AEW excels in moment-to-moment storytelling

All Elite Wrestling delivered two major moments on AEW Dynamite that will have long-term ramifications for the promotion and potentially beyond.

It has been said time and time again, but professional wrestling is all about big moments. All Elite Wrestling has embraced those big moments and delivered on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. The promotion delivered in such a way that 913,000 viewers turned into the program. That number is amazing to see and it proves that when done right, wrestling fans will continue to tune into the properly built moments they want to see.

Sting. The Icon and legend of professional wrestling walked through the AEW tunnel last night. Even though it was snowing on set, his presence sent the wrestling community on fire. Yes, he is 61-years old, and last time he was in the ring at WWE Night of Champions in 2015 he was not able to perform at a high level. But that does not mean he cannot add value to a promotion that excels in correctly embracing nostalgia.

Sting saved Cody and Darby Allin from the impending beatdown that was coming at the hands of Team Taz. He did not need to say anything or even take a lot of action, but fans were hooked and emotional at the moment. Viewers of AEW know that this moment is going to mean something important in AEW lore as the promotion continues to plot out angles that have varying payoffs at the end. This was not a hastily thrown together return to pop a rating, put over a wrestler from an era of the past, and then move on. What is next for Sting is driving the conversation and makes next week’s show appointment viewing.

Then there was the main event. Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley’s main event was one of the most anticipated matches of the year. While the match itself may not have delivered in ways some were expecting, the post-match moment with Don Callis helping Omega win and that they will be on IMPACT wrestling this Tuesday caught many people within wrestling and fans of the industry off guard. Partnerships between promotions is not new, but it is something that does not happen on a scale like this in North American wrestling quite often.

And just like that IMPACT wrestling’s next show on Tuesday has wrestling fans scrambling to figure out how to watch. Again, this was a moment that left fans sitting in their seats, stunned, and wondering what is going to happen next. Why? Because AEW’s track record, while still young, has shown that they are capable of booking moments that will excite fans and pay off in the end.

The week to week, show to show moments are an important aspect of booking professional wrestling. The matches are an important aspect of the formula and help create a full package that can effectively deliver strong television viewership numbers and engagement. Tony Khan and the minds behind All Elite Wrestling understand that and even though Winter has come and gone, the momentum after Wednesday’s show has the potential to carry them into a strong close to 2020 and a powerful start to 2021.