AEW All Out is a reminder that wrestling needs this company

AEW All Out 2024 was certainly a moment in professional wrestling. As the show closed, it did so in a somber way. Yes, there was a winner in the “main event,” but did the winner really have anything to celebrate? This show was an epic ride for those who have been consumed with AEW since its inception. This show was another reminder of why the industry needed and continues to need a major alternative to the WWE.

As his music played, “Hangman” Adam Page dropped to his knees, screaming at the top of his lungs. He finally secured a definitive victory over Swerve Strickland. Their “rivalry” was over. But at what cost? Is the story finished? Probably not, but there’s still so much more to tell, specifically about Page and whether he’s gone too far down this dark path to obtain his goal.

The intrigue doesn’t end there. Jon Moxley viciously attacked Bryan Danielson, wrapping a plastic bag around his head and leaving him unconscious. All while Wheeler Yuta was forced to watch. No explanation, not even a whim of remorse on Moxley’s face. Another example of a darker aspect of storytelling that AEW thrives in.

Even the match between Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander delves into this space. The two women were beloved friends, but that didn’t stop them from demolishing each other with nearly anything that wasn’t tied down. Another tale of friendship that came to a violent end.

All Elite Wrestling has done a great job of developing interesting characters. While it’s understandable for sports entertainment to build characters based on structured babyface and heel dynamics, many of the figures in AEW teeter within that gray area. That is what makes them so interesting. Why has Moxley turned on one of the two founding members of the BCC? Has Page gone too far, can he turn back to the fighting hero he once was? All of their actions create ripples in their character development that can be played upon over and over, taking their stories and those of everyone involved in different directions. This is what makes wrestling as an entertainment form so enjoyable. Yes, the characters brawl in wild, over-the-top athletic action, but the points in between those matches sometimes matter just as much. Many times, they matter more.

Professional wrestling is a form of entertainment with as many intricacies as movies, comic books, and others. Experiencing those stories in one way eliminates the opportunity to do something special. All Elite Wrestling has its challenges, but All Out was an example of why seeing the company doing things differently on a major stage remains great for the business.