SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TOP TIER FEUDS…
(1) Chris Jericho vs. Mike Tyson
New Developments: None
Highs & Lows: Jericho and The Inner Circle attacked Orange Cassidy and left him bloody in the ring. There was no mention of Tyson by Jericho. Couldn’t Jericho have at least called Tyson and told him his fate would be the same as Cassidy’s? Their confrontation seemed purposely neglected which killed a lot of momentum between the two.
Length of Feud: May 27th, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: Tyson’s availability continues to be the largest variable. AEW cannot rely solely on the first and only time Jericho and Tyson interacted if a match is going to take place between them.
(2) Jon Moxley vs. Brian Cage
New Developments: While Moxley was being interviewed in the parking lot, he was confronted by Taz. Cage attacked Moxley from behind and slammed him through the windshield of a car.
Highs & Lows: The violent attack from behind established Cage as a true heel. He looked dominant, yet cowardly. Taz and Moxley continue to have great chemistry, but Cage should establish his ability to speak for himself sooner than later.
Length of Feud: May 27th, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: After the attack by Cage, it would not be surprising to see a no-holds-barred or street fight stipulation added to the match at Fyter Fest. This would fit Moxley’s persona but would also add a new layer to the threat that Cage imposes.
SECOND TIER FEUDS…
(1) The Young Bucks vs. FTR
New Developments: After beating Butcher and The Blade, FTR was interviewed by Tony Schiavone in the ring. The Young Bucks quickly interrupted and said FTR failed to properly introduce themselves. Matt said The Bucks were carrying tag team wrestling on their backs for the past decade. A brawl ensued between The Elite, Butcher and the Blade, and FTR. A stare down took place between Omega and Page, FTR, and The Young Bucks.
Highs & Lows: The tension between the two teams continues to only be barely acknowledged. This helps to build anticipation towards their eventual matches. Introducing Page and Omega into the mix feels like a step backward, however. The feud should only be between the teams with the most history together. Even though Page and Omega are the tag team champions, they don’t represent tag team wrestling the way The Bucks and FTR do.
Length of Feud: May 27th, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: A three-way match between all three teams could be in the works. While three-way matches should be avoided most of the time, the delay could allow the first true encounter between FTR and The Bucks to take place in front of a live audience. Their match needs the reaction and participation of a full building.
(2) Matt Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara
New Developments: After Sammy Guevara beat Colt Cabana, he was confronted by Matt Hardy. Hardy said Guevara was the future of AEW, and the only way he would realize that potential would be to break away from Chris Jericho and The Inner Circle. Guevara refuted Hardy’s claims and called him crazy. Hardy began switching between his various incarnations as Guevara left the ring confused.
Highs & Lows: Feuding against a proven entity such as Matt Hardy is a great way to establish Guevara as a singles wrestler. Hardy switching in out of various characters feels too clever and contrived. Hardy would feel more effective as a legend if he dropped the multiple gimmicks.
Length of Feud: June 10th, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: Guevara should Hardy clean. Hardy also planted a seed of doubt in Guevara’s mind about his relationship with Jericho. This should lead to Guevara wanting to leave The Inner Circle, which could lead to either a face or heel run for Guevara.
LOWER-CARD FEUDS…
(1) Britt Baker vs. Tony Schiavone
New Developments: None
Highs & Lows: Baker’s training vignettes continue to be entertaining. There seems to be no thought given as to how these segments are potentially turning Baker into a face. AEW has too many funny, likable heels the face-heel dynamic gets derailed frequently.
Length of Feud: January 2020
Forecast & Prediction: While Baker didn’t mention Schiavone at all this week, she did call out Big Swole for complaining about the trials and tribulations she has faced. Could this be how the feud transitions to the ring? Swole could defend Schiavone’s honor once Baker can return to competition.
CONCLUDED AND FORGOTTEN OR DORMANT FEUDS…
Hangman Page vs. The Elite
The tension between Hangman Page and The Elite has seemingly subsided for now. Page won over the fans with his loose, fun-loving persona and stalled any plans to turn him heel. While the feud is on hold, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the dissension, especially between Page and Omega. This is the perfect opportunity to give Omega his edge back by having him turn on Page. Omega is desperately in need of something new and Page already has the support of the audience. The added layer of the tag team title could add a lot of this potential feud. Page would gain so much by defeating Omega, while Omega could suffer the loss while maintaining a cocky, arrogant attitude.
I completely agree, they should turn Omega. If Kenny went heel, he could work against Page, Cody, Darby and Mox. That’d be 4 really good programs.