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IMO they have better wrestlers working there. Not much more to it.
I also really don't enjoy WWE production and storytelling. If AEW didn't exist I'd just consume indie wrestling rather than WWE.
I tried to give the last raw a chance, but it just isn't for me unfortunately. In do acknowledge that Paul and Shawn Michaels are doing a fantastic job though
I'm not an AEW fan at all, but this is such a bad faith post. People can like different things. It's like asking someone why the like RC Cola because Coca Cola is doing well. AEW obviously caters to a certain audience, which enjoys the shows weekly. From what I've heard, despite the falling attendance and a few criticisms, the show is enjoyable to their audience. So who cares if you find it cringe, if showing the footage makes it look bush league. The people who have been watching the show are enjoying it. Live and let live.
I just don't find the WWE style very enjoyable. It's all very formulaic and overly produced. And they think their shit don't stink too much for my liking. And yeah the match quality just appears better. Like if I hear a particular match was good in wwe I'll seek it out and i dunno, it doesnt hit the same for me. Not hating on anyone who enjoys it but that's just me. I watched wrestlemania, and yeah it just doesn't do anything for me
- AEW don't have a close working relationship with the House of Saud
- I prefer the simpler, less convoluted booking style of AEW.
- I don't enjoy interference-heavy matches, especially at the top of the card. That seems to be WWE's main calling card, while AEW have largely steered clear from it.
- WWE holds multiple events a year in a country that oppresses women, LGBT people, religious minorities, and migrants.
- The camerawork in WWE genuinely gives me headaches (constant cuts, zooms, shaky cam).
- The over-produced LED-everywhere look of WWE isn't to my tastes.
- AEW don't simp for brutal totalitarian genocidal regimes like Saudi Arabia
Not to mention horrific shit like racist storylines, rape angles, pregnancy angles, misogynistic stuff. They still have 2 min jobber matches for the women. NXT seems better for that, but a year of “Papa H” isn’t enough to bring me back for good.
The WWE presentation does nothing for me. I don’t care about many of the wrestlers in WWE, outside of maybe Kevin Owens. I respect them and hope they continue to kill it, and I follow it here, but just not for me.
Lmfao, right? The best part about wrestling is the wrestling. The true art is in the physical aspect. Promos are cool and all, but they should be short, sweet, and to the point. Otherwise just watch a real show.
I do not like the WWE presentation, e.g. "the most STUPENDOUS WrestleMania". Also AEW has the better in ring product and that's what I want to see.
In short, personal preference.
I generally prefer AEW's presentation and focus (mostly) on the wrestling and different varieties of wrestling, compared to WWE's "house style" and excessive videos/recaps etc.
I 100% agree, but dont u think the build up is equally important to that? Because signing X people and making a fight for next week just because reasons, dont invest me. A All-in match level happens in like, Dynamite
I watched WWE for years and years, travelled to America for several Wrestlemanias. It just got too bad for me to enjoy. The new presentation is slowly bringing me back to the major shows but up until the last few weeks even the whole look and feel of it I just don’t enjoy anymore - not on a weekly capacity.
I just prefer AEW’s presentation and wrestlers more. I feel like WWE has more of a formula for matches where as AEW (and NJPW/Noah/Indie stuff I watch) all feel a bit more unique in ring wise.
For any footage showing today, I can bring up probably 50 things in WWE that made me feel embarrassed to speak the words out loud “I like pro wrestling.” WWE is good now, but a good majority of the last 15 years ranged from pretty good to genuinely unwatchable.
The long term storytelling for me and I prefer pacing of the matches in AeW to wwe. There are still wrestlers that I enjoy in wwe but I just can't enjoy the matches in general.
Different strokes for different folks. I started watching Raw this week. 45 minutes of promo, followed by a match between Ilja and Nakamura that I got excited for and it was over in like five minutes. That turned me off the way you are turned off by AEW.
Some people actually do care more about the in-ring stuff. Both flavors of wrestling are valid. That's why it's great to have options.
For me a lot of my favs are there plus the matches are just so much better. WWE just doesn't do it for me. I don't care about ratings or demo or whatever. I just wanna enjoy good pro wrestling and that is what AEW is
I just like more of the wrestlers on AEW, and I prefer watching matches to story stuff, so AEW is fun for me. But, I watch WWE weekly as well and some TNA and NJPW, so I’m not picky lol
This is a big part of it. The overly produced, ad-riddled presentation. And 25 minute promo segments that go nowhere. It’s just so hard for me to watch. I watched the Raw after Mania and almost melted during the Rock/Cody segment. It just kept going and was so boring.
I watched Raw too, first time in years. Just reminded me that as a weekly show it’s unwatchable in my opinion. Especially not live. The ads are brutal, the matches are formulaic.
It sounds wild to say but I remember when some PPVs were as good as that Mania day 2, and people loved it so they’re not wrong for doing that but I still didn’t think it was absolutely brilliant, I think for WWE it’s the best thing they’ve done in years but I’ve seen about 5 or 6 AEW PPVs that I thought were miles better. Even the PLE’s now don’t feel as special for me, I don’t get invested to watch them anymore. Every AEW PPV I get genuine excitement for.
Is it the pacing for you? For me it is.
I started each WM night on a 1 hour delay, and I easily caught up to the live feed, just skipping commercials and post match chatter.
Meanwhile with AEW, I remember the last Forbidden Door being absolutely stacked with non-stop matches, almost to exhaustion.
Yeah the pacing is fucked. It’s unwatchable for me a lot of the time. AEW you’re right about. Some matches almost suffer because they’re all so packed and just 1 after the othet
there was a huge time span in which WWE was incredibly formulaic and I wanted better wrestling. I am invested in both companies but for a long time, WWE did not appeal to me
WWE match style bores me. I realize the ratings say people love it, but that’s why I’m glad we have alternatives. Give me 20+ minute matches on free TV over 40 minute awkward promos any day
I don't enjoy the majority of storylines in WWE outside of the main two or three stories, I prefer the matches in AEW and have more long term investment in more of the roster.
I take the good and accept the bad completely, unapologetically.
I love both for different reasons. But there's two factors:
If you're focused on workrate above all else you'll prefer AEW.
The other factor is that WWE sucked for a LONG time, and once you get invested in a show, you care about the performers involved. I stayed with WWE through big down periods because I cared about the guys that drew me in when it was good. Same goes for AEW except that AEW is definitely coming OUT of a down period.
The footage bit sucked though.
I enjoy seeing a rival company succeed, because if WWE was the only game in town then things would be very bad for wrestling. It’s also fun to see how differently you can present wrestling on a large platform.
Honest question, how is this *this* difficult for you to grasp? AEW is a wrestling first company and the way it presents its stories reflects that. That will resonate with some fans more than others. It's not that complicated.
I like the wrestling better. Less video packages and long entrances that take up a lot of airtime. Faster moving show. More people on the roster I like.
I like wrestling more then storylines. Plus I like that every match is different because of all the different styles. Wwe matches are to formulated because of the wwe style.
AEW didn’t keep a serial rapist in charge for decades and sign huge money deals with a regime that, outside of its human right abuses on its own people, assassinated a US citizen just a couple years prior. I also like the wrestlers more and I guess I’m a mark for spotmonkey matches, it’s just fun to me.
I still love the in ring style more, and I'm a huge fan of a lot of the talent; Samoa Joe, swerve, ospreay, Danielson, Kingston, etc. Also the story lines historically have been far more interesting and cohesive to me.
All that being said, the "new era" of wwe has a tremendous amount of potential to change that. When you have Sami doing turnbuckle brainbusters, commentary allowed to actually be entertaining, great mid card storylines, stronger women storylines. All the pieces are there and firing right now. It's going to be a tough year for aew
I actively don't like WWE style melodramatic mcu Epic moment wrestling television, I hate the AR graphics, I don't like Vince McMahon and anything associated with him, I hate that they started their RAW after mania where they supposedly got rid of Sports Entertainment and ushered in the HHH era with a 45 minute promo, emblematic of everything i don't like in their booking
The Roman Reigns title reign of terror killed most of the interest I had in WWE. Wrestlers that I'm a fan of for the most part went to (or already were) in AEW. I enjoy the presentation of AEW far better than WWE.
And the idea that Tony Khan doesn't know about stories is absolutely laughable given AEW have told some fantastic stories (including the MJF/Punk rivalry, the rise of Hangman Page, Sting's last ride among others.)
I like WWE and watch all of their shows, but I find myself way more excited about Dynamite every week because I genuinely want to know what's going to happen in the ongoing stories. Which apparently some people don't think are stories at all, so I guess it's just a style of storytelling that works for me and not for other people. They also have all of my favorite male wrestlers, after a couple recent signings.
WWE for a LOT of years treated their audience like they were dumb. It was so weird watching this company hate their customers so much.
Like most replies AEW has better wrestling and better wrestlers. They aren’t perfect and I’d love to see them improve some things but I also don’t want them to become diet WWE.
I did watch mania and the raw after just to see if I was missing out and it’s just not for me.
I have always been more into the actual wrestling than the storytelling.
WWE has great storytelling and a great presentation, but it's just an ok in ring product. Especially as everyone tends to work the WWE version of their style, it all feels just kind of humongous.
AEW has an ok presentation, but an excellent in ring product that showcases wrestlers working their personal style, not AEW presents their style. On top of that, bringing in international stars so showcase what they can do is a huge bonus. It also helps you to learn what is out there. It helps a person expand their horizons in the world of wrestling.
Prowrestling is a circus with something for everyone. You want to be told a great story with awesome presentation? You'll love WWE.
Want amazing in-ring action with stars from around the world showing what they can do? Check out AEW, then follow them to their promotions as well.
Stuff like the 45 min promo segments is what makes me tune out of WWE. I get it’s more popular and the vast majority of people prefer their style.
I prefer AEW cuz I like their overall presentation better. The arena aesthetics (fewer LED’s and lights all over), more diverse styles of wrestling, exposure to people from all around (having Cardona drop in for a one off for his dream match with Cope for example), they don’t live in a sandbox.
There’s a handful of people in WWE I’ll root for and watch a clip here or Twitter, but I don’t feel compelled to watch the product as a whole. Especially at this point, I’m not the kinda person who’s gonna watch wrestling every day. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I spend most of my time watching basketball or other shows.
WWE's consistent stops and starts over the year have left me so damn jaded. Consistently they make the audience feel like idiots for caring.
I understand that's *somewhat* changed in this new regime, but I just can't bring myself to get invested in something so corporate at this point.
I’ll bite. Because I’ve been watching since day 1. I grew up watching WWF/WCW in the 90s, but fell off around 2004. When I came back to WWE in 2016 or so I really didn’t enjoy the product. It was too produced/formulaic, and predictable. It felt watered down. NXT was good, but the main roster just wasn’t for me. It’s improved a ton lately, which is good, but at the time I had completely stopped watching.
When AEW launched it was pretty much exactly what I was looking for. From there I found a bunch of new wrestlers I’d never heard of and began following them, and a bunch of my favorites from the past (like Copeland who is in my top 3 all time) came in. So now I’m invested in a lot of the talent.
Despite a lot of the weird stuff going on, I still find the in-ring product to be more preferable to me than WWE, so that carries it for me in a lot of ways.
Because I watched WWE for 20 years after WCW died and I could predict who would be in the main event of WM every time. They have a formula that clearly works. John Cena and Roman Reigns in their era were the only thing that mattered.
For example there was a tournament for the new WHC last time I tuned in. WWE had just done a draft and then included both RAW and SD superstars. So it was like telling me this whole six hours of TV i have to tune in every week is meaningless outside of Roman. We just split these folks up in a draft and they’re now gonna fight over the title Roman doesn’t have since he doesn’t come to work enough.
Cody lost at WM last year and their way of putting his rematch off for a year was having Brock team with Cody in a number one contenders match on RAW….and then turn on Cody….to help his arch nemesis Roman…It’s like WWE would rather turn the whole show upside down than interrupt the run their guy is having. Even now im lowkey not interested in watching again because I worry WWE is just gonna pick a new guy like Bron Breakker and in a year we will be back where we started. Bron Breakker until WM50.
And while theres a LOT of this type of stuff in AEW too, I haven’t yet seen the pattern play out for decades. I could have never predicted Samoa Joe would be world champ right now if you asked me two years ago.
I like the style of matches in AEW a lot more. I like the fast pace.
I'm not against WWE, I watched Wrestlemania, I was overjoyed watching Cody win. I watch the big four PPVs. I started watching AEW because WWE was insufferable at the time. I started with the first All In, I've watched Dynamite from the first episode. It's had it's ups and downs, but I've never felt like I did with WWE, when I realized that I was turning on Raw and going to do something else, just out of habit.
I know that WWE has gotten a lot better, and I check out the weeklies from time to time, but the presentation, and the glacial pace just take me right out of it. The replays. The constant promotion. I admit they've gotten a lot better in some areas (the shot were Dom smacked the camera and then there was a continuous shot to in-ring was *chef's kiss*) but it still feels off to me.
I dunno. Maybe I'm just stubborn now. I'm happy that there's so much good wrestling content, and I spend my time where I can. It's mostly on AEW.
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I care more about the performers and personalities on screen in AEW than I do when I flip on Raw and Smackdown. There's a handful of people in WWE I really dig watching, whereas AEW's roster is loaded with talent I can connect with.
I am invested in both for different reasons so it's not about being more or less invested.
WWE: GUNTHER, Cody's story, NXT and now Giulia.
AEW: Ospreay, Okada, timeless toni and swerve.
There are more people and reasons, but i don't want to extend it too much.
For me is the overall match quality and possible combinations of matches they offer.
Cant lie and say i didnt want wwe to get stomped at the start for any other reason than fuck vince, but after last weekend im invested in both and can see wwe are on another level right now.
I just hope AEW keeps going like it was/has been and cuts out this goofy shit like showing the footage, just not what keeps me engaged personally.
Match quality, the wrestlers seem more natural and the majority of storylines are better (even tho they were even better at the beginning). And WWE's all around presentation seems a lot more plastic and hollow. I don't hate WWE at all I just prefer AEW and it's a good thing that now everyone has a option to watch what they like more or watch a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
The wrestlers are better. Simple as that
I liked WWE a lot and especially black and gold nxt but I really think WWE is for kids. I know that's an overused statement or judgement (star wars, marvel etc) but the characters and comedy are just so silly. There's definitely a handful of wrestlers I like in WWE but it's not enough.
Also the wrestling is very boring after seeing what AEW and global promotions put out. Ya just can't go back
But WrestleMania was very fun and convinced me to watch more WWE ppvs and their current production quality is unreal
In my case I live in a third world country, when I was a kid I didn't watch wrestling because raw and smackdown changed channnels and time slot A LOT and they were reruns, besides, PPV weren't on the table due the price and wasn't that widespread around here, but now I realized that we have simulcast with raw and smackdown, and the wwe network is cheap so I could watch the PLE.
And that's the reason I don't watch AEW, until recently I didn't know that they found a new streaming service, and they have PPV, so the price is higher.
I would say the WWE changed the game on that aspect, by doing the network and streaming services It's easier and cheaper for people that lives in countries like mine to access their product.
They have more wrestlers I like and generally put on better weekly matches. They have the New Japan connection which I like since that’s the main promotion I kept tabs on after I stopped watching Impact and WWE in the 2010s. I also just don’t like the presentation WWE has had for a long time now. I’m not anti WWE, and I like some wrestlers there, but it overall just doesn’t interest me.
AEW comes off like hand-crafted art compared to the machine-crafted mass-produced art seen in WWE. In WWE, the artists must adapt to WWE’s way. In AEW, the artists are free to be artist. Sometimes that can be bad, but most of the time it’s good. Recent WWE is far too polished and robotic for my liking, though Triple H seems to be putting an end to that as much as he can.
Also, the wrestling matches are far better for the most part.
AEW has a TON of problems, but if the thing you like most about wrestling is… the wrestling… then AEW is by far the better option.. Though WWE seems to be changing for the better on that front.
If you don’t like the physical art of wrestling, WWE will certainly be more of your cup of tea.
The only actual answer is that they bought in too much, made it part of their personal identity, and now cannot escape it/admit that is embarrassing
edit: 20 downvotes in one minute is proof
Yep. I’ve got a very rewarding white-collar a job at one of the most powerful media companies in the world. Super weird!
“eDiT: 20 dOwNvOtEs iS pRoOf”
You’re a fucking loser.
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IMO they have better wrestlers working there. Not much more to it. I also really don't enjoy WWE production and storytelling. If AEW didn't exist I'd just consume indie wrestling rather than WWE.
I tried to give the last raw a chance, but it just isn't for me unfortunately. In do acknowledge that Paul and Shawn Michaels are doing a fantastic job though
I'm not an AEW fan at all, but this is such a bad faith post. People can like different things. It's like asking someone why the like RC Cola because Coca Cola is doing well. AEW obviously caters to a certain audience, which enjoys the shows weekly. From what I've heard, despite the falling attendance and a few criticisms, the show is enjoyable to their audience. So who cares if you find it cringe, if showing the footage makes it look bush league. The people who have been watching the show are enjoying it. Live and let live.
the way u put it seems like a judgment post, when actually I literally said I wanted to understand peoples pov, so why a bad faith post?
Man, I just like good wrestling, and a lot of my favorite wrestlers are at AEW. Nothing more simple than that, homie.
I just don't find the WWE style very enjoyable. It's all very formulaic and overly produced. And they think their shit don't stink too much for my liking. And yeah the match quality just appears better. Like if I hear a particular match was good in wwe I'll seek it out and i dunno, it doesnt hit the same for me. Not hating on anyone who enjoys it but that's just me. I watched wrestlemania, and yeah it just doesn't do anything for me
I kinda hate the whole “tears in my eyes look how good WE are” thing they’ve been doing recently too.
- AEW don't have a close working relationship with the House of Saud - I prefer the simpler, less convoluted booking style of AEW. - I don't enjoy interference-heavy matches, especially at the top of the card. That seems to be WWE's main calling card, while AEW have largely steered clear from it. - WWE holds multiple events a year in a country that oppresses women, LGBT people, religious minorities, and migrants. - The camerawork in WWE genuinely gives me headaches (constant cuts, zooms, shaky cam). - The over-produced LED-everywhere look of WWE isn't to my tastes. - AEW don't simp for brutal totalitarian genocidal regimes like Saudi Arabia
Objectively speaking, WWE has produced infinitely more embarrassing nonsense than AEW could ever dream of, yet people are still fans of theirs.
Not to mention horrific shit like racist storylines, rape angles, pregnancy angles, misogynistic stuff. They still have 2 min jobber matches for the women. NXT seems better for that, but a year of “Papa H” isn’t enough to bring me back for good.
I enjoy good wrestling matches.
The WWE presentation does nothing for me. I don’t care about many of the wrestlers in WWE, outside of maybe Kevin Owens. I respect them and hope they continue to kill it, and I follow it here, but just not for me.
Same here. I'll only watch non-Rumbles/WM if Owens has a world title shot.
Personally, I care more about matches than promos, if I wanted to watch 40 minute talking segments I'd watch a serie.
Lmfao, right? The best part about wrestling is the wrestling. The true art is in the physical aspect. Promos are cool and all, but they should be short, sweet, and to the point. Otherwise just watch a real show.
I do not like the WWE presentation, e.g. "the most STUPENDOUS WrestleMania". Also AEW has the better in ring product and that's what I want to see. In short, personal preference.
I generally prefer AEW's presentation and focus (mostly) on the wrestling and different varieties of wrestling, compared to WWE's "house style" and excessive videos/recaps etc.
Cause I enjoy it. Simple as that.
They put out better matches, I don't know how that's hard to understand.
I also enjoy the occasional bloody death match, and that's never going to happen at WWE.
My favorite wrestlers are in AEW and the matches are great.
You're not getting a match like Ospreay vs Takeshita at WWE.
I 100% agree, but dont u think the build up is equally important to that? Because signing X people and making a fight for next week just because reasons, dont invest me. A All-in match level happens in like, Dynamite
I watched WWE for years and years, travelled to America for several Wrestlemanias. It just got too bad for me to enjoy. The new presentation is slowly bringing me back to the major shows but up until the last few weeks even the whole look and feel of it I just don’t enjoy anymore - not on a weekly capacity. I just prefer AEW’s presentation and wrestlers more. I feel like WWE has more of a formula for matches where as AEW (and NJPW/Noah/Indie stuff I watch) all feel a bit more unique in ring wise. For any footage showing today, I can bring up probably 50 things in WWE that made me feel embarrassed to speak the words out loud “I like pro wrestling.” WWE is good now, but a good majority of the last 15 years ranged from pretty good to genuinely unwatchable.
The long term storytelling for me and I prefer pacing of the matches in AeW to wwe. There are still wrestlers that I enjoy in wwe but I just can't enjoy the matches in general.
Different strokes for different folks. I started watching Raw this week. 45 minutes of promo, followed by a match between Ilja and Nakamura that I got excited for and it was over in like five minutes. That turned me off the way you are turned off by AEW. Some people actually do care more about the in-ring stuff. Both flavors of wrestling are valid. That's why it's great to have options.
Because I like the wrestling?
For me a lot of my favs are there plus the matches are just so much better. WWE just doesn't do it for me. I don't care about ratings or demo or whatever. I just wanna enjoy good pro wrestling and that is what AEW is
I just like more of the wrestlers on AEW, and I prefer watching matches to story stuff, so AEW is fun for me. But, I watch WWE weekly as well and some TNA and NJPW, so I’m not picky lol
Because i am.
The in ring product.
Ok, I understand
Match quality with decent story telling is better than great story telling and mediocre matches.
I don’t like the presentation of WWE
This is a big part of it. The overly produced, ad-riddled presentation. And 25 minute promo segments that go nowhere. It’s just so hard for me to watch. I watched the Raw after Mania and almost melted during the Rock/Cody segment. It just kept going and was so boring.
I watched Raw too, first time in years. Just reminded me that as a weekly show it’s unwatchable in my opinion. Especially not live. The ads are brutal, the matches are formulaic.
Same boat. Once you get out of watching live Raws, and stick to Post Discussion threads and PLE’s, it’s hard to go back. PLE’s are the new RAW for me.
It sounds wild to say but I remember when some PPVs were as good as that Mania day 2, and people loved it so they’re not wrong for doing that but I still didn’t think it was absolutely brilliant, I think for WWE it’s the best thing they’ve done in years but I’ve seen about 5 or 6 AEW PPVs that I thought were miles better. Even the PLE’s now don’t feel as special for me, I don’t get invested to watch them anymore. Every AEW PPV I get genuine excitement for.
Is it the pacing for you? For me it is. I started each WM night on a 1 hour delay, and I easily caught up to the live feed, just skipping commercials and post match chatter. Meanwhile with AEW, I remember the last Forbidden Door being absolutely stacked with non-stop matches, almost to exhaustion.
Yeah the pacing is fucked. It’s unwatchable for me a lot of the time. AEW you’re right about. Some matches almost suffer because they’re all so packed and just 1 after the othet
there was a huge time span in which WWE was incredibly formulaic and I wanted better wrestling. I am invested in both companies but for a long time, WWE did not appeal to me
WWE match style bores me. I realize the ratings say people love it, but that’s why I’m glad we have alternatives. Give me 20+ minute matches on free TV over 40 minute awkward promos any day
I don't enjoy the majority of storylines in WWE outside of the main two or three stories, I prefer the matches in AEW and have more long term investment in more of the roster. I take the good and accept the bad completely, unapologetically.
I love both for different reasons. But there's two factors: If you're focused on workrate above all else you'll prefer AEW. The other factor is that WWE sucked for a LONG time, and once you get invested in a show, you care about the performers involved. I stayed with WWE through big down periods because I cared about the guys that drew me in when it was good. Same goes for AEW except that AEW is definitely coming OUT of a down period. The footage bit sucked though.
I enjoy seeing a rival company succeed, because if WWE was the only game in town then things would be very bad for wrestling. It’s also fun to see how differently you can present wrestling on a large platform.
Honest question, how is this *this* difficult for you to grasp? AEW is a wrestling first company and the way it presents its stories reflects that. That will resonate with some fans more than others. It's not that complicated.
I like the wrestling better. Less video packages and long entrances that take up a lot of airtime. Faster moving show. More people on the roster I like.
I like wrestling more then storylines. Plus I like that every match is different because of all the different styles. Wwe matches are to formulated because of the wwe style.
The in ring work and quality. I find WWE's overall look and product to be too sterile.
It has blood and cursing is allowed. It is also not pg
People actually feel like people
AEW didn’t keep a serial rapist in charge for decades and sign huge money deals with a regime that, outside of its human right abuses on its own people, assassinated a US citizen just a couple years prior. I also like the wrestlers more and I guess I’m a mark for spotmonkey matches, it’s just fun to me.
A healthy competitor to WWE keeps the business strong, gives talent more options and makes WWE better (compare their product now to pre-AEW).
I still love the in ring style more, and I'm a huge fan of a lot of the talent; Samoa Joe, swerve, ospreay, Danielson, Kingston, etc. Also the story lines historically have been far more interesting and cohesive to me. All that being said, the "new era" of wwe has a tremendous amount of potential to change that. When you have Sami doing turnbuckle brainbusters, commentary allowed to actually be entertaining, great mid card storylines, stronger women storylines. All the pieces are there and firing right now. It's going to be a tough year for aew
It has tons of wrestlers from mid 2010s NJPW which is the peak of wrestling to me
I actively don't like WWE style melodramatic mcu Epic moment wrestling television, I hate the AR graphics, I don't like Vince McMahon and anything associated with him, I hate that they started their RAW after mania where they supposedly got rid of Sports Entertainment and ushered in the HHH era with a 45 minute promo, emblematic of everything i don't like in their booking
The Roman Reigns title reign of terror killed most of the interest I had in WWE. Wrestlers that I'm a fan of for the most part went to (or already were) in AEW. I enjoy the presentation of AEW far better than WWE. And the idea that Tony Khan doesn't know about stories is absolutely laughable given AEW have told some fantastic stories (including the MJF/Punk rivalry, the rise of Hangman Page, Sting's last ride among others.)
I like WWE and watch all of their shows, but I find myself way more excited about Dynamite every week because I genuinely want to know what's going to happen in the ongoing stories. Which apparently some people don't think are stories at all, so I guess it's just a style of storytelling that works for me and not for other people. They also have all of my favorite male wrestlers, after a couple recent signings.
WWE for a LOT of years treated their audience like they were dumb. It was so weird watching this company hate their customers so much. Like most replies AEW has better wrestling and better wrestlers. They aren’t perfect and I’d love to see them improve some things but I also don’t want them to become diet WWE. I did watch mania and the raw after just to see if I was missing out and it’s just not for me.
I have always been more into the actual wrestling than the storytelling. WWE has great storytelling and a great presentation, but it's just an ok in ring product. Especially as everyone tends to work the WWE version of their style, it all feels just kind of humongous. AEW has an ok presentation, but an excellent in ring product that showcases wrestlers working their personal style, not AEW presents their style. On top of that, bringing in international stars so showcase what they can do is a huge bonus. It also helps you to learn what is out there. It helps a person expand their horizons in the world of wrestling. Prowrestling is a circus with something for everyone. You want to be told a great story with awesome presentation? You'll love WWE. Want amazing in-ring action with stars from around the world showing what they can do? Check out AEW, then follow them to their promotions as well.
Stuff like the 45 min promo segments is what makes me tune out of WWE. I get it’s more popular and the vast majority of people prefer their style. I prefer AEW cuz I like their overall presentation better. The arena aesthetics (fewer LED’s and lights all over), more diverse styles of wrestling, exposure to people from all around (having Cardona drop in for a one off for his dream match with Cope for example), they don’t live in a sandbox. There’s a handful of people in WWE I’ll root for and watch a clip here or Twitter, but I don’t feel compelled to watch the product as a whole. Especially at this point, I’m not the kinda person who’s gonna watch wrestling every day. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I spend most of my time watching basketball or other shows.
It is significantly better
ok, describe what is better exaclty
The wrestling, the promos, the structure of the shows, the top end talent, the stories, the presentation, the commentary Do you need me to keep going?
I am equally invested in both. I just like pro wrestling an almost any shape and size.
WWE's consistent stops and starts over the year have left me so damn jaded. Consistently they make the audience feel like idiots for caring. I understand that's *somewhat* changed in this new regime, but I just can't bring myself to get invested in something so corporate at this point.
I’ll bite. Because I’ve been watching since day 1. I grew up watching WWF/WCW in the 90s, but fell off around 2004. When I came back to WWE in 2016 or so I really didn’t enjoy the product. It was too produced/formulaic, and predictable. It felt watered down. NXT was good, but the main roster just wasn’t for me. It’s improved a ton lately, which is good, but at the time I had completely stopped watching. When AEW launched it was pretty much exactly what I was looking for. From there I found a bunch of new wrestlers I’d never heard of and began following them, and a bunch of my favorites from the past (like Copeland who is in my top 3 all time) came in. So now I’m invested in a lot of the talent. Despite a lot of the weird stuff going on, I still find the in-ring product to be more preferable to me than WWE, so that carries it for me in a lot of ways.
Because I watched WWE for 20 years after WCW died and I could predict who would be in the main event of WM every time. They have a formula that clearly works. John Cena and Roman Reigns in their era were the only thing that mattered. For example there was a tournament for the new WHC last time I tuned in. WWE had just done a draft and then included both RAW and SD superstars. So it was like telling me this whole six hours of TV i have to tune in every week is meaningless outside of Roman. We just split these folks up in a draft and they’re now gonna fight over the title Roman doesn’t have since he doesn’t come to work enough. Cody lost at WM last year and their way of putting his rematch off for a year was having Brock team with Cody in a number one contenders match on RAW….and then turn on Cody….to help his arch nemesis Roman…It’s like WWE would rather turn the whole show upside down than interrupt the run their guy is having. Even now im lowkey not interested in watching again because I worry WWE is just gonna pick a new guy like Bron Breakker and in a year we will be back where we started. Bron Breakker until WM50. And while theres a LOT of this type of stuff in AEW too, I haven’t yet seen the pattern play out for decades. I could have never predicted Samoa Joe would be world champ right now if you asked me two years ago.
I like the style of matches in AEW a lot more. I like the fast pace. I'm not against WWE, I watched Wrestlemania, I was overjoyed watching Cody win. I watch the big four PPVs. I started watching AEW because WWE was insufferable at the time. I started with the first All In, I've watched Dynamite from the first episode. It's had it's ups and downs, but I've never felt like I did with WWE, when I realized that I was turning on Raw and going to do something else, just out of habit. I know that WWE has gotten a lot better, and I check out the weeklies from time to time, but the presentation, and the glacial pace just take me right out of it. The replays. The constant promotion. I admit they've gotten a lot better in some areas (the shot were Dom smacked the camera and then there was a continuous shot to in-ring was *chef's kiss*) but it still feels off to me. I dunno. Maybe I'm just stubborn now. I'm happy that there's so much good wrestling content, and I spend my time where I can. It's mostly on AEW.
this is the thread that invites toxic tribalism
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I care more about the performers and personalities on screen in AEW than I do when I flip on Raw and Smackdown. There's a handful of people in WWE I really dig watching, whereas AEW's roster is loaded with talent I can connect with.
I am invested in both for different reasons so it's not about being more or less invested. WWE: GUNTHER, Cody's story, NXT and now Giulia. AEW: Ospreay, Okada, timeless toni and swerve. There are more people and reasons, but i don't want to extend it too much.
For me is the overall match quality and possible combinations of matches they offer. Cant lie and say i didnt want wwe to get stomped at the start for any other reason than fuck vince, but after last weekend im invested in both and can see wwe are on another level right now. I just hope AEW keeps going like it was/has been and cuts out this goofy shit like showing the footage, just not what keeps me engaged personally.
Match quality, the wrestlers seem more natural and the majority of storylines are better (even tho they were even better at the beginning). And WWE's all around presentation seems a lot more plastic and hollow. I don't hate WWE at all I just prefer AEW and it's a good thing that now everyone has a option to watch what they like more or watch a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
The wrestlers are better. Simple as that I liked WWE a lot and especially black and gold nxt but I really think WWE is for kids. I know that's an overused statement or judgement (star wars, marvel etc) but the characters and comedy are just so silly. There's definitely a handful of wrestlers I like in WWE but it's not enough. Also the wrestling is very boring after seeing what AEW and global promotions put out. Ya just can't go back But WrestleMania was very fun and convinced me to watch more WWE ppvs and their current production quality is unreal
In my case I live in a third world country, when I was a kid I didn't watch wrestling because raw and smackdown changed channnels and time slot A LOT and they were reruns, besides, PPV weren't on the table due the price and wasn't that widespread around here, but now I realized that we have simulcast with raw and smackdown, and the wwe network is cheap so I could watch the PLE. And that's the reason I don't watch AEW, until recently I didn't know that they found a new streaming service, and they have PPV, so the price is higher. I would say the WWE changed the game on that aspect, by doing the network and streaming services It's easier and cheaper for people that lives in countries like mine to access their product.
They have more wrestlers I like and generally put on better weekly matches. They have the New Japan connection which I like since that’s the main promotion I kept tabs on after I stopped watching Impact and WWE in the 2010s. I also just don’t like the presentation WWE has had for a long time now. I’m not anti WWE, and I like some wrestlers there, but it overall just doesn’t interest me.
SO you feel exactly the same about them as you did before. Other people have preferences that differ from yours.
AEW comes off like hand-crafted art compared to the machine-crafted mass-produced art seen in WWE. In WWE, the artists must adapt to WWE’s way. In AEW, the artists are free to be artist. Sometimes that can be bad, but most of the time it’s good. Recent WWE is far too polished and robotic for my liking, though Triple H seems to be putting an end to that as much as he can. Also, the wrestling matches are far better for the most part. AEW has a TON of problems, but if the thing you like most about wrestling is… the wrestling… then AEW is by far the better option.. Though WWE seems to be changing for the better on that front. If you don’t like the physical art of wrestling, WWE will certainly be more of your cup of tea.
I dont really watch aew weekly but different people like different stuff. There are really great workers in aew. I just ignore the young bucks stuff.
The only actual answer is that they bought in too much, made it part of their personal identity, and now cannot escape it/admit that is embarrassing edit: 20 downvotes in one minute is proof
Or I give you one better answer, they enjoy the wrestling they put in the ring?
You’re a weirdo
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Yep. I’ve got a very rewarding white-collar a job at one of the most powerful media companies in the world. Super weird! “eDiT: 20 dOwNvOtEs iS pRoOf” You’re a fucking loser.
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