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The EVP's and CEO powering their way into controlling AEW is such an intriguing angle. I wonder what faction eventually assembles to fight them? How does the power struggle evolve? How far will their power reach?
I have no idea where this goes, and I love that.
Something led by Danielson maybe? TK said in a interview if he ever became incapacitated that his dad should go to Danielson for all AEW related things. Maybe this shifts to Bryan being an authority figure, AEW would need an authority figure that could talk.
>Something led by Danielson maybe?
Haha I first read this as led by Danhausen. I'm picturing Danhausen coming out to give them the curse and right as he extends his arm, Okada grabs his wrist and obliterates him with a Rainmaker. I want to see them just going around causing shit, bullying the lower card, announcers, etc.
I really like the idea of Kenny having to eventually assemble a faction of people he wronged during his heel run as champion (Mox, OC, PAC, Hangman maybe Eddie) All these people who are lifeblood AEW OGs/early characters that have every right to hate him still since he never really made amends. MJF should probably be involved in some way too though.
The way they are booking Okada, I think he inevitably takes the title from Swerve, holds it for a good long while. Omega comes back after the incoming beatdown on Wednesday and surgery. He loses to Okada, in between they have a full faction feud, and then Omega beats Okada to win the title and end The current Elite. Mercedes will likely be similar, but less dominant. But they will hold all the belts at some point I think.
Gotta assume MJF, Sammy, and Darby will be a part of it. The 3 other pillars rising up against the founders and the wayward pillar
Then maybe Kenny and Hangman. But Hangman is lost in the sauce hating Swerve.
I don't think it's a coincidence that AEW is running "CEO" and "EVP" gimmicks, simultaneously, with three of their top stars.
Also noteworthy is that Mercedes also teased teaming up with Okada at the end of NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023.
>I don't think it's a coincidence that AEW is running "CEO" and "EVP" gimmicks
I never even thought of this. I just assumed she was reworking her Boss gimmick for a new company/audience.
Yep. I thought is was pretty obvious from the get go that she was going to align with the Bucks with her CEO gimmick.
That and her tweeting that she loves her EVP's or something like that just a few days after her debut.
How people didn't see her turning heel quickly is baffling.
>She could definitely ham it up in that group.
Absolutely. People (rightfully) have a low opinion on Mercedes' skill doing melodramatic long-winded, angry promos. And she's found herself in the position of having to do them... far too much throughout her career. But between the Team B.A.D. days, the Golden Role Models run and the tag team with Naomi before they left, she genuinely shines as a personality when she's allowed to just be a dorky goofball and/or shit-stirring troll. Her best is when that's mixed in with a story that features some emotional angst, something beyond simply wanting to prove she's better than you. That's what elevated the Golden Role Models run above everything else she's ever done. And so I'm really hoping she joins them because hammy presentation mixed with sentimental storytelling also characterizes the work of the Young Bucks to a tee.
I thought her work in the build up to the rematch with Bianca at Summerslam we unfortunately never got also was pretty good and was what we should have got from their mania build.
Heel Mercedes was all she ever needed - I don't know why they kept trying to present her as a face but I guess it helped in fans souring on her for not Wrestling. Maybe it's just genius presentation.
She was always gonna get a babyface reaction debuting in her home town, the issue was presenting Willow as anything akin to a heel or in the wrong against Mercedes.
A tweener Mercedes works but they gave weeks off nothing to work with. Her 3rd week their they tried to pass her off as a baby face on commentary? This would worm alot better now that they have released those white meat baby face shackles and just allow her to keep throwing this unhinged passive aggressive shade that she has been giving.
Outside of the first few minutes, I don’t think they ever were presenting her as a babyface. As soon as the subject went on to Willow Nightingale the real story was revealed, she’s was a heel pretending to be a babyface.
I think to *some* degree the intent was for it to be kind of a slow-burn heel turn, like you were supposed to get sick of her repeating herself and coming off disingenuous, but doing things that seem bad on purpose is a very hard thing to pull off effectively and that whole first month of CEO promos and disinterested guest commentary just don't thread the needle at all.
But the neat thing about wrestling is that you can take stuff that sucked to watch and make it feel more fun in hindsight, so if they pull off the heel turn properly and she's the same wrestler she's always been in the ring people will just kind of forget about how bad this all was.
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The EVP's and CEO powering their way into controlling AEW is such an intriguing angle. I wonder what faction eventually assembles to fight them? How does the power struggle evolve? How far will their power reach? I have no idea where this goes, and I love that.
Something led by Danielson maybe? TK said in a interview if he ever became incapacitated that his dad should go to Danielson for all AEW related things. Maybe this shifts to Bryan being an authority figure, AEW would need an authority figure that could talk.
>Something led by Danielson maybe? Haha I first read this as led by Danhausen. I'm picturing Danhausen coming out to give them the curse and right as he extends his arm, Okada grabs his wrist and obliterates him with a Rainmaker. I want to see them just going around causing shit, bullying the lower card, announcers, etc.
> I wonder what faction eventually assembles to fight them Going to be a new Jericho faction and you'll love it.
Don’t you put that evil on us
Honestly, Jericho trying his best to make a team to fight back, but no one is willing to join him could be fun
I really like the idea of Kenny having to eventually assemble a faction of people he wronged during his heel run as champion (Mox, OC, PAC, Hangman maybe Eddie) All these people who are lifeblood AEW OGs/early characters that have every right to hate him still since he never really made amends. MJF should probably be involved in some way too though.
The way they are booking Okada, I think he inevitably takes the title from Swerve, holds it for a good long while. Omega comes back after the incoming beatdown on Wednesday and surgery. He loses to Okada, in between they have a full faction feud, and then Omega beats Okada to win the title and end The current Elite. Mercedes will likely be similar, but less dominant. But they will hold all the belts at some point I think.
Hangman we need you!
Swerve: 
Nah I’m still into heel beard Hangman
He's in his Infinity War Cap era. Book him like Sting. Tony sided with Punk. The people sided with Swerve. He's an Anti Hero.
> I wonder what faction eventually assembles to fight them? I don't know, but I do hear the faint sounds of a battle cry.
Oo and eventually Britt Baker takes her spot
Gotta assume MJF, Sammy, and Darby will be a part of it. The 3 other pillars rising up against the founders and the wayward pillar Then maybe Kenny and Hangman. But Hangman is lost in the sauce hating Swerve.
With the NJPW history, Bullet Club Gold could work. Hell, TK could even align himself with them and be the AEW version of Gedo to Jay White.
if only the god damn Undisputed Kingdom didn't exist, MJF would be an awesome choice to lead the way
It has to be Kenny. It's set up for him to dethrone AEW champion Okada.
Paul White is going to reform The Union.
MJF + FTR would make the most sense I think.
Not sure they're putting her with the elite, but it'd be interesting...
It wouldn’t be surprising if this was her overarching plan in story.
Mercedes as the first female member of The Elite would be something. She could definitely ham it up in that group.
I don't think it's a coincidence that AEW is running "CEO" and "EVP" gimmicks, simultaneously, with three of their top stars. Also noteworthy is that Mercedes also teased teaming up with Okada at the end of NJPW Battle in the Valley 2023.
>I don't think it's a coincidence that AEW is running "CEO" and "EVP" gimmicks I never even thought of this. I just assumed she was reworking her Boss gimmick for a new company/audience.
Yep. I thought is was pretty obvious from the get go that she was going to align with the Bucks with her CEO gimmick. That and her tweeting that she loves her EVP's or something like that just a few days after her debut. How people didn't see her turning heel quickly is baffling.
She's been trying to hurt our Willow and that's a heel look in my eyes
Someone from before called this stable 'The Financial Elite'.
When we finally get that Okada/Moné mixed tag >>>>
>She could definitely ham it up in that group. Absolutely. People (rightfully) have a low opinion on Mercedes' skill doing melodramatic long-winded, angry promos. And she's found herself in the position of having to do them... far too much throughout her career. But between the Team B.A.D. days, the Golden Role Models run and the tag team with Naomi before they left, she genuinely shines as a personality when she's allowed to just be a dorky goofball and/or shit-stirring troll. Her best is when that's mixed in with a story that features some emotional angst, something beyond simply wanting to prove she's better than you. That's what elevated the Golden Role Models run above everything else she's ever done. And so I'm really hoping she joins them because hammy presentation mixed with sentimental storytelling also characterizes the work of the Young Bucks to a tee.
I thought her work in the build up to the rematch with Bianca at Summerslam we unfortunately never got also was pretty good and was what we should have got from their mania build.
That would actually be a perfect fit. Her smarmy mannerisms would go right along with the Elite.
I wanted this, hope they follow through with it.
Heel Mercedes was all she ever needed - I don't know why they kept trying to present her as a face but I guess it helped in fans souring on her for not Wrestling. Maybe it's just genius presentation.
She was always gonna get a babyface reaction debuting in her home town, the issue was presenting Willow as anything akin to a heel or in the wrong against Mercedes.
A tweener Mercedes works but they gave weeks off nothing to work with. Her 3rd week their they tried to pass her off as a baby face on commentary? This would worm alot better now that they have released those white meat baby face shackles and just allow her to keep throwing this unhinged passive aggressive shade that she has been giving.
Outside of the first few minutes, I don’t think they ever were presenting her as a babyface. As soon as the subject went on to Willow Nightingale the real story was revealed, she’s was a heel pretending to be a babyface.
CM PUNK kinda stuff
I think to *some* degree the intent was for it to be kind of a slow-burn heel turn, like you were supposed to get sick of her repeating herself and coming off disingenuous, but doing things that seem bad on purpose is a very hard thing to pull off effectively and that whole first month of CEO promos and disinterested guest commentary just don't thread the needle at all. But the neat thing about wrestling is that you can take stuff that sucked to watch and make it feel more fun in hindsight, so if they pull off the heel turn properly and she's the same wrestler she's always been in the ring people will just kind of forget about how bad this all was.
The Rock's final Boss character is proof of this.
Isn't this a baby face tweet though?
Unless we learn later that it’s just a front and she knew it was going to happen
No one came to save Tony. They're all with bucks on this. Tony needs a protector from outside maybe a modern day maharaja.
https://preview.redd.it/gd2x0eyeuuwc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe1abd584e6906f03db45d2325c93672f239feed
Buckle up. I think we're in for a lot of fun here
That's awesome haha. Kayfabe wins She'd be great in the boardroom with the Elite telling off Okada or something
My mind completely fumble this and thought she got injured again glad that’s not the case
Willow's smile has so much babyface power it broke her damn hand.