{"id":150493,"date":"2026-01-12T11:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T16:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=150493"},"modified":"2026-01-12T12:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T17:02:59","slug":"5-wwe-royal-rumble-tropes-aews-casino-gauntlet-match-should-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2026\/01\/12\/5-wwe-royal-rumble-tropes-aews-casino-gauntlet-match-should-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"5 WWE Royal Rumble Tropes AEW\u2019s Casino Gauntlet Match Should Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

WWE Royal Rumble is one of the most legendary gimmicks in wrestling. Unsurprisingly, competitors have tried to create their own variants. From WCW\u2019s War World 3 to NJPW\u2019s Rambo, few replicate the spirit of the original.<\/p>\n

From day one, match one, AEW has rolled the dice with their own staggered entry Battle Royale. AEW\u2019s first official PPV, Double or Nothing 2019, kicked off with the 21-man Casino Battle Royale. Competitors entered the ring at timed intervals in groups of five, based on the four suits in a standard pack of cards. Plus, a last-minute Joker. It was visually clunky. Yet, the idea has evolved.<\/p>\n

In April 2024, AEW debuted the first Casino Gauntlet match on Dynamite. With a quick, fluid pace, an emphasis on constant in-ring action\/chaos, surprises, and interconnected storytelling, the match ticks all the boxes associated with the best Royal Rumble matches. Ending with a pinfall or submission, no disqualification, and no eliminations, it more than captures the spirit of the Royal Rumble<\/a>. One could argue it can produce more unpredictability than the Royal Rumble can facilitate.<\/p>\n

In fairness, the Royal Rumble is 38 years old, while the Casino Gauntlet is not even two. It\u2019s inevitable with time and reps that the Casino Gauntlet will, like the Royal Rumble, develop its own tropes. Some are already forming. Cliches will develop. We\u2019ve had nine Casino Gauntlet matches in its short lifespan with mixed results. Yet, AEW can learn from the Royal Rumble\u2019s history to avoid stagnation and avoid its predecessor\u2019s limitations.<\/p>\n

\"One
Photo Credit: AEW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1) Too much, too long, and too many<\/h2>\n

Comparatively, the Casino Gauntlet doesn\u2019t inherently have a bloat issue. The Royal Rumble requires 30 participants. Contrastingly, the Casino Gauntlet can have an unpredictable number of entrants. The largest Casino Gauntlet so far had 18, if you include the individuals in the nine-entrant tag team version, although this was one of the least memorable Casino Gauntlets. The lack of elimination poses a problem of how many bodies are too many?<\/p>\n

Compare AEW’s All In men\u2019s Casino Gauntlets from London (2024) to Texas (2025). I\u2019m biased because I attended the Wembley<\/a> version. Still, the latter received ten extra minutes and three more competitors (14 men). Arlington\u2019s gauntlet lacked the breathlessness of Wembley\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Plus, there were other issues we\u2019ll discuss later. There was too much time to think rather than feel. The match is at its best with fast pace, continual action, and well-timed random entrances. Spurring minute after minute of dopamine. The women, with 12 participants, suffered a similar issue with its just under 30-minute runtime.<\/p>\n

Bigger in Texas, yes, but not quite the sweet spot. For some, AEW\u2019s bug turned feature of overindulgence. AEW can over-rely on in-ring work to compensate for gaps in overt storytelling or connective tissue<\/a>. Finding a balance\/formula is tricky. But the Casino Gauntlet\u2019s less rigid structure and rules allow for experimentation and variation. Too many bodies and too much time risk homogeneity and a sagging pace\/rhythm. Like all the areas of development we\u2019re discussing, the problems can interconnect.<\/p>\n