Folks, it’s absolutely unbelievable what’s happening right now in the world of wrestling. Not just regular wrestling, by the way – we’re talking about AEW, where apparently the real champions aren’t even wearing the gold. No, the champs are The Outrunners – Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum – the greatest thing to happen to AEW since they figured out how to plug in the lights. These guys, I kid you not, just outsold your favorite wrestlers – yes, even the ones with actual belts. Swerve Strickland, Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe? All sipping their smoothies, looking at merch numbers, wondering where it all went wrong.
But the numbers don’t lie, folks. According to Wrestlenomics, the guys who look like they could be cast in a reboot of Miami Vice are AEW’s top merch sellers. Eighth on the charts! Beating out legends like Jon Moxley, Mercedes Mone, Toni Storm, and – dare I say it – Orange Cassidy. Some say it’s outrageous; others say it’s proof that greatness always finds a way.
Dave Meltzer, the so-called wrestling expert, isn’t happy about this. Apparently, he’s furious – he believes AEW has done such a poor job with merchandise that The Outrunners are beating folks like The Young Bucks. “There’s an issue,” Meltzer ranted, probably in a dark room lit only by his computer screen. He suggests that AEW isn’t even trying to sell merch for its top stars, but guess what, Dave? You can’t stop the Runner Nation!
After clinching their first televised win on AEW Collision, you’d think they’d sit back, relax, and maybe just enjoy the moment. Nope. These guys are not only crushing sales but also celebrating their massive win over Davey Bang and August Matthews (remember them? Yeah, didn’t think so).
Truth Magnum? He’s beaming. “Can you believe it?” he screams to the audience, right before Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir decide to crash the party and remind everyone that sometimes, victory doesn’t come with confetti. But even in defeat, The Outrunners’ merch numbers were probably soaring into the heavens. Winning and losing? That’s for the title holders. But selling merch like hotcakes? That’s the real game, folks. Believe me.