Former AEW commentator Kevin Kelly, speaking on Hannibal TV, criticized All Elite Wrestling’s approach to match preparation, describing it as overly scripted and overly complex.
Wrestlers reportedly arrive at arenas early in the day to script their matches in detail, including the timing and positioning of specific moves, which are then communicated to coaches and production for camera setup. This process often leads to matches feeling choreographed and cluttered.
Kelly compared this approach to a “Michael Bay film,” packed with excessive action, as wrestlers continuously tweak and add elements throughout the day.
He highlighted how this issue is even more pronounced in Ring Of Honor matches, where wrestlers sometimes have hours to over-plan, leading to chaotic performances.
According to Kelly, the tendency to “fit everything in” stems from wrestlers memorizing their matches in detail, making it easier to add more than to simplify.
Here’s what Kelly said:
“Here’s a modern example of the issue that happens, and it’s one of the problems I think AEW struggles with. The guys get to the building at 1 PM, and they know they need to completely script out their match. They have to tell their coach, who then relays it to the truck, shot for shot. For example, ‘Hey, he’s going to do a dive on the ramp side,’ or ‘He’s going to do a plancha on the hard camera side,’ so the cameras are set up the way they need them to be.
But because they’re memorizing the match, they’re also tweaking it and adding more stuff all day. It becomes this big mess—like trying to fit 10 pounds of crap into a 5-pound bag. Instead of just going out there with a framework—like starting a certain way, hitting the heat spot, and knowing what the finish will be—it turns into a scripted drama. By the time it’s done, it’s like a Michael Bay film.
This especially happens with Ring of Honor matches because those guys often wrestle after Collision or Dynamite. Even though they find out their matches a bit later, some of them know early who they’re wrestling that night, and they have 8 hours to plan. Those matches end up being crazy.
The problem is that they want to get all their stuff in—not for any bad reason—but because they’ve thought of all these ideas and memorized the match that way. It’s just easier for them to add things than to take anything out.”
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