All Elite Wrestling Does Not Need to Compete with WWE to Be Successful

All Elite Wrestling is generating a tremendous amount of buzz in the world of pro wrestling right now. The company, founded by Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks, only just began and already the fans cannot get enough of it.

But as AEW is born, so too are the hopes and expectations of many WWE fans. Those fans have grown tired of Vince McMahon’s complacency due to a lack of real competition. The belief is that AEW will indeed compete against WWE. But that belief may be unfounded and unnecessary.

This is not a matter of whether or not Cody and The Bucks have the ability to entertain. They’ve proven themselves time and again as three of the hottest talents in the business today. All three have been main event stars all over the world and all three are bankable commodities.

But more importantly, the trio shares a true passion for the sport. They’re not using pro wrestling as a means to an end. It’s not a stepping stone to other things in the entertainment industry. This is not to suggest that guys like The Rock and John Cena deserve criticism for their Hollywood careers but that life is just not on the radar for Rhodes and The Bucks.

pic.twitter.com/3dKPvdmcBC

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEWrestling) January 2, 2019

The main goal for these three Elite members is to succeed in the pro wrestling business. They want to create a better environment than they one they entered. They want to make a mark and make improvements. The mission is clear and lifelong pro wrestling fans can surely appreciate what the trio is trying to accomplish.

Then there’s the fact that their business acumen is not only ambitious, it’s impressive. Starting a pro wrestling promotion is an extremely difficult prospect and it’s not a venture for the faint of heart. Cody and the Jackson brothers have the odds stacked against them, if for no other reason than it is indeed nearly impossible to build a successful wrestling company from the ground up.

Impact Wrestling has been in operation since 2002. While that is a success story, the fact is that Impact has been in major financial trouble on more than one occasion. Some would even say that the company is always one bad day away from closing up shop.

But Impact’s possible fate or continued growth may, or may not, be in AEW’s future. All Elite Wrestling is not the same company and the people in charge are not the same either. AEW has a business plan in place, which means its future has been outlined and every move that’s made from this point on is in an effort to grow the company.

I’ve dreamt of a life where I could marry my passions, combining my academic past with my entertainment future. I’m so excited to have been named Chief Brand Officer of AEW, and thrilled to continue to entertain inside and around the ring. 2019 is going to be amazing. #AEW pic.twitter.com/NVTrA83YS3

— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) January 3, 2019

Cody and The Bucks possess the marketing skills and the patience to execute this idea and then see it through. They’ve already shown what they’re capable of at 2018’s ALL IN. That event was the precursor to AEW and it proved to the world that there was a serious interest by those involved and by the fans, to create something new. 

The American Nightmare and company are doing this in full view of the fans. The group wants to include the fanbase in every step of the process. That is precisely how All Elite Wrestling will build on its already established foundation of supporters. 

But what about the idea of competition? Even though The Young Bucks and the Rhodes family are all in, this does not mean that AEW will compete with WWE on any significant level. Fans may believe otherwise and that’s certainly the narrative that’s being constructed online. 

However the word “competition” is perhaps not the correct term for what is on the way from AEW. It’s such a big word with such a wide definition and it’s a bit unfair to The Elite at this point.

Fans have been obsessed with the idea of competition for WWE from the moment that WCW closed its doors. TNA/Impact Wrestling represented the first real opportunity for that idea come true. When that did not become a reality, Ring of Honor was supposedly the next company to step up against WWE. Then it was New Japan Pro Wrestling. Now it’s a combination of ROH and NJPW. 

Join us January 8th in JACKSONVILLE for more information on Double or Nothing…and AEW! pic.twitter.com/72gnO6fqOh

— Double or Nothing (@ALL_IN_2018) January 1, 2019

New Japan and Ring of Honor’s rise in the industry should not be understated. Both have come too far and done too much to be dismissed by anyone at this point. But the fact is that both companies are far too concerned with their own personal growth to worry about competing with WWE, or any other company for that matter. 

WWE is the top dog of the industry and every promotion in operation today is obviously aware of what The McMahon Family is doing. But to suggest that firmly entrenched companies like ROH and NJPW could ever supplant the global media giant that WWE has become is an impossible prospect at best. The same is surely true for All Elite Wrestling, which is only just beginning.

This is simply not about competition. It’s about doing something new. AEW is a breath of fresh air for pro wresting fans and for the pro wrestling business, which is rife with amazing talents plying their craft. This modern age of streaming content and instant access to entertainment is surely the single perfect moment for AEW’s brith. 

But many things have to go right for AEW to succeed and everyone involved in the process definitely understands that. With the right plan, the right talent, the right exposure and a little luck, All Elite Wrestling will indeed become a success story in the industry. There’s room for another company at the table and this company will not be denied.