Why AEW 's Four Pillars Marketing Gimmick Works Against The Company
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The Four Pillars headlined AEW’s latest PPV, Double or Nothing. The buildup to the match was a bit messy, to say the least. Despite that, the four men put on an impressive match. But the entire ordeal has called into question whether or not Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara, and MJF are actually worthy of the moniker “The Four Pillars” of AEW.
RELATED: Why Adam Cole Is The Right Choice To Face MJF NextThe nickname originated a few years ago. It was meant to express that the four men in question are the young, “homegrown” AEW talent who will be able to carry the company once its older, primary stars retire. Though it came from a place of appreciation and optimism, the nickname has caused some controversy due to AEW’s heavy endorsement of it. The company even went as far as to make a “Four Pillars” t-shirt, causing many fans to question whether or not this gimmick is a good idea.
The Original Four Pillars Of Wrestling
The idea of naming four men as a company’s pillars is not original to AEW. The original “Four Pillars” of wrestling were Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue of All Japan Pro Wrestling. These four were given the nickname by wrestling legend Giant Baba, the creator of the “King’s Road” style of wrestling.
Notice how the original four pillars did not push the nickname onto themselves. They did not use mediocre Photoshop skills to create a t-shirt with the four of them in front of a generic coliseum. Instead, they were simply recognized for their nonstop, legendary performances in the ring.
It’s also very ironic how AEW appropriated the “Four Pillars” moniker from All Japan when I’d wager that most of their knockoff pillars could not name the four original Pillars if asked. MJF makes it a part of his gimmick to dismiss Japanese wrestling’s impact on the sport. Though to be fair, it's evident that MJF does not take any inspiration from any Japanese wrestlers and instead chooses to cosplay known sex offender Ric Flair.
What’s In A Wrestling Pillar, Really?
Calling someone a pillar implies that the company was built on them. It is not a title that a wrestler can give themselves, but rather one that’s gradually understood by wrestlers and fans over time. Hiroshi Tanahashi is a pillar for the way he carried NJPW through near bankruptcy and revived interest in the company. Jon Moxley is much more of a pillar for AEW than any of those four on account of how he led AEW through the COVID-19 pandemic.
RELATED: What These 10 Wrestlers Have Said About AEW Owner Tony KhanRealistically, can Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, MJF, or Sammy Guevara say that the company has ever relied on them? Jungle Boy is talented but has yet to win a singles championship. Darby Allin is a former TNT Champion, but his character has not grown or developed since his debut in 2019. Sammy Guevara is a walking PR timebomb. MJF, the current AEW World Champion, often feels like a kid playing dress-up. He is applauded for his mic skills, but all his promos are regurgitated jabs from terminally online wrestling podcasters.
The reality is, AEW would be just fine without any of its four “pillars,” which is evidence alone they don’t deserve that title.
AEW Has Grown Past The Need For The “Four Pillars” Gimmick
In 2019, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara, MJF, and Jungle Boy were undoubtedly the four stars with the most potential to succeed in the company. But can that even be said anymore? Since then, AEW has signed several other talented young men, many of whom arguably have more potential than at least one of the four "pillars."
Hook, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, Action Andretti, and Komander are all just as, if not more talented than the “pillars.” Not to mention, Komander, Andretti, and Daniel Garcia are all just 24 years old, younger than the youngest “pillar,” Jungle Boy, who is 25. If these men are just as good (or better) in the ring than the four men AEW celebrates so much at a younger age, who’s to say this new crop of talent won’t soon surpass the originals? By fixating on the stars they signed first, AEW is effectively limiting its growth.
RELATED: The Biggest Problem With MJF's AEW World Championship RunNot to mention, by continuing to uphold Jungle Boy, MJF, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara as its four pillars, AEW is spitting in the face of every other wrestler who has helped build this company up into the brand it is. They should let the moniker fade and become a nice piece of nostalgia that served its purpose but has now become obsolete.
