Darby Allin: Today's AEW Shows 'So Much Better' Than Early Years

Darby Allin believes the current AEW product has significantly improved compared to the promotion’s early years.

A key figure in AEW since its inception, Allin shared with Uproxx that the current AEW shows “are just so much better” than they were initially. According to Allin, the early stages of AEW were about experimentation, but now only the best talent remains.

“The shows are just so much better. I feel like you kind of have to throw crap at the wall and see what sticks for the first few years,” Allin said.

“To get on Dynamite, you really have to be good. It’s no longer, ‘Oh, you know, I’m friends with this guy, so I’m gonna give him a hand out and just put him on the show,’ it’s not about that anymore. You gotta put up, you gotta perform and you gotta actually bust your ass or you’re not gonna get on the show and a lot of the people that were not good were weeded out the first couple of years.”

Dynamite, which debuted in October 2019, celebrated its 250th episode last week. The show featured a nearly 60-minute match between one of AEW’s biggest recent additions, Will Ospreay, and MJF. MJF emerged victorious, becoming the new AEW International Champion.

“It lasted like an hour and it was insane,” Allin said about the Ospreay vs. MJF match. “This isn’t a friggin’ spring break for your buddies to hang out. We’re putting our souls in that ring. If you don’t have that chip on your shoulder, I do not want you in the locker room for sure.”

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— Ben Kerin Jul 23, 2024 06:27PM