I tried to think about what to post to Cortex. I could review another TV show. I could update my thoughts on The Bad Batch, because it seems to be slow-building to some big stuff (The Sledgehammer of Plot would like you to remember that Wrecker hit his head, so don't forget that). I thought about putting down my favorite matches from AEW Double or Nothing, which I got to see in a movie theater on Sunday. And while I could rave about Anthony Ogogo (dude is going to be something special if he continues to develop), the Stadium Stampede match (the John Wick-style chair fight between Sammy Guevara and Shawn Spears... awesome), or the world title three-way, I'm actually staying very busy helping prep some cool stuff for Shacknews in the next month.
So this is going to be a more abbreviated post, where I express my undying heterosexual man love for the best tag team today, The Acclaimed.
Back in November, I was working on something for Shack with AEW Dark in the background. Out of nowhere, I suddenly hear somebody drop a beat. This enhancement team that had lost a few weeks earlier to the Best Friends was suddenly out here dropping rhymes. "Platinum" Max Caster was the freestyler, "The Five-Tool Player" Anthony Bowens was the hype man, and I really got a kick out of their act.
A week later, they got signed full-time and The Acclaimed was born. They quickly got a permanent theme song and refined entrance, new gear, a boombox, a catchphrase (A simple "AEW!!! THE ACCLAIMED... HAVE ARRIVED!" from Bowens), and the most important thing for any wrestling act... a catchy hand signal!
Six months later, The Acclaimed are one of All Elite Wrestling's most must-see acts. They're two guys who continue to get better in the ring, they manage to be likable (Caster is soft-spoken, while Bowens is openly gay and proud) while also being cocky enough to get booed, they cheat like old-school wrestling heels out of the 80s, and they have something to say about EVERYONE. There's a reason that The Acclaimed ALWAYS come out last for their matches. Caster's gotta get his rap in and in several cases already, Caster drops the diss and it leads to BOWENS getting killed. It is an awesome dynamic.
🙈 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 🙈
— ''Platinum'' Max Caster (@PlatinumMax) April 8, 2021
Here's my 🔥 freestyle from #AEWDynamite!
Hangman was so triggered he attacked @Bowens_Official like a jerk 😬
What up, @LilNasX 🙏🏼@AEW @AEWonTNT #AEWDynamite#MicDrop 🎤⬇️💥 pic.twitter.com/tHXkzZovDT
Fair to say @JonMoxley was NOT a fan of @PlatinumMax's entrance rap.
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 20, 2021
Tune into #AEWDynamite Now on TNT to see Mox + Kingston take on #TheAcclaimed, with a place in the tag team rankings at stake! pic.twitter.com/LAmlBIkLy4
This is before even getting into the MUSIC VIDEOS. So I'll leave you with some of The Acclaimed's best videos.
These guys are going to be absolute superstars. And I will leave you with this. As much as I love professional wrestling, God's greatest pseudo-sport, I've never purchased a wrestling shirt. I'm not one of those geeks who will wear a wrestling shirt in public. I made an exception for The Acclaimed.
AEW!!! The Acclaimed shirt has arrived! pic.twitter.com/CZTrcfkyHH
— Ozzie Mejia (@Ozz_Mejia) March 16, 2021
You should, too. ShopAEW.com, y'all.
