WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, currently with All Elite Wrestling, expressed concerns about the structure of AEW pay-per-views, particularly the number of matches.
Speaking on his Grilling JR podcast, Ross advocated for fewer gimmick matches per card—ideally one or two—to ensure each feels special and impactful. He emphasized that every match should be protected and treated as significant.
Ross noted that AEW pay-per-views often feature over 8 matches, sometimes reaching 12 or 14, which he believes might overwhelm audiences.
While co-host Conrad Thompson praised AEW’s events for delivering extensive value and excellent wrestling, Ross suggested that fewer matches could improve the overall experience, ensuring the audience stays engaged without being fatigued.
Here’s what Good Ol’JR said:
“If you want to protect the gimmick scenario, the gimmick situation, you don’t have tons of them on a pay-per-view card. You might have two, may I say might. Uh, so maybe two for me, if I was booking it, probably one.
That way, it adds more to the gimmick match that’s on the card because there’s not a lot of similarities. It’s different, you know, it’s a ‘let me up’ type of thing. So, I believe that’s the way to go on that deal because you want to protect every match on the card.
And that’s why you got to talk to your talents about what the main event’s going to do. If the main event’s getting blood, you don’t want to get blood in matches two, three, or four, or five, whatever. You just don’t. A lot of guys think that’s going to screw me up. Well, tough, work harder, get the main event. We ain’t doing it. Go execute.
So, that’s how I’d book it. And of course, on AEW pay-per-views, we generally have more than 8 matches. It might be too many, it might be too many for the shows.”
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