Pro Wrestling. Give it six months to a year or two and we might see some additional thoughts on this promotion from me.

Anyway sound off in the comments below. And thank you for your readership.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.