Is 2022 going to be a year of greatness, or more growing pains for AEW?
It's been a strange year for AEW already, and we still haven't reached March yet.
Tony Khan and his group of Executive Vice Presidents did a great job launching AEW and building to a high enough standard that it is the second-largest wrestling promotion in America. The first year went rather well, as All Elite Wrestling was the talk of the industry for most of 2019. They announced the promotion's inception in January, held their first major event (Double or Nothing) in May, and launched their flagship show, Dynamite, in the fall.
Things started quickly with the company as they signed renowned names like Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho to get the ball rolling. From there, Tony Khan just kept fortifying the roster, loading it with WWE releases and international stars. Over the course of two and a half years, they have assembled a group that could rival any federation in the world.
AEW has had some strange moments in the past but this year seems almost surreal
It started with Dynamite switching networks from TNT to TBS. It has culminated - so far - with Cody Rhodes shockingly leaving the company and is now rumored to be joining WWE.
Cody Rhodes is in talks with WWE about a potential return to the company “in the near future,” per @arielhelwani https://t.co/uQrVqqSc57
Cody's departure aside, the next few months appear to be very black and white for AEW; they are either going to thrive on success or starve with failure. It doesn't look like there's going to be much in between. And staying in the same place and merely treading water is basically a failure, in terms of reaching their goals.
This transitional period for Tony Khan and Company could swing dramatically either way, so it needs to be handled almost perfectly.
2022 will be the year that we find out how good of an owner and booker Khan is. Losing Rhodes will be minimized if he takes advantage of his stars that are far above The American Nightmare's stature. Now is when Tony Khan needs to pull the trigger on signees Bryan Danielson and CM Punk in terms of wearing the AEW World title.
Kenny Omega will eventually return at some point. Meanwhile, they have Jericho's constant presence, Mox stirring up chaos and Miro steadily rising up the card, they have a host of established performers who can grapple over the belt.
Can't wait to see a healthy Kenny Omega make his return 🔥
#AEW https://t.co/pLctUMbqqV
At the same time, Tony must balance the development of Adam Cole, Wardlow, Keith Lee and others who came to AEW to raise their games and have a more pivotal role. So it's going to be one heck of a juggling act for the promotion in the months ahead.
This looks a lot like either a feast or a famine for Tony Khan. He has a terrific roster with a wonderful mix of talent. Apparently, it's going to be beefed up even more over the course of the year.
It's time for AEW to take that next step forward. They can no longer be referred to as the 'new' company, because it isn't new anymore. They need to start reaching some of their goals, like establishing over one million biewers a week on a regular basis with Dynamite. There are no more excuses and no time for growing pains.
For the sake of the pro wrestling industry as a whole, All Elite Wrestling needs to put their big boy pants on. They're all grown up now, and they have a stellar talent base to work with.
Falling back or holding steady will be deemed a failure. 2022 must be their year. No more excuses.
What have you thought about the progress All Elite Wrestling has made since their launch in 2019? What are you disappointed about regarding AEW? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.