9 months ago
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WWE
AEW recently brought back its rankings system, which has led to industry experts weighing in on the matter. During a recent discussion on "Busted Open Radio," former WWE star Tommy Dreamer said he's a fan of the system and explained why rankings might help the product.
"I like them [the rankings]. It's an easier way to have men and women fight for a purpose if you're looking at just straight-up wins and losses."
Dreamer added that the system can also inform storylines, citing the feud between "Hangman" Adam Page and Swerve Strickland as an example. While the pair have a history of being rivals, occupying similar positions in the rankings gives them more incentive to try and beat each other. Dreamer also said that the rankings make title shots feel more earned.
That said, while Dreamer approves of the rankings, he doesn't understand the rules. The TNA Wrestling star asked where champions such as Christian Cage and Orange Cassidy factor in regarding the rankings. He also stated that AEW has too many champions, but having a rankings system is the perfect way to justify matches between wrestlers.
Of course, not everyone agrees with Dreamer's take. Eric Bischoff highlighted possible issues with AEW's rankings system, noting that the mathematical component could stifle the company's creativity. However, he said that he was excited about the original iteration of the system as it made AEW feel different at the time, but he's lost faith in the promotion across the board.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
