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So I'm reading all of these commentaries talking about how the angles that went down at All Out amounted to "attempted murder". I know that hyperbole is commonplace in wrestling spheres, but the amount of venom spewed at All Out makes it seem like Tony Khan committed some sort of war crime. Honestly, based on the logic being used to lambast what AEW did, you could genuinely accuse at least half of onscreen wrestling history being kayfabe "attempted murder". How many times did Kane set someone on fire (or get set on fire himself)? How many deathmatches have taken place in Japan and the U.S.? Braun Strowman once tipped over an ambulance "holding" Roman Reigns, and Randy Orton immolated Bray Wyatt less than four years ago. The New Age Outlaws tossing Cactus Jack and Terry Funk in a dumpster and throwing it off a stage, Big Bossman being hung by the Undertaker, Seth Rollins literally threatening to "kill" Edge with a curb stomp in 2014, and practically every piledriver, chair shot, and human being being thrown off the top of a cage could all be branded as "attempted murder". So why is it that AEW gets this dubious special treatment?
Pro Wrestling has always had over the time violence, but for a long time, the PG WWE product (which at times felt more like G) was what many fans saw and were used to, except for small pockets of die-hard fans who saw the independent stuff. Now that the style is out there on the national scene and with it comes the blood and violence that isn't as cartoonish as WWE had been, including some of the examples you cite, there will be some who will like or and some who will hate it and that's all fair game in terms of discussion or criticizing. I can remember being at Wrestlemania 15 when they "hung" The Bossman and fans around me being pretty disgusted by it. People getting upset isn't new, but it's amplified because of social media. Remember, AEW had Bryan Danielson choked out with a plastic bag, which even in the late 80s, was a pretty controversial deal, so why wouldn't it be controversial now? It all depends on how you look at pro wrestling. I can see why some lost their minds over it. No one is wrong for not liking it. It's their opinion. As an example, I'm a big horror movie fan, but I don't want to watch movies with crazy, gratuitous torture scenes like Saw or Hostel, but that doesn't mean I don't love a good Evil Dead film. It's all subjective. You can enjoy wrestling and even the violence of it, but not want to see something too brutal or over the top. Everyone is different. If someone doesn't like it, they shouldn't watch it.
Do you think more people would pay attention to Ring of Honor if it was rebranded AEW: Honor or something?
I do. I appreciate the legacy of that company SO much but if they re-branded it to make it uniform with AEW's branding, I don't think it would be a bad idea.
Any update on Rich Swann?
He is working on his sobriety and has shaved his head to give himself a new look. There is no word when he will return to TNA as of this writing.
How long before Edge and Christian reunite? They have to do it, right?
I would be surprised if they don't do a reunion at some point in AEW.
Whatever happened to Steve Austin doing acting?
I am guessing that when there's a project he wants to do comes along, he'll do another film.
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