2023: A Year in Review
A look back at the year that was in wrestling
Looking back on 2023, I am a bit surprised at how the landscape of wrestling has changed in such a short amount of time. Join me as I reflect on this year in wrestling.
Image courtesy of me
I started the year as a die-hard AEW fan and feeling like WWE had sold out a bit over the years. AEW had initially delivered all of the indie wrestlers and quality technical wrestling that I was looking for in events. However, over the year, AEW seemed to lose a bit of that magic. I don’t know if it was the fact that they brought over too many WWE stars, had too little diversity, or just lost their way, but the change has been disappointing from a fan perspective. I don’t seem to be alone in this feeling, as I’ve noticed that for live events, they have gone from selling out in one minute to now struggling to fill half a stadium. I’m really glad I got to see a sold-out live event in New York City before things really took a nosedive. I’ve gone from watching matches religiously as they’ve come out, to now watching the highlights as I feel like it. Unfortunately they have overused their elite this year, and wrestlers like MJF, Young Bucks and Kenny Omega have really carried the company, so I don’t know what they would do if they decided to jump ship. It’s crazy how things can change so quickly - it feels like one big rollercoaster of emotion over the course of this year.
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
That said, one of the bigger surprises this year is how much I’ve gotten back into WWE. If you would have told me at the start of this year that they were delivering more quality than AEW, I would probably have laughed. A big reason for this is the exit of Vince McMahon as a creative authority, and the choice to have Triple H and Sean Michaels leading the creative direction of the company. Finally, we are now seeing WWE return to the quality of wrestling and entertainment that so many of us have missed over the last few years. WWE have done a great job of not only bringing high quality matches, more females on the books and ACTUALLY given matches, and good storylines in terms of continuity and creativeness. All of these changes have meant that WWE has regained my top spot as my favourite wrestling company, which is pretty cool given I’ve been a fan for over 15 years now. It’s also been cool getting to see a lot of the classic wrestlers like John Cena, CM Punk, and more in the ring and putting on an epic show. I can’t wait to see the full line-up for Elimination Chamber in Perth next year, an event that I am super stoked to be attending. I’ll be sure to update with all of the action from the event - I’m really glad that I’ll be seeing this event as the quality of WWE has picked up, and I’m intrigued to see what the year will bring generally. Especially if Cena decides to announce his retirement… Watch this space.
Image courtesy of WWE
My favourite highlight of the year across all companies was WWE’s Tribute to the Troops event. This a brilliant show top to bottom, and at the same time was dedicated to such a special cause.
Overall, my favourite wrestler for the year was LA Knight. I feel like he almost came out of nowhere, and really made a name for himself with the quality of his wrestling and also his showmanship. I look forward to seeing what 2024 brings for him.
Image courtesy of All Elite Wrestling
In 2024, I have a wish list of things I would like to see. First, I would like to see AEW deliver more womens’ matches and more female talent in general. Second, I would like to see better stories in AEW in general, getting back to what made them catch my interest in 2019 in the first place. Next, I would like to see more of the interesting indie wrestlers highlighted in AEW who haven’t been showcased, but who can bring some good flavour back to the company rather than just WWE repeats. For instance, some wrestlers on their books only had something like 4 minutes worth of TV time this year - compare that to more popular wrestlers, who are completely overdone. Finally, I think both companies should bring the national anthem to all of their events, as a mark of respect, like they do in other sports codes.
Overall, it’s been an interesting year, but an especially incredible end for WWE. I look forward to seeing what 2024 brings to the ring - it’s going to be a wild one by the sounds of things!
I give this year 3 out of 5 stars:
