How WWE and AEW Can Solve Their Biggest Problems This Fall

The ebb and flow of professional wrestling in recent months, headlined by WWE and AEW, has been as engrossing as perhaps at any point ever.

There was a time not too long ago that AEW appeared to have all the answers as the hot new product downright shoving aside the stale WWE programming, even in head-to-head matchups on Wednesday nights.

Fast forward to now, WWE's the current top dog for many fans after Triple H's creative takeover breathed some new life into the product in many long-requested ways.

Of course, fans can't go wrong with either and the logical play is to enjoy both. But both also have issues, whether it's vacant titles, underused Superstars or something else.

The other side of the coin? Both promotions have fixes for those issues right in front of them. Here's a look at how they can get it done.

AEW: The Winter of Bryan Danielson

The Summer of Punk didn't happen after CM Punk's foot injury led to the AEW world title going on an "interim" basis. Now as fall begins, Punk's injured and the title has another vacancy.

There's one simple answer to this problem: Bryan Danielson.

Many years ago in WWE, Punk himself had a 400-plus day reign and in the wake of that, it was Danielson who eventually became the next beloved champion, so much so the promotion had to change its preferred plans in the face of serious backlash.

That's a longer way of saying AEW has a layup here—there may be no more single beloved wrestler on the planet than Danielson. No fan would complain if he emerges on top and, as reliably as ever, has a lengthy, steady reign with five-star matches with the big names across the roster.

Sure, AEW might want to escalate the MJF situation or further reward Jon Moxley. Deserve it as they may, there's a steady everyone-loves-it option with Danielson right there to carry the main-event scene.

WWE: End the Title Unification

This one will earn a spicy reaction.

True enough, some fans love the idea of the title unification WWE has going on with Roman Reigns. And it's pretty fun to see his whole crew holding titles, which should make Survivor Series and the road to Mania interesting, especially if WWE can reel in the Rock.

And to WWE and Triple H's credit, the promotion has done a great job of making mid-tier titles like the U.S. and Intercontinental straps feel much more meaningful since the creative change.

But this doesn't have to be a one or the other thing. The mid-tier titles can still receive proper shine while both weekly programs have top champions to make those programs even more must-see television with escalated stakes.

Taking one title off Reigns isn't difficult, either. This is WWE, where the rules change by the minute. Austin Theory can cash-in. Paul Heyman can make a mistake on a contract that says both belts are up for grabs individually. Something, anything to force a split that will doubly go as an unforgettable moment that doesn't even hurt Reigns because somebody else could eat the pin.

And to top it all off, it would be a pretty solid nod from Triple H to fans that this is indeed a new era. Roman can go on with his streak to fight the Rock just fine while everyone else wins in the process, too.

AEW: Lean on the Pillars

It might sound a little counterintuitive to suggest Danielson should be the top guy in AEW right now but to also suggest the company lean on its roots.

But the idea can mean many things at once, especially when AEW, despite the currently bloated roster, has so many homegrown guys capable of headlining the promotion outright.

Think about Darby Allin, a fan favorite who could easily reinsert himself into the main-event scene as a viable contender. Or Wardlow, a guy who blossomed into a majorly over star with heavyweight title aspirations before strange MJF drama seemed to deflate things.

And then there is MJF, of course. Yes, the inevitable-feeling feud with CM Punk is dead in the water. But he's money in a feud with anyone else and why not showcase him and still loop in the reality of his contract expiring in 2024?

Let's not forget "Hangman" Adam Page, either. Already a top champion with plenty left to give, there's little reason not to keep him right in the title scene.

So while some of the pillars and massive additions are out and roster bloat is a real thing impacting the product, AEW getting back to what made it so great in the process is the obvious save.

WWE: Turn Braun Strowman Loose

It's Braun Strowman's time.

The red-hot reaction to his big return should have made that obvious enough. He's been gone a while so it's easy to forget about the horrendous booking near the end of his first tenure.

Given his absence, it's easier to recall those days where he was running around truly being a monster, whether it was stunts with vehicles or the entire stage of a show. For a moment, he was a guy other Superstars truly feared and the only real "monster" on the roster.

There's no reason WWE can't bring that back at a time it's asking way too much of fans with five hours of weekly programming between Raw and SmackDown and the men's top titles are both around one man's waist, to name a few of the issues.

Throwing the unpredictable monster Strowman onto both programs at any given time would keep fans coming back and tuning in when perhaps they otherwise wouldn't. And that might be just enough to win them over with by what else they see, too.

Bonus WWE: Bray Wyatt

WWE created a pretty big problem for itself with the initial release of Bray Wyatt.

Granted, there was a snowball effect of sorts going on there because of the rough booking WWE threw at him for both the Wyatt and "Fiend" characters.

But either way, WWE hasn't been able to dig up a fun supernatural character since, the type of guy everyone can buy into, even in this day and age of social media.

But Wyatt's that guy and after his lack of a new deal with another promotion, there's little reason to not bring him back and add that back to the roster.

Similar to the thoughts about Strowman, adding Wyatt back and letting him do his thing with alternate programming and whatever characters he can dream up is just giving fans more reason to stick around for lengthy programs each week while getting invested in feuds.

Wyatt alone can't save WWE, but he'd be one heck of a way to heal some of the wounds.