My professional wrestling fandom was going nowhere in 2019 when AEW was created. It was hanging by a literal thread. New Japan Professional Wrestling was cooling off for me, and I used to be in a spot in my psychological well being the place if one thing didn’t work, I might surrender wrestling.
I really like professional wrestling as a medium. Because the age of eight years previous, I believed professional wrestling dominated. A lot in order that I wished a voice about it. I had my opinions, I turned an professional, I watched every little thing, and I turned obsessed. Whether or not it was New Japan, Affect, WWE, Indies, or another promotion, I actually love wrestling. I went to varsity and stated I actually wish to do a professional wrestling present as a result of my ardour was that deep.
That’s once I turned concerned with nice websites like Voices of Wrestling, Professional Wrestling Solely, Wrestling Observer, and others. These websites have been the assume tanks, they have been the tastemakers I wished to impress. I even crammed out a Biggest Wrestler Ever poll in 2016 and can achieve this once more in 2026.
Professional wrestling content material was every little thing to me, and I did it for the love of the enterprise initially, however then I received consumed with one thing else. And that facet of content material creation was what finally virtually killed my fandom.
With content material to make about wrestling, I at all times needed to have a take, star score or an opinion on each side, angle, and match on wrestling, and that’s the really exhausting a part of wrestling content material making. Positive, hitting the document button and speaking for 2 hours is straightforward, however having distinctive takes on hot-button points within the wrestling world is what virtually killed me.
It’s important to be a sure breed to do wrestling content material creation. I, who’ve been doing it for nearly ten years, discovered I wasn’t the breed to do it. It’s nothing private in the direction of the those that do it, I devour a number of wrestling content material, an excessive amount of.
So in 2019, I used to be virtually accomplished. I used to be virtually accomplished with every little thing. Life usually, if wrestling didn’t work out, podcasting didn’t work out, time was simply going to expire. AEW purchased me time to have my epiphany. I watched AEW’s debut press convention. The very first one I used to be astonished by was how wrestling must be introduced. I used to be like a child watching it once more.
The press convention had all my favourite wrestlers. Kenny Omega, The Younger Bucks, Chris Jericho, it additionally launched new stars like Sonny Kiss, Lucha Brothers, Hangman Web page and others. I knew proper then and there by how the press convention was introduced that I might be a watcher of this.
Then the primary Double or Nothing occurred. I didn’t have cash then, so I watched it in a really murky method, the one AEW pay-per-view I might ever try this with. Double or Nothing 2019 offered me on the idea of AEW. Offered me on the idea of professional wrestling as an artwork kind. Offered me on professional wrestling as an idea in life. Could 25, 2019, purchased me time. Purchased me the time I wanted.
I watched Dynamite each week, I watched each AEW occasion. I attended each Philly present, the place I’m from, by the best way. Even once I was hospitalized in psychological hospitals, I might attempt to placed on AEW in frequent areas as a result of AEW was my life. I lived and breathed AEW as a result of it offered me on the idea of professional wrestling, and it purchased me time.
Tony Khan doesn’t current his wrestling like another promoter. He takes components from the classics and combines them with modern-day workrate to make one thing actually particular. I really like the reserving patterns of TK and the liberty he offers his employees. That’s one thing the promotion “up north” wouldn’t do. It’s so frantic, it performs on my psychological sickness in such a good looking method.
Time is a really broad idea. I used to be taking part in the character in 2019, at that time, for 11 years. The wrestling content material creation consumed me. I couldn’t get out of the opening. Getting out of the opening took one other 4 years of struggling and extra trauma. However I tamed the trauma so I might succeed.
Lately I had my breakthrough. I informed individuals in my life that content material creation was my habit. I needed to dwell my life via an viewers. Bo Burnham is somebody I relate to very effectively as a result of he has a really related relationship along with his viewers as I’ve with my viewers. The one distinction is my viewers is lots smaller than his.
Again to the AEW, I received to the redemption too before I wished to, however that’s okay. At the very least you already know it is a glad ending.
I might watch AEW for 4 years, each week, and be very dedicated. AEW is likely one of the few issues that I could possibly be genuine with. I could possibly be alone watching AEW. And be genuine in doing it. The authenticity got here out even when creating content material like watch events as a result of I really like AEW a lot that it bled into my content material. My watch events for AEW are one of the best issues I ever did as a result of I couldn’t conceal the authenticity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYRfBeQViVk
This promotion exists in my thoughts solely to serve my inside baby. I do know that’s not the rationale. However I could be egocentric for a minute. TK has by no means met me, chances are high by no means will, However I can categorical my gratitude for his promotion via this text. I would like this promotion to succeed.
This promotion has given me a lot over the previous 4 years that I like it. AEW has helped me develop and study one thing, and now I understand there was a 12-year-old boy hidden inside me for 15 years. He’s out once more, and AEW is as a lot answerable for it as anybody else.
Authenticity is one thing I hid very simply till very just lately. My breakthrough is right here, however my work by no means stops. I’ve to maintain upkeep. I’ve a help group and other people round me that work for me. Tony Khan, if you happen to ever see this text, I wish to thanks for creating AEW. Your imaginative and prescient of wrestling made a boy from Pennsylvania, suburban Philadelphia, come out of his shell. This is likely to be the final piece of wrestling content material I ever do. I’m glad with that. As a result of that is genuine. I poured my authenticity into this. Each different piece of content material I ever did, with the slight exception of this piece, was a part of a personality.
The those that know me are very pleased with me for having this breakthrough. AEW has saved my fandom.
Thanks, Tony Khan.
