Can They Make The Ratings System Mean More?

[romanstylesiii]

I like it, but it just seems to exist for the sake of existing.


Perhaps, if you are #1 ranked at the end of the month, you are entitled to a title shot. This could create big PPV/Dynamite matches at months' end.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

The rankings already pretty strongly correlate to who gets title shots, running monthly title shots off of it becomes way more of an obstacle to have to book around, and title matches just for the sake of them.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

I don't know what more you want them to do, a lot of people in the rankings 1st or otherwise get title shots on the PPVs and special showcase Dynamites. They've had rankings matchups to determine number one contenderships. They've even said top ranked wrestlers can go for other titles, including the women's division with the NWA Women's title.

Like they make wins matter, including factoring in the quality of opponents, which is why Gunn Club never got ranked for squashing tomato cans, but Acclaimed got ranked after they beat a legitimate tag team in SCU after going on a win streak.

[Cyno]

The rankings system matters about as much they should. They do exactly what you want them to do.

[Natural Born Farmer]

I really thought they'd done a decent job all things considered.

[toodarkmark]

They mention the ratings when it comes to title shots.

They give top contenders title shots.

When they want someone to be a contender they have them move up the ratings.

When someone is unrated, they most times do not get the title shot even it they are wrestling the champion.

AEW is storyline driven, and usually their title shots coincide with a story. I don't think it's a bad idea that people at #1 at the end of the month get a title shot, but I don't want them to sacrifice story, or kill future matchups in the middle of a story.

But, Omega could say "I have my own ratings system, I won't be bothered with your contender." Not bad storytelling.

In the end it's just to drive story and to create a feel, and they do an ok job without it being too restrictive.

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

Yeah, they've made it a thing that anyone in the top 5 can challenge for the division's title at any time, and anyone else needs a special circumstance (pin on the champion [Scorpio Sky, Penelope Ford], tournament win [Kenny Omega], permission of the champion [Eddie Kingston, Brodie Lee], PPV stipulation match win [Brian Cage, Lance Archer], other promotion's champion [Thunder Rosa], unresolved question because the champion should have defeated him to earn a title match in the first place [Rey Fenix]).

Most other title shots have been based on rankings and winning streaks - Jake Hager, MJF, Darby Allin both times, the Natural Nightmares, the Best Friends, FTR (who were ineligible for the rankings until they signed in kayfabe), the Acclaimed. The kayfabe rule seems to be, you get a title shot by being in the top 5, and otherwise, you're at the mercy of whether the champion lets you challenge or waiting for one of the tournaments or gimmick matches that have a title shot as the prize.

The only real hole in this is that Nyla Rose didn't just get a second match with Hikaru Shida (an angle that was atrociously botched despite being approximately the simplest thing in theory), which perhaps implies that any top 5 contender gets one shot before being passed up in favor of fresher challengers. (Still doesn't fix the gaping holes in the Nyla/Shida angle, but it's consistent with everything else.)

[moxfan1]

I think one issue with ranking system. Is after the champion beats a guy or girl. They are still ranked and often in top 3 since it was only their first or second lost.


For example their was a time when Moxley was the champ. With MJF, Brian Cage, Cody, Lance Archer and Darby ranked in top 5. Who where all guys Moxley beat in title matches already. So Eddie Kingston got title shot then. I would like it if someone ranked lost title match. They would fall out or the rankings for a month or two. So we can get fresh people and matches involved with ranking system making more sense. We see same teams and woman who already lost all top ranked in woman's and tag division too. Once they lose they need to go to back of the line and earn it back on the ranking system with maybe 4 or 5 more wins.

[polarbearpete]

Dec 25, 2020 22:44:48 GMT -5 toodarkmark said:

They mention the ratings when it comes to title shots.

They give top contenders title shots.

When they want someone to be a contender they have them move up the ratings.

When someone is unrated, they most times do not get the title shot even it they are wrestling the champion.

AEW is storyline driven, and usually their title shots coincide with a story. I don't think it's a bad idea that people at #1 at the end of the month get a title shot, but I don't want them to sacrifice story, or kill future matchups in the middle of a story.

But, Omega could say "I have my own ratings system, I won't be bothered with your contender." Not bad storytelling.

In the end it's just to drive story and to create a feel, and they do an ok job without it being too restrictive.

Yeah I feel they do as good a job as you can with maintaining a ratings system while still leaving flexibility for storyline purposes.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Dec 26, 2020 9:51:37 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

Dec 25, 2020 22:44:48 GMT -5 toodarkmark said:

They mention the ratings when it comes to title shots.

They give top contenders title shots.

When they want someone to be a contender they have them move up the ratings.

When someone is unrated, they most times do not get the title shot even it they are wrestling the champion.

AEW is storyline driven, and usually their title shots coincide with a story. I don't think it's a bad idea that people at #1 at the end of the month get a title shot, but I don't want them to sacrifice story, or kill future matchups in the middle of a story.

But, Omega could say "I have my own ratings system, I won't be bothered with your contender." Not bad storytelling.

In the end it's just to drive story and to create a feel, and they do an ok job without it being too restrictive.

Yeah I feel they do as good a job as you can with maintaining a ratings system while still leaving flexibility for storyline purposes.

Which is important, because a lot of ratings systems throughout wrestling have failed miserably at maintaining what they've been trying to do and ended up getting dropped before they could actually be very consequential, like 2010 TNA. AEW's hitting that perfect middle ground where stuff is meaningful and the booking takes cues from it in ways everyone can clearly understand. It never feels quite like they're shackled to writing themselves into a hole, which is partly because instead of being some tacked on 'new idea', it was central to the booking company's booking philosophy before a single match ever happened, and Khan has structured how he writes the show around it. The fact they have stuck with the system and managed to keep it flowing logically for this long has been one of the less rated booking wins for the company.

[Cyno]

Dec 26, 2020 10:19:46 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Dec 26, 2020 9:51:37 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

Yeah I feel they do as good a job as you can with maintaining a ratings system while still leaving flexibility for storyline purposes.

Which is important, because a lot of ratings systems throughout wrestling have failed miserably at maintaining what they've been trying to do and ended up getting dropped before they could actually be very consequential, like 2010 TNA. AEW's hitting that perfect middle ground where stuff is meaningful and the booking takes cues from it in ways everyone can clearly understand. It never feels quite like they're shackled to writing themselves into a hole, which is partly because instead of being some tacked on 'new idea', it was central to the booking company's booking philosophy before a single match ever happened, and Khan has structured how he writes the show around it. The fact they have stuck with the system and managed to keep it flowing logically for this long has been one of the less rated booking wins for the company.

It helps that it has inspiration from boxing and MMA-style ranking systems that basically function the same way. Ranked folks get guaranteed title shots against the champion, but that also doesn't mean the champion can't defend unranked challengers. But if the championship changes hands, it doesn't change the scheduled big match between the champion and the #1 contender. That contender gets their title shot at that event no matter who the champ is.

[Deleted]

I feel like ranking systems in wrestling are just an inherently stupid idea. Between how loose the medium really needs to be to work properly, the constant unpredictability of injuries or new signings, and factoring in for things like squash matches and cheating, there just isn't a way to make them actually mean anything or to have logical criteria.

[honsou]

Outside of the top...2 or 3 the ranking system seems a bit arbitrary (Though to be fair this happens with boxing an MMA as well). One thing they could add to this is an idea from Chikara that anyone who has 3 match winning streak gets a title shot. Maybe you add it to 5 or 6 since there are so many more events in AEW and have it linked to the ranking system. Could mean the the victories on Dark could mean more

[Dub H]

the top people consitently gets world title match with rank the 5-4 ranked people constantly getting TNT title matches too,not sure what more people want really

[toodarkmark]

Dec 26, 2020 14:06:53 GMT -5 Dub H said:

the top people consitently gets world title match with rank the 5-4 ranked people constantly getting TNT title matches too,not sure what more people want really

People want MORE. ALWAYS MORE!

[Dub H]

Dec 26, 2020 14:11:48 GMT -5 toodarkmark said:

Dec 26, 2020 14:06:53 GMT -5 Dub H said:

the top people consitently gets world title match with rank the 5-4 ranked people constantly getting TNT title matches too,not sure what more people want really

People want MORE. ALWAYS MORE!

MORE

[Bad Moon]

When I read the title I thought this was about using TV ratings for kayfabe and that actually gave me an idea. The number one contender for the TNT championship should be whoever was in the highest rated quarter-hour of the previous Dynamite.
This will either go brilliantly or terribly and either way it's gonna be fun as hell.

[mystermystery]

I wouldn't mind if the Main Events of Dark became "ranking" matches where ranked guys face people "on the edge of the ranking list" to defend their spots.

Gives you #5 Ricky Starks against Kazarian or #3 Jurassic Express vs. Chaos Project.

[drjayphd (feat. Pitbull)]

Dec 26, 2020 9:24:57 GMT -5 moxfan1 said:

I think one issue with ranking system. Is after the champion beats a guy or girl. They are still ranked and often in top 3 since it was only their first or second lost.

For example their was a time when Moxley was the champ. With MJF, Brian Cage, Cody, Lance Archer and Darby ranked in top 5. Who where all guys Moxley beat in title matches already. So Eddie Kingston got title shot then. I would like it if someone ranked lost title match. They would fall out or the rankings for a month or two. So we can get fresh people and matches involved with ranking system making more sense. We see same teams and woman who already lost all top ranked in woman's and tag division too. Once they lose they need to go to back of the line and earn it back on the ranking system with maybe 4 or 5 more wins.

Yup, especially with the women's division. Going into the Abadon feud, Shida's already beaten the top four ranked contenders, but they were still ranked 1-4. They should have fallen down or out a bit to make room for someone else, although it did help the narrative of "Shida's beaten everyone in sight".

[Deleted]

I'm okay with the way it works. It's a lot like UFC, where if the top ranked person isn't around for whatever reason, the next person down the list gets a shot. Also, they have say the number 3 ranked guy face the number one ranked guy for the next title shot and stuff. It doesn't completely work and isn't 100% fair, but neither are MMA and boxing rankings and those are actual legit sports.

I do wish they would play up more "tale of the tape" type stuff to go along with it though. Like, even before the undercard matches and stuff do a quick tale of the tape and have the announcers briefly talk about who has reach advantage and shit like that.