Smark Out Moment

Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.

This week, Dallas Allsopp, Connor Whelan and Harsh Agrawal will be giving their opinions on AEW Dynamite, NXT and New Japan of America.

The landscape of American wrestling has never been more populated with talented wrestlers, with multiple alternatives to WWE becoming viable options. How is AEW faring in direct competition with NXT, and is there room for New Japan of America to succeed?


ALLSOPP: I would definitely say that AEW Dynamite has been a resounding success. They have established a firm fan base, and apart from a few slip ups here and there, the product has been consistently entertaining. For me, Kenny Omega and his inability to win the important matches has been a compelling storyline arc, and one that will improve his character for the better.

WHELAN: I would rate the success of AEW Dynamite highly. I think AEW has produced the best wrestling show of the week in at least 3 of its 5 episodes. Though everything Darby Allin has done so far has been amazing, it is hard to look past the whole of the AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament. The gap in quality between the tag team divisions of AEW and WWE is clear to see in every episode, and even more so now with the inclusion of Santana and Ortiz.

AGRAWAL: For me, AEW Dynamite is the best weekly wrestling show right now. I would say that it has been highly successful so far because of the way they are approaching the storylines. They are relying more on actual wrestling instead of 20-minute promos to extend their feuds, which is a refreshing change as you don’t get to see that approach often in western wrestling. The highlight for me has been the tag team division of the company. In the beginning, AEW promised us that they will put tag team wrestling on the same footing as their singles divisions, and so far, they have been true to their word.


WHELAN: Since the move to two hours and its growth out of the label of developmental, NXT has definitely been a huge success. It has stood toe to toe with AEW and matched them every step of the way, with equally shocking appearances and equally outstanding matches. Everything Finn Balor has done since coming back to NXT has been golden. The return of the Prince has been one of the best moments of the year, and feels like the start of a run that will surely see him hold the NXT Championship once again. Plus, I could watch his Running Drop Kick into the guardrail on a constant repeat.

AGRAWAL: Due to their lower TV ratings, fans have already declared NXT as the loser in the Wednesday Night Wars. But, if you would look at the show purely from a fan’s point of view, NXT has been constantly smashing it out of the park with their talented roster. The storylines involving The Undisputed Era have been great, and the match quality has been far better than Raw and SmackDown. AEW’s biggest weakness right now is its women’s division. NXT saw an opportunity there, announcing the first ever women’s War Games match to counter their rivals, which is a great move in my opinion. For me, the biggest surprise has been Finn Balor’s return. I still don’t know how he is in a better position than The Fiend right now after losing against him just 2 and half months ago.

ALLSOPP: I was apprehensive about NXT moving to 2 hours, but even more so than AEW, it has been a complete success. The quality of the matches has been amazing, and the storylines have only blossomed with the new live format. Finn Balor’s heel turn was by far the best moment since the show moved to 2 hours, sending seismic shockwaves throughout NXT. The landscape of the show will never be the same again with a darker, more dangerous Balor.


AGRAWAL: With their time limit draws, reliance on tag team wrestling to build singles feuds, and concentrating on actual wrestling rather than promos to further storylines, AEW is more or less the American version of New Japan. It would have been easier for New Japan of America to succeed if AEW would have never existed, but now we already have a New Japan style of product in an American setting which is succeeding. New Japan have even failed to sell out arenas on a couple of occasions in America in the recent past, so I feel like it is a bit too soon for them to introduce a promotion in the USA.

ALLSOPP: In all honesty, the American wrestling market is over saturated at the moment. With AEW succeeding, the audience for a genuine alternative to WWE has been diluted, which will make New Japan of America likely to fail. The fact that New Japan struggled to sell out their American shows is also a damning indictment of how uninterested people are in their product.

WHELAN: Before the birth of AEW, everyone’s answer would have probably been different. However, as the landscape of wrestling has changed so much in the last year, the decision is met with uncertainty. There is now a legitimate alternative to WWE that is succeeding. Whilst that is great for AEW and for the fans, it may not be as great for other promotions in the American wrestling market. New Japan of America’s success will depend on how much of the New Japan style is implemented into the company, and how much of an alternative it will be to not just WWE, but now also AEW.