I’ve totally had it with a certain aspect of AEW’s product so here’s my rant about it – AEW RISING AND FADING STARS

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Welcome everyone!

After a week away AEWâ€s Rising and Fading Stars returns with a post-All Out Toronto edition.

Oh boy do I have a lot to say about something specific. AEWâ€s All Out fallout episode of Dynamite is almost here. So letâ€s fire up the list and go!

Rising Star of the Week

Kris Statlander

• AEW Original
• Won 3 out of last 4 Four-Way matches
• On Dynamite and/or Collision every week.

Kris Statlander is a staple of AEW television and has been for years. With what this column is, Stat has to be at the top of the list. The new AEW Womenâ€s Champion pinned Toni Storm clean in the middle of the ring to become champion.

This came out of nowhere, but sometimes thatâ€s the best part of pro wrestling. It came out of nowhere because of the fact there were four total women in this match. Prior booking has told us that even if Toni Storm was losing the title, she wouldnâ€t be in the finish. Stat pinning Storm really makes this a big deal.

So going forward they need to clarify if Stat is a member of the Death Riders or not. Stat using Wheeler Yutaâ€s move means that story is not finished. Honestly, this part makes her becoming champ really interesting. Having Stat slowly turn works for me because by her third or fourth defense, she should have the entire Death Riders helping her retain the title.

Her first feud appears to be with the former champion Storm with how the match concluded. With Storm looking like sheâ€s close to becoming unhinged again. That against a becoming heel Stat with the Death Riders lingering behind her could make for a really good feud.

1st Runner Up: Kyle Fletcher

• Current TNT Champion
• 1st AEW PPV Main Event
• (Sort of) Dominated the AEW World Champion during their match

Say his full name! Kyle Fletcher has made himself into a main event player so quickly. Fletcher has been with the Don Callis Family for almost two years but really turned into this current Kyle Fletcher less than a year ago in October after AEW WrestleDream.

So to go from a tag team wrestler and a guy that looked like a young Will Ospreay clone to one of the most over heels in the company has been amazing. His turning on Ospreay and then losing the feud could have hurt Fletcher but it didnâ€t. After that Fletcher went on to feud with, and in storyline take out, Adam Cole before capturing the TNT Title.

Again, Fletcher won in losing at All Out. This will not be his last shot at the AEW World Title, but I will say it here he will win his next shot at that same title. Fletcherâ€s best years are still to come and Iâ€m really glad he is in AEW.

Fletcher now just needs to be a dominant TNT Champion who is defending his title weekly or biweekly. Make him the main event of Collision each week. It will help establish him and give you a solid to really good TV main event each week. Just an idea if you are reading this TK! (sarcasm)

Honorable Mention: The Jurassic Express

Okay, I am someone who was a little tired of this duo by the time they broke up, but putting them back together and having Jack Perry as a face truly closes the door on the C.M. Punk era. The fans are welcoming Perry so they are over it as am I. AEW is better just being its quirky violent (more on that) self than worrying about the other wrestling companies.

This also just adds to the tag team world and they are former AEW Tag Champs so they are instantly credible. Also, if that crowd on Saturday was any indication they are going to be over big with the crowd, again. (“Oh oh oh oh oh ohhhh oh oh!”)

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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Fading Star of the Week

• AEWâ€s over-the-top violence

This really should be on the Rising Star list, considering the things that were allowed to happen on Saturday afternoon. How violent is too violent? All Out gave you that answer AEW as you had a better part of 12,000 fans chanting “This is murder!†during the Darby Allin and Jon Moxley match. Funny enough (sarcasm again) it got even worse from there.

AEW has always been violent, it has always been a part of its appeal during the very polished WWE days. Itâ€s obvious TK has a love of ECW. The issue is the last 16 months it has gotten out of control. AEWâ€s All Out history now has back-to-back years where a plastic bag was placed over someoneâ€s head. This is not something that needs to be on pro wrestling. It doesnâ€t add drama because the characters in these worlds whom we try to lose ourselves in do not get killed off. Unless you are Lucha Underground, which was a different type of pro wrestling world. You and I both know that.

Had the two plastic bag spots been the worst thing AEW had done in the last year, then maybe I would give them a pass.

So letâ€s talk about fire in the world of pro wrestling. We had MJF threaten to light Mark Briscoe on fire on TBS, when we all knew he would not do it, which made the entire thing just campy and hack. Then we just had Darby light Mox on fire at All Out. Mox isnâ€t even the first wrestler Darby set on fire. Darby has set Jack Perry on fire at Double or Nothing in May 2024 and then at AEW Blood & Guts two months later he threatened to set Perry on fire again. Itâ€s too much. Regardless if Darby is one of the only pro wrestling characters who could pull this off.

So over the last 16 months, AEW has crossed the line for a company thatâ€s on national television. Then, to debut on the brand new HBO Max PPV and you do what Darby did to Mox, I think, just shows a lack of understanding your bigger fan base. Also itâ€s the first live PPV EVER on HBO Max not just their first PPV on the platform.

Remember they werenâ€t chanting “This is awesome!” they were chanting “This is murder!” That should show TK how this did not land the way, I assume, Mox and Darby wanted it to land. It makes me worried for Mox and the Death Riders response to this.

Also, I should say that I am a huge horror movie fan. Itâ€s the genre my wife and I watch the most of. I say that to show that Iâ€m not opposed to violence in my TV shows or movies. I just donâ€t want something like that in my pro wrestling.

I am also writing this as a huge fan of Darby Allin and Jon Moxley. Both are such unique humans who have overcome a lot in their lives. I am just over the CZW style of violence.

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