I Think I'm Done Watching AEW, And There Are A Few Specific Reasons Why

Quite recently, an episode of AEW's flagship show, Dynamite, came and went, and I didn't watch it.

This is strange for me, since by all accounts, AEW got me back into being a weekly watcher of wrestling, which is something I really hadn't done since WWE’s Ruthless Aggression era. That said, AEW had been the spark that reignited my passion for wrestling. And, as of late, I was actually quite hopeful for the brand, even after a string of what I viewed as poor decisions.

But, after an episode of Dynamite in which Jon Moxley literally got impaled by a spike board, I’m pretty sure I’m done with the product now. Here’s why.

I'm Okay With Violence In Wrestling, But Not This Kind Of Violence

I grew up watching ECW, so I know a thing or two about violence. New Jack leaping from insane heights, barbed wire ropes, and piledrivers through chairs (OH, MY GEEEOD!) were all par for the course, and I was there for it.

It wasn’t just ECW though, as the WWE Attitude Era started to become more known for its violence. The Rock once delivered several unprotected chair shots to Mick Foley. And, who could forget when Foley got one of his teeth lodged into his nose (shivers)? All of this is to say that I have a certain tolerance for violence in pro-wrestling.

However, I absolutely could not take seeing Jon Moxley writhing in pain when he got impaled by that board. First off, the camera zoomed in, so that we could see every gory detail, and secondly, you could tell that something went wrong since Mox really was seeking relief, and Wheeler Yuta couldn’t provide it.

But, my question is, why did we have to see this? First off, yeah, okay, a spiked board. I’ve seen similar things in the past with barbed-wire bats. However, was it necessary to DROP MOX ON THE BOARD? I understand that wrestlers are always putting their bodies on the line for our entertainment, but why was this spot even necessary?

I imagine that the desired effect was to have the nails sticking out of his back so that it could present a gruesome visual. But, everything about the spot just seems like they didn’t think things through, because they got stuck in his back. Plus, this is the kind of thing I absolutely do not want to watch on a Wednesday night. (While I’m eating, no less!) As an OG wrestling fan who loved the Attitude Era, but also likes current day wrestling, I feel like I’ve seen it all. But this? No, this went too far.

Plus, As I Age, I Find I'm More Into The Actual Wrestling, And Less Into Shocking Spots

Here’s another thing. The older I get, the less I want to see gruesome violence. Yes, I know all wrestling storylines are scripted, but the pain these wrestlers endure is very real, and I think it’s irresponsible of AEW to put their wrestlers through shocking spots like this.

I mean, it’s bad enough watching Darby Allin seemingly put his life on the line for every single match, but to see something like this? People are always complaining that AEW is one big spot fest. I’ve defended AEW in the past (Even to the point of saying that it’s been good that so many WWE stars have come into the promotion), but I can’t defend a shocking spot like this.

Spots are, of course, one of the most exciting parts of pro-wrestling. All of that build-up, and then, that devastating moment. This is the stuff that makes casual fans into hardcore ones.

That said, the older I get, the less I want to see these “shocking spots.” Unfortunately, it seems like AEW is constantly trying to up the ante, almost like it wants to be the second coming of ECW. The problem though, is that times have changed since then. Wrestling has become bigger than ever, but a large part of that is because the people who watched it in the ‘90s, and early ‘00s are adults now, and so you have that audience, but you also have the younger generation.

Today’s kids might like watching as Mox is slammed onto spikes; I’m just not into that stuff anymore. Unfortunately, AEW has been leaning more into shocking spots, and distancing itself from actual wrestling, which is a shame. I miss watching “regular” matches, and wrestlers like Kurt Angle, who could captivate with wrestling and storytelling alone. What happened to that?

Not Only That, But Spots Like This Also Make AEW Feel More And More Desperate For Attention These Days, Which Is Sad

Remember when AEW showed footage of the backstage fight between CM Punk and Jack Perry, and everybody thought it reeked of desperation? Well, this is ten times worse.

I mean, this spot was obviously meant to get people talking, and guess what? I’m talking. But, even though I know people always say that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, I don’t agree with that statement at all.

Just think. Maybe you never watched AEW before. Maybe you’ve been a diehard WWE fan, but you don’t like how WWE is burying Austin Theory, or how they’ve failed him in the past.

Maybe, you want something new. Well, after watching this gruesome spot, you might decide not to watch another second of it. Because there’s always TNA. Or New Japan. Or a myriad of other promotions that don’t seem so desperate for attention that they would actually impale one of their top guys.

Who’s to say? But, nobody likes desperation, and AEW looks desperate as hell after that spot. Blatantly so.

The Product Is Just Not As Exciting, And Spots Like This Are Evidence Of That For Me

It pains me to say this, but AEW is just not as exciting as it once was. I stopped watching AEW Collision awhile ago, but I never – until recently – missed Dynamite. That said, it’s been hard to stay awake through recent episodes, as I just don’t care about many of the storylines anymore.

Take MJF, for instance. Once he came back, I thought the promotion was going to soar again, as he often had the best storylines. But, creative seems to have dropped the ball with him, as he hasn’t really elevated himself, or any of the other wrestlers he’s gone up against since he returned.

In fact, if you were to ask me to name any one storyline that has me excited right now, I’d really struggle. I guess the Hurt Syndicate stuff is kind of interesting, but I’m already bored with them. I love Swerve Strickland, but I didn’t get anything out of his feud with “Hangman” Adam Page.

In every way, it just seems like AEW needs to rely on outrageous spots like Moxley getting impaled to even stay relevant anymore, since the rest of the product has gone stale, and again, this is a shame.

You have no idea how much I used to love watching Dynamite, and now I don’t even want to tune in because I don’t want to watch any more disgusting spots like that, which sucks! I want to love AEW again!

Finally, I Think I Like The More Sanitized WWE These Days

Lastly, call me a square all you want, but I really like the sanitized side of WWE these days. Yes, sometimes they add blood, but it’s always there to advance a storyline. It’s not just there for the sake of getting people to tune in, as WWE isn't desperate for people to tune in. For most people, WWE is still the only show in town when it comes to wrestling.

I know I’ve said in the past that I might bail on AEW for WWE, but this time, I truly mean it. This past week was the first time that I’ve watched RAW, but not Dynamite. Yes, I know they’re on two separate nights, and I could always watch the episode I missed on MAX. But…I don’t want to.

I haven’t even followed up to see what happened on the following Dynamite, so I don’t know. Maybe they toned it down. Maybe enough people complained online that Tony Khan and Co. realized that they messed up.

Who’s to say? What I will say, though, is that AEW lost a fan on that one spot alone. WWE can still be corny at times, and I still don’t understand why they don’t push Sheamus to the moon one last time, but I still prefer it now to AEW. At least on their product, I know FOR CERTAIN that they would never pull off a reckless spot like AEW did on Jon Moxley.

But, what do you think? Did you like the spot in question? I’d love to hear your thoughts.