AEW: The 5 most important booking decisions for the rest of 2021

AEW’s All Out Pay-Per-View delivered, and with the debuts of Ruby Soho, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson, the company once again reached new heights.

The event also allowed fans to see CM Punk in his first match in more than seven years and a fantastic steel cage match between the Lucha Brothers and The Young Bucks. AEW is in a great place right now regarding which wrestling company has all the eyes on them. It is truly an exciting time to be a professional wrestling fan.

With just four months left in 2021, AEW has the chance to do something that hasn’t been done since WCW, and that’s become the number one wrestling company in the United States. That said, AEW has plenty of time to tell more compelling stories and create more buzz around the company.

In this article, I will discuss the five essential booking decisions that can help AEW continue to be the must-watch wrestling company.

5. Create more meaningful storylines featuring AEW women’s division

The AEW women’s division has improved a lot since the company launched in 2019. The roster is filled with several wrestlers who could be top contenders for the title or the next top star in the company. The women’s division has a deeper roster than some fans may realize, including names like Thunder Rosa, Jade Cargill, Nyla Rose, and Riho.

Britt Baker is the current AEW Women’s World Champion and should hold that championship until summer 2022 so that a true heel women’s champion can have a good reign. The talent is there, but AEW must create meaningful long-term storylines that push the women’s division forward.

4. CM Punk VS MJF rivalry seeds get planted for next year.

When wrestling fans talk about the best talker in the business today, MJF comes to mind because of the magic he can do on the microphone, but CM Punk is right up there with him. If two guys could entertain us by getting under each other’s skin, it’s MJF and Punk.

It would make sense for these two to cross paths and butt heads because both wrestlers want to be the best in the ring and on the microphone. This would be an excellent opportunity for Punk to help elevate one of the best heels in the business.

However, AEW should be careful how they book this match because they don’t want to give it away too soon. After all, it would feel rushed. AEW should start planting the seeds this year so that the match can occur next year.

3. Make Adam Cole the top heel and leader of The Elite

Adam Cole became the latest big name to join AEW Sunday at All Out. When the news broke that Cole’s WWE contract was set to expire after SummerSlam, many fans were surprised because many thought he still had a couple of years left on his deal.

Cole being with AEW is a huge win for wrestling fans because now we get to see matches that fans thought we wouldn’t be possible. The former Undisputed Era member did everything he could’ve done on NXT, and with all the changes coming to WWE, the chance of him being a star on RAW or SmackDown wasn’t good.

The former NXT Champion should be booked as the cocky heel that fans have grown to love. It was nice to see him reunite with his Elite family, but let’s not forget that they turned on him right before he felt for WWE. Cole would be the perfect wrestler to take Kenny Omega’s place and lead The Elite.

2. Send more talent to Impact Wrestling

The AEW and Impact Wrestling partnership hasn’t been what fans thought it was going to originally become. The two promotions should come together and find a way to look strong and showcase dream matches.

AEW should take a risk and allow their talent to appear on Impact’s Bound for Glory Pay-Per-View event. It has been years since Bound for Glory felt like a huge wrestling event, and this is the chance for both companies to come together and create that moment.

1. Put the AEW World Championship on “Hangman” Adam Page

“Hangman” Adam Page may have fallen short of his goal to become the first AEW World Champion, but he is still the most over babyface on the company right now, even with Bryan Danielson and CM Punk on the rosters now.

The AEW fans want to see Page get what he deserves and win that title. When the loud crowds returned, he consistently got the loudest reaction at the shows. AEW has waited long enough for the moment that fans have been wanting since Omega won the world championship.

There are many great storylines that AEW can create for “The Cleaner”, but they must not let Page get lost in the shuffle. AEW has to put the title on Page and allow their homegrown talent to become the megastar fans want him to be.