What is the future of AEW after Double or Nothing success?

The AEW Double or Nothing was a pretty decent success and it definitely got people talking. Suddenly questions such as “Is All Elite Wrestling the future of wrestling?” and “Can AEW rival WWE?” are getting an increase in hits on Google. And why not, considering it has the numbers to prove its credibility. The Double or Nothing PPV reportedly amassed buys of a figure somewhere between 98,500 and 113,000 making it the biggest wrestling pay-per-view, that has not been produced by WWE or WCW. The upcoming All Out event had every single one of its tickets sold out within 30 minutes, Dan Meltzer estimating the ticket numbers to be around 130,000.

Needless to say, AEW has quite a lot going for it at the moment. However, the PPVs only spell the beginning in its path of success. The real litmus test will be handed to the wrestling promotion when it makes its television debut in October, has signed a television deal with WarnerMedia and TNT. And there are serious expectations to be fulfilled, for, for the first time since 2001, a wrestling promotion other than WWE will feature a weekly show on a major television network.

The time between now and the television debut is going to extremely crucial for Tony Khan’s company. For beginners, the All Out event needs to be big, big enough to bridge the gap between the PPVs and the weekly show. The All Out stands as a sequel to All In, an independent event promoted by Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks. Between Double or Nothing and All Out, AEW will also be holding two pay-per-view events, Fyter Fest and Fight for the Fallen. There should be enough content between these PPVs to flesh out specific roles for the promotion’s top draws and solidify the mid-card. The AEW roster does seem to have immense potential with upcoming stars like Britt Baker, MJF and Kip Sabian.

But not all is perfect with the AEW. The situation with PAC is still unclear and the Adam Page vs. PAC match getting nixed at Double or Nothing could have had far more adverse effects. PAC is a   heel and having him alongside Jon Moxley at the company would be a very very smart decision. Also, the women’s division needs to be promoted better. Speaking bluntly, the women’s division is the only thing that is going right for the WWE, and this something where the AEW could pick up a few tips from the WWE, despite having established that it is going to approach a different path than that of Vince McMahon’s company.

All that being said, if AEW intends to challenge WWE in the near future, then it is on the right path. The wrestling promotion is producing quality content and the AEW roster is looking like something the fans would really get emotionally invested in with the storylines (just look up the after fight sequence between Dustin and Cody Rhodes) WWE should be very wary.