In AEW’s short history, there are many aspects of traditional pro wrestling that Tony Khan has reinvigorated. As a fan of Bill Watts’ Midsouth, ECW, WCW, Japanese wrestling, etc., Khan has brought old ideas into the present. One thing staple especially has dominated this year for AEW has been tournaments.
Khan, in comparison to Vince McMahon who distasted tournaments, has at points been able to make them feel special again. The first Dynamite kicked off with a tournament. In the opening match, Private Party scored a huge upset over The Young Bucks. It sent a clear message: AEW values tag team wrestling and anything can happen. It also displayed another hallmark of Tony Khan’s booking: feeding multiple storyline threads and ideas into one vehicle.
Tournaments have become a rich tradition in AEW’s short history. They have established belts with importance. Think Cody Rhodes becoming the first TNT Champion. Planted the seeds for long-term storylines. Think the start of “Hangman” Adam Page’s journey to the AEW World Championship after losing to Kenny Omega, in the Full Gear Eliminator tournament. They established new wrestlers. Think of Lance Archer early in his run with the company. Did the company rely too heavily on tournaments though? Let’s look at the year of tournaments in review.
2023: Over-Reliance on Tournaments for AEW
Creatively 2023 has been a mixed year with AEW. The wrestling in ring action has been nirvana even if the creative at times has been purgatory. At points, Khan has relied heavily on repetition. Re-using staples and formulas that have worked for him before. Failing to learn from history, that when bookers over-rely on one concept, it can have diminishing returns.
2023 has seen six different tournaments, excluding those held in Ring of Honour. Some have been much stronger than others in terms of match quality, the long-term impact of storylines and characters, and establishing/moving wrestlers up the card. Let’s explore all six, from the worst to the best.
Four Pillars Tournament
It felt special when Darby Allin, Jack Perry, and Sammy Guevarra confronted AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF and in unison told them they wanted a title shot. The potential for the blowaway four-way of all time was set. The match at Double or Nothing delivered. The road there however was too long. It exposed how the other three pillars are not generational talents. In terms of promo skills and their ability to carry a main event program, no one was on the level of the devil.
The Four Pillars Tournament harked back to MJF’s repeated trope of making the good guys jump through flaming hoops to face him. This had just happened with Bryan Danielson the prior pay-per-view. Even the way MJF’s character set it up seemed like he was knowingly parodying Khan’s love of tournaments, which instantly undermined its credibility.
Only one of the three men could face MJF in Las Vegas. The matches themselves were good yet the screw-job finishes and then the overall result became null and void. The expected four-way happened. The tournament became a useless obstacle.
Women’s Wembley Title Match Qualifier
Tony Khan sold All In’s fatal four-way on the suggestion there was an illustrious history of women’s four-ways in AEW, going back to the first All In. This felt like an RP substitute for a storyline at a time when the women’s division booking was criticized more as an afterthought. Until the Four Pillars Tournament, the results stick, and the tournament structure was respected. The matches were the best the women could do with the time given.
The final match itself was a feel-good moment for Saraya and the start of Timeless Toni Storm. As an attendee of All In, I thought the finish was underplayed. Britt Baker had Hikaru Shida in the lockjaw while Saraya pinned Toni Storm, it felt they missed out on a potential shift in Baker’s character. Either going heel and blaming Shida for not tapping and costing her the championship or another match with Saraya.
Grand Slam World Championship Eliminator
One fair criticism of AEW tournaments is that often the finals seem telegraphed. Promos cut before the chase begins help suggest who will make it to the end. Think of last year’s World Title Eliminator Tournament, it felt like before the first match that Ethan Page was destined to face Ricky Starks.
Another issue, the majority of those competing for a championship opportunity had received multiple title shots throughout the year. Darby Allin had just failed to win the TNT Championship at All Out. Even Joe had lost a shot at the not-world championship to CM Punk at All In. Why reward these guys with a place in a tournament rather than Konosuke Takashita who had beaten Omega twice in a week? This lapse in logic lingered despite the Grand Slam tournament took fans on a fun journey.
Allin pummelling his protégé Nick Wayne into submission furthered their issues. Samoa Joe got the best out of a worn Jeff Hardy. All of Roderick’s Strong’s matches were good showcases of his talent and character development. Long-term, the tournament helped build Samoa Joe, back to a formidable world championship contender, and Roderick Strong to his crazy ex-friend routine with Adam Cole.
Owen Hart Men’s and Women’s Tournaments
This year’s Owen Hart Tournaments took place across AEW’s Canada debut, which was a great way to honor Owen Hart. In comparison to the previous year’s tournament, it felt more open and with great potential for some of AEW’s young stars to ascend the card.
Powerhouse Hobbs began to feel like a killer again despite his ties with QTV. On the women’s side of things, Athena got to display why she is a must-watch on ROH. Willow Nightingale had a second breakout moment after beating Mercedes Mone for the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship.
Punk putting over a new, revitalized Ricky Starks refilled “The Absolute” with rocket fuel. Nightingale got a strong victory over Ruby Soho, who made up for her incoherence in last year’s event. Starks’ breakout has been more pronounced, but Willow has enjoyed a year full of highlights also, just not to the same prominence.
Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament
Taking inspiration from WCW’s Lethal Lottery, the concept of enemies turned partners had lots of potential. Although, technically, AEW had done this before in 2020 with the Women’s Tag Team Cup Tournament: Deadly Draw. Despite the lack of explanation of who or why wrestlers were put into the tumbler, the combinations were mainly hits (Matt Hardy and Jeff Jarrett went nowhere).
Pairs who were semi-regular tag partners made me want to see proper tag team runs. Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin were a perfect pairing of contrasting personalities and in-ring work. Sammy Guevarra and Danny Garcia were so entertaining. It was criminal there was not a promo or backstage segment between Matt Menard and The Butcher. That energy would have been mind-blowing!
Oh, and MJF teaming up with Adam Cole to create one of the best enemies-turned-friend storylines in wrestling. AEW’s latter half of 2023 has been dominated by the story. It all began from this tournament (for better and worse). If not for Adam Cole’s injury…what could have been?
Continent Classic
Created with haste after constant criticism. Khan seemed to tune back into feedback from the fans again. No interference. Rebalancing of wrestling matches having stakes and importance. The CC’s biggest flaw was the rush and lack of time to hype the potential of the tournament. Also, each bracket included one wrestler who was there to eat pins (Lethal and Garcia).
Despite the similar G1 structuring, Khan’s inspiration goes to All Japan Wrestling, especially with the fact three championships from three promotions are on the line to form a triple crown championship.
Eddie Kingston, a man who for some can make wrestling feel real again, was the perfect conduit to translate Khan’s exasperation. Kingston in the storyline has every reason to win this tournament. Kingston’s first loss and his promo selling this has ties back to what some fans have wanted in AEW, a return to wins and losses feeling like the most important thing in the company.
It’s been a near-perfect blend of storyline-building and match quality. The tournament has revived interest in Andrade el Idolo as a contender. Brody King again stands out. Garcia’s storyline comes back into focus. Jay White has a tournament spoiler is rehabbing his Full Gear embarrassment. Swerve Strickland has begun his ascent. In defeat, Mark Briscoe looks like a future champion and a possible Jay Lethal face-turn seems likely.
The Blue League has by far been the most enjoyable and surprising thus far but the finals are within reach and then there’s World End. Already this seems like a great tradition to the AEW already rich calendar. More importantly, it made a statement about the future of AEW after a year of flux.
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