Unranked

By Scott Keith on 20th September 2022

So looks like the ranking system is finally done in AEW, or at least won't be featured much. So wins and losses don't really matter much no matter what you've been told. I guess FTR will have to find another way to shade Tony for not giving them an AEW tag title match that they have been deserving for months now. Curious your thoughts on what wrong and would a ranking system every really work in wrestling?

I think the main problem with AEW's approach was they made every victory the same. So if you beat a bunch of scrubs on youtube it was just as good beating someone on Dynamite. That lead to the rankings being filled with uneven talent. Once ratings started to slide Tony was left with no choice but to bypass the rankings to hot shot some matches and they never recovered. That and his love for tournament and battle Royales that give away title shots like candy really ruined what chance the rankings had. It's a shame, with a consistent approach it could of worked. I know everyone will downplay the rankings as not important, just like the blog was quick to say the elite isn't really needed in AEW like MJF before them. But it was the one thing that could of made them stand out, so it's a shame it was a crash and burn.

I was fine with them quietly dropping it months ago, but the problem became when they’d randomly being up stuff like FTR being ranked number 1 for weeks on end without ever paying it off. And yeah, beating scrubs on Dark Elevation to somehow become #1 contender was a huge issue for me.

So yes, I agree. It was always silly. Make the matches you want to make based in what makes sense and draws money.