{"id":149638,"date":"2025-12-31T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=149638"},"modified":"2026-01-01T10:20:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T15:20:08","slug":"inside-aews-rise-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2025\/12\/31\/inside-aews-rise-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside AEW’s Rise in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

To say that AEW had a return to glory in 2025 would be an understatement. For years, the company had struggled to find the footing it saw in 2021. In some respects, they\u2019re still getting there, but the perception has shifted, and the product is headed in a better direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d say this momentum kicked off tangibly with the Owen Hart Cup. Specifically, the finales, where Hangman Adam Page and Mercedes Mon\u00e9 defeated Will Ospreay and Jamie Hayter, respectively. All In\u2019s showing in Arlington, Texas, continued this trajectory, as did a litany of other pay-per-views and weekly televised programs. <\/span><\/p>\n

The roster had to step up or step aside. Through hard work, dedication, WWE\u2019s decline in quality and PR, and the turbulent political tide in the United States, AEW rejuvenated its image.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s true that the year wasn\u2019t exactly perfect for the brand, there have been missteps. However, that doesn\u2019t negate the leaps in quality of the promotion over the course of the year. A lot can be said for what hasn\u2019t gone right, but far more can be illustrated in the strengths of AEW\u2019s rebound.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW\u2019s In-Ring and Storytelling Philosophy<\/span><\/h2>\n

After the hires of former WWE production and creative staff proved awkward from 2023 to 2024, it was clear that the WWE approach wouldn\u2019t work with AEW. Any attempt at gaining \u201ccasual\u201d fans would not work out by copying their playbook. Casuals are going to lean more towards the familiarity of WWE. It\u2019s natural.<\/span><\/p>\n

Any other casual who doesn\u2019t visit professional wrestling\/sports entertainment often can plausibly gloss over the company. WWE\u2019s a monolith of a monopoly, and they did a solid job of obscuring other companies in the decades they reigned dominion over the medium.<\/span><\/p>\n

What AEW sought to be in 2025 was what it hoped to be in the first place: serving as an alternative. WWE has its own way of doing things that satisfies its fan base. But what about the fans looking for something more, something different? Those curious souls, the jaded, and the hardcore, flocked to AEW. <\/span><\/p>\n

There, Tony Khan promotes his stories with more intricacy that doesn\u2019t necessarily spoonfeed. It requires full attention. Considering the long-term storytelling, the company has the patience to maintain continuity and growth. Even when something seemingly \u201cdoesn\u2019t have a story,” there\u2019s a story being cultivated.<\/span><\/p>\n

A standard critique I see of WWE is the way its storytelling is dominantly handled by promos, mid-match smack talk, and pauses to stare. And that\u2019s fine. Formulaic isn\u2019t always a bad thing. AEW doesn\u2019t rest on that, however. Sure, they\u2019ll indulge in these things, but their in-ring storytelling lies in the nuances and subtleties that tweak the narrative satisfyingly upon rewatch. I\u2019d know, as I often cover matches for other sites, looking for these sweet, tiny details.<\/span><\/p>\n

That isn\u2019t to say AEW has been flawless in this. It still struggles to book the women\u2019s division more handily. A fine example of this is how Toni Storm and Mariah May\u2019s Hollywood Ending match<\/a> didn\u2019t main event AEW Revolution. Another would be the miscommunication status of the AEW Unified Championship this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Descent of WWE\u2019s Quality<\/span><\/h2>\n

During AEW\u2019s struggles in 2023 and 2024, WWE found itself with more fans and improved booking. Be it from CM Punk\u2019s outbursts to locker room drama to jabs at WWE, fans turned away over time. Loyal fans mourned the loss of identity for a company that had become unrecognizable from what it had tried to be. WWE capitalized on this and the seeming departure of Vince McMahon by catering to hardcore tastes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gunther went to war with Sheamus. Judgment Day bolstered the star power of previously neglected talent. Cody Rhodes finished his story against Roman Reigns. While some of these were inherited storylines from Vince McMahon, many credited Paul Levesque for this exciting period in the WWE product.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then came WrestleMania season. WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas was set to follow WWE’s success from the previous two years. Of course, that\u2019s when the public relations nightmares started. There\u2019s a lot of ground to cover there, from talents sharing their love for Vince McMahon to the increasing political influence. <\/span><\/p>\n

Including the return of Brock Lesnar, who is allegedly involved in legal proceedings, discomfort spread among WWE fans. Outside of that, uninspired creativity gave way to disinterest, especially with most weekly shows ending in repetitive disqualification finishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

AEW and a Growing Fanbase Amid Politics<\/span><\/h2>\n

Not factoring in fans who watch AEW alongside WWE programming, fans teetered toward the former of the two wrestling companies. Through hearsay and virality, fans returned to the AEW product, viewing it as a safe space from what WWE was becoming. Uninvolved with the White House, AEW was the alternative, and an important one amid the worryingly widening societal dissent.<\/span><\/p>\n

With WWE alienating some viewers, AEW\u2019s popularity increase can be attributed to a few factors. One of these is the working relationships with specific indie promotions alongside NJPW and CMLL. Regarding the previous topic, the diverse fandom found an inclusive environment that spoke to them. In fact, the women’s demographic has been instrumental in driving up viewership and merchandise sales for Hangman Adam Page, Timeless Toni Storm, and the evergreen Kenny Omega in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, Hangman Page\u2019s all-Spanish promo in Arena Mexico and Brody King\u2019s \u201cAbolish ICE\u201d shirt appealed to non-white fans. Mercedes Mone\u2019s star power and Swerve Strickland\u2019s hip-hop career attracted black fans. The LGBTQ+ fanbase found its representation in Toni Storm\u2019s relationships with Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa. Furthermore, the intense rivalry between Page and Strickland enjoyed fanfare from that same community.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only the bad creative and polarizing politics from WWE that drove fans back to AEW<\/a>. The company itself worked hard to pay off its angles with some day-one talents and inclusions of talent like Will Ospreay, Kevin Knight, and Speedball Mike Bailey. <\/span><\/p>\n

The company emphasized the \u201celite\u201d part of its name, demanding that everyone step up to the level of performance from its popular and growing stars. In compelling storytelling and exhilarating performances, it\u2019s no wonder the company is a hot prospect. Amid cross-promotions with other Warner Bros media, it can also continue, as seen with the relationship to DC Comics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where Will AEW Go in 2026?<\/span><\/h2>\n

I can\u2019t confidently say how the upcoming year will go for AEW. With that in mind, I\u2019ll lay out some of my hopes and thoughts. The most evident things I\u2019d love to see addressed are the booking of the women\u2019s division. I want more space for women that isn\u2019t relegated to spots that are a detriment to talent. <\/span><\/p>\n

Be bold with the card placement. If it\u2019s not enough to warrant a main event, try placing it somewhere where it\u2019ll flourish. <\/span><\/p>\n

Let them set the tone in the beginning or have them reheat the crowd in the middle. Don\u2019t present them as the cool-down match that sees fans flocking en masse to the bathrooms and concession stand. Condition the fans to expect elite work from your elite women.<\/span><\/p>\n

The title picture, while I\u2019m not annoyed by it in the slightest, could use some adjusting. A glaring occurrence of this is the Unified Championship situation. This title was meant to consolidate the International and Continental Championships, just to be split after the Continental Classic. Why have it in the first place?<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, the most helpful feedback I have for 2026 is to resume what worked in 2025. AEW has an identity now as a substantial program. Everyone must give gripping promos, intense matches, and exude charisma to be the best of the best.<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, it\u2019s \u201cwhere the best wrestle,\u201d so let\u2019s keep it that way.<\/span><\/p>\n

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n

Header photo \u2013 AEW \u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/i>Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/i><\/a>\u00a0for more on\u00a0<\/i>MJF<\/em>\u00a0and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8 pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content is available on their <\/i>YouTube channel.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To say that AEW had a return to glory in 2025 would be an understatement. For years, the company had struggled to find the footing it saw in 2021. In some respects, they\u2019re still getting there, but the perception has shifted, and the product is headed in a better direction. I\u2019d say this momentum kicked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5361,"featured_media":134951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4677,6,2192],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","category-north-america","category-wrestling"],"modified_by":"Steph Franchomme","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5361"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149638"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149764,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149638\/revisions\/149764"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/134951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}