Matt Hardy questions AEW's recent violence

AEW hit the headlines when Jon Moxley attempted to suffocate Bryan Danielson with a plastic bag at their All Out pay-per-view. The segment quickly went viral, with the majority of wrestling fans sharing their disappointment at an overly graphic moment that was deemed unnecessary by most.

During a recent episode of his "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast, the former WWE and AEW star questioned the decision-making behind the spot. Hardy noted how highly realistic segments, such as the one with Moxley and Danielson, can easily be repeated by children at home, and that should be a concern to the company.

"The one thing I do think that might be a drawback about that spot, if you have a family and kids and they’re watching that, I don’t think you would want your kids to watch that," Hardy said. "So I think if they’re promoting the show strictly for the sickos, then have at it. You know, go nuts, but I think it’s going to be hard to have families that are worried about what their kids are going to be watching, to be watching some of those more violent things, much like they wouldn’t allow their younger kids to watch a very violent movie.”

AEW has struggled to capitalize on the company's early growth. Since the start of 2024, it has struggled with diminishing attendance, a regression in TV viewership and a consistent swell of negativity surrounding a lack of storylines and overreliance on shock factor violence. It continues to escalate the level of violence during pay-per-views, pushing more fans away from the product rather than compelling viewers to start tuning in. 

If other wrestlers are questioning AEW's current style of wrestling and the product it is putting out, it's a sign that the company is going too far. Sooner or later, Tony Khan and his creative staff must decide how big they want AEW to become. If they want AEW to be a mainstream offering, they must start catering to children and families. That can't happen while people are being suffocated live on air. 

Despite its recent struggles, AEW remains the second-largest promotion in the world. However, if it doesn't choose its lane and stick to it, that could change pretty quickly. Its bubble appears to be bursting, and now, how it chooses to push forward will dictate how successful the company can become.