Like every other wrestling company, All Elite Wrestling has definitely been hurt by COVID-19, but they're still beating NXT in the ratings on a weekly basis. The man formerly known as Dean Ambrose made the leap to AEW after leaving WWE, and defeated Chris Jericho for the company's World Heavyweight Championship in February.
It just so happens that was also the last AEW PPV with a full crowd prior to the lockdowns.
A lot has changed since then, of course, and in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Moxley opened up about how COVID-19 has affected his run. "I’m the guy carrying the torch during a pandemic," he says. "It’s a weird time, and COVID is f*cking up the bookings every week, but I want to carry the torch through tough times."
"Even though I didn’t originally picture myself in a good-guy, protagonist role when I first came here, it’s the way it happened. I can send a message of perseverance and picking yourself up after you fall down. People have lost their jobs, lost their business, and I can project strength, with no fear in the face of adversity, for those watching our show. I want to give stability in an unstable time. I need to give AEW some stability as we build a secure future for this brand because it’s vital for this industry that AEW is a success."
Moxley has definitely done well in that main event spot, but there are those who argue that the title scene could do with being shaken up a little. Of course, with a tournament kicking off later this week, we can anticipate that potentially happening in the coming months.