They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and All Elite Wrestling just imitated one of WCW's most famous moments. The timing to do so is certainly apropos, as this week, AEW Dynamite sured WCW Monday Nitro as the longest-running wrestling program in Turner Sports history. Whether imitating WCW was the intention or not, the timing and execution were nothing less than poetic on AEW's behalf.
The ending of the April 16 episode of AEW Dynamite seems to echo the ending of WCW Starrcade 1997. Much like what happened following the main event of Starrcade, the main event of Dynamite saw the underdog babyfaces topple the dominant, seemingly unstoppable heel stable, and in drones, the roster flooded out to celebrate the occasion.
WCW Starrcade 1997 obviously isn't the first time something like this has happened in pro wrestling history, and it's far from the last, but it's the most famous instance. The parallel contexts could signal not only AEW paying homage, but that the Death Riders angle is nearing its anticipated ending.
AEW Pays Homage to Historic WCW Moment During Title Change at Dynamite
The Opps def. The Death Riders (c) for All Elite Wrestling's Trios Titles
All Elite Wrestling has never been shy about binding itself to World Championship Wrestling. A bulk of its special event names have been lifted directly from WCW's past in an attempt to pay tribute. Bash at the Beach is the most notable example, while Battle of the Belts is outright AEW's equivalent to WCW's Clash of the Champions (which, itself, was WCW's equivalent to WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event). Meanwhile, AEW has housed match types made to pay homage to matches that were once exclusive to WCW. The Blood and Guts match is inspired directly by WarGames.
In addition, AEW has paid respects to the veterans of WCW with special cameo appearances from legends, and in other cases, g them to major contracts. The biggest of them all is undoubtedly Sting. Not only was AEW able to give Steve Borden his final championship run, but also his retirement match, treating it with the spectacle and gravitas deserving of a man with a 40-year career. AEW has nothing but respect for WCW, and appeared to show much of that respect on the week the company eclipsed the 90s wrestling staple.
Sting's reign as AEW World Tag Team Champion alongside Darby Allin officially marks the last time he held a title in any company. After successfully defending the titles in his final match against the Young Bucks in the main event of AEW Revolution 2024, he retired as champion, also maintaining his undefeated streak in AEW.
For the groundbreaking 289th episode of AEW Dynamite, Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, and AEW World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley (filling in for an injured PAC) represented the Death Riders in defending the AEW Trios Championship. They defended against The Opps, which comprised Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, and Powerhouse Hobbs (filling in for an injured Hook). With an assist from Swerve Strickland, the challengers overthrew the champions, earning a post-match celebration with the babyfaces of the locker room. Old school wrestling fans will peg it as a sight familiar to December 28, 1997, in Washington, D.C., at the MCI Center.
What Happened at WCW Starrcade 1997?
Sting def. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
It had been the better part of a year and a half since "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan started leading the nWo to worldwide success, running roughshod over WCW. Many had tried and failed to topple the top heel staple, and now, it was up to The Man Called Sting to finally oust the New World Order from their seat by claiming the biggest source of their power: the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Against all odds, the night ended with Sting defeating Hogan and raising his title above his head on the shoulders of his fellow babyfaces in celebration to close out the night.
In theory, this moment should have marked the end of the nWo's long stranglehold over the company. That wouldn't be the case, but the symbolism and the sentiment are there for it, hence why the entire locker room of babyfaces poured out to celebrate the moment. These are the same babyfaces who tried time after time, one instance after another, to stop the nWo to no avail. They Sting to let out a collective sigh of relief that, finally, a white knight has come to slay the dragon that is the nWo. While the match itself left a lot to be desired, and the ending would only spark more controversy, this moment is still seen as the culmination of the initial nWo storyline and of Sting's return to the company as his Crow-inspired persona.
Are the Death Riders AEW's New World Order?
All Elite Wrestling's Most Controversial Faction and Storyline
All Elite Wrestling is dealing with its own dragon that refuses to be slain in the form of the Death Riders. At All Out last September, the Death Riders rose from the ashes of the Blackpool Combat Club, turning heel upon kicking out then-BCC member Bryan Danielson. Shortly after, Jon Moxley would defeat Danielson for the AEW World Championship. Per the match's stipulation, the Death Riders effectively ended Danielson's full-time wrestling career, but added insult to injury by suffocating him with a plastic bag. Danielson has not been seen on television since.
At some point early on, Marina Shafir would the Death Riders, essentially playing the part of Mox's hired muscle and the group's lethal hitwoman.
The Death Riders' angle started off with a bang, and they arrived with a mission statement. Moxley emphasized in promos that the AEW locker room had gone soft, demanding everyone to step up to him and his Death Riders to prove themselves. This soon turned into a fight with the fate of AEW on the line, not unlike when the WCW locker room fought the nWo with the brand on the line. Much like the nWo before them for WCW, the Death Riders have promised to transform AEW into their image to their liking.
While the angle certainly arrived with some intrigue, the majority of fans believe it has overstayed its welcome seven months later. In that time, critics have said that the angle has dragged, jumped the shark, and has led to both bad matches and even cringier promos. The last pay-per-view, AEW Dynasty, presented AEW with the opportunity to mold Swerve Strickland into AEW's white knight, ready to slay the Death Riders, thus saving AEW (and the fans) from suffering this angle much longer. Alas, AEW failed to silence its critics.
AEW Seems on the Right Track to Get Out of Its Slump
Fans are Sent Home Happy for the First Time in Months
Critics were certain that Moxley should've dropped the title at Dynasty, but April 16's Dynamite is a great sign for the future. Moxley suffered his first defeat in months, and the Death Riders lost a modicum of power in losing the Trios Titles. ing out Moxley immediately sets Samoa Joe up to be a contender to the World Championship again, as confirmed by Moxley's direct challenge on the following Collision, and even if he doesn't win, AEW continues to build up other main eventers to face Mox, like "Hangman" Adam Page as he fights for a number one contendership in the Owen Hart Tournament, or MJF as he's subtly turning babyface in an entertaining angle with the Hurt Business.
Most importantly, AEW is stopping itself from falling into the same pitfalls that befell the nWo in WCW: making its top heel stable go stale. The nWo continued to go on for way too long after what should've been its storybook conclusion at Starrcade. This stifled the group in the long run and even set them up for Hulk Hogan's most controversial WCW moment. The nWo lost its luster in the same way that Death Riders have lost their magic. Thankfully, these new developments suggest All Elite Wrestling is finally pulling itself out of its storytelling slump, winning back fans in the process.
