Velveteen Dream Blasts AEW for “Inefficient” Booking and Lack of Structure

Velveteen Dream may be gone from WWE, but he’s still watching the wrestling world—and he’s not holding back when it comes to AEW.

The former NXT star went off on Instagram, blasting AEW’s presentation after watching a segment featuring Anthony Bowens and Max Caster on Collision. Dream didn’t mince words, calling the show poorly structured and dragging in pace.

“I watched this segment with Anthony Bowens,” Dream said. “Quite frankly, I’m tired of sitting at home watching professional wrestling and watching them not do it as efficiently as they possibly could. So I’m watching AEW and they take too f***** long to get to the finish.”*

He continued, calling out the match’s lack of focus and cluttered storytelling.

“I’m watching the show and these guys really don’t know how to f***** put together a wrestling show. So there’s Anthony Bowens and Max Caster—I’m watching these guys attempt to put on some compelling television and it’s just not hitting. They took too long to get to their finish; they’re telling too many stories in a match. Are you gonna tell the story of Max Caster and Anthony Bowens getting back together or not?”*

Dream then pivoted to AEW’s larger booking issues, accusing the company of undercutting its own talent.

“In another segment, I don’t understand why you bring six guys out on TV just to get them squashed. It does nothing for the talent, it devalues your show, and it devalues any value you put on it.”

He also took a jab at AEW’s match layout, criticizing the overuse of false finishes and a lack of experienced leadership.

“There is such a thing as way too many false finishes, and I think these guys could be a lot more efficient if they had some leadership and some experience in their corner that they actually listen to. Maybe the shows would be conducted in a way that wouldn’t disappoint the masses. They need more reps in the training facility—if they even have one in AEW.”

Dream finished by accusing AEW of letting wrestlers book their own matches—or worse, relying on producers who don’t know what they’re doing.

“In AEW there’s miscommunication and misunderstanding. It just tells me that you’re either allowing the talent to book their own segments or your producers really don’t know what they’re doing. It’s the honest truth.”

Velveteen Dream’s comments fuel an ongoing conversation about AEW’s creative direction and structure. While some fans defend the company’s loose approach, others—like Dream—see it as a major flaw that’s hurting the product on a deeper level.

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