Gabe Kidd is one of AEW’s most promising prospects. He could become a huge asset for the company if he uses his strengths well. He showed he could more than hold his own with Kenny Omega for the latter’s return after facing diverticulitis at the AEW-NJPW joint show Wrestle Dynasty. He has a unique persona with his Geordie hooligan demeanour. Not that Gabe Kidd is a Geordie—he is a Nottingham Forest fan— but he could pretend to be one and no one would mind. He certainly would not argue with that.
The Ward Dogs, the faction composed of Kidd, Clark Connors and David Finlay, is reminiscent of the Shield. Three folks whose qualities complement each other, and a strong possibility they will become big players on their own eventually. They even have the same gritty hand-held camera-style promos. This comparison is a testament to the hopes placed on these wrestlers and the potential fans and AEW staff see in them.
But to reach this potential, Gabe Kidd would have to do the opposite of what he’s doing at the moment. There’s a risk that Gabe Kidd’s AEW presentation runs into the same obstacle Kenny Omega did. Their antics make them stand out in the NJPW context, giving them a gritty and dangerous feeling. But using those same traits in a more colourful environment like AEW makes it seem cartoonish.
Those antics include Darby Allin being caught in a body bag and dragged by a car, then Darby Allin doing the same to Kidd. Or, Alling putting Gabe Kidd in a car trunk and having the car roll over to begin their coffin match. One instance saw footage of Allin being left unconscious in the desert with announcers telling the story but not seeming to care about the fate of Allin, nor was the company concerned about finding his body.
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Which is precisely what the feud with Darby Allin is doing. Both men have an inherent need to prove themselves by regularly taking ridiculous bumps and coming up with innovative spots to the point of desensitising fans to the violence. How can fans take a car crash seriously when the two guys can compete in a wrestling match right afterwards? Their antics are often compared to Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, where the characters can take damage in a way that feels comical, given the contrasts between the violence shown and the effect it has on them.
In an era where wrestling feels too safe and predictable in terms of storyline and characters, it is commendable to have wrestlers willing to think outside the box. Not every match needs to be a 50/50 spotfest with a thousand false finishes and aim for perfect Cagematch ratings. It is nice to have more divisive content in your show as well, as those tend to create more memories and heated discussions for the fans.
But there needs to be a method to the madness. Tge creativity should aim to elevate the performers by making fans emotionally invested in their characters. This current approach is making Kidd lose the fans’ investment in him, which, we might all agree, is too soon to happen.
