<ul class="summary-list"><li>Professional <keyword id="29554" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wrestling">wrestling</keyword> usually exists as a relationship between the performers in the ring and the cheering crowd, playing to empty arenas has changed the way wrestling operates.</li><li>According to AEW champion <keyword id="9228900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jon-moxley">Jon Moxley</keyword>, it's possible to have a great wrestling match without an audience, but it's still missing a key element.</li><li>Moxley will take on Brodie Lee for the AEW championship at "Double or Nothing" on Saturday, May 23. Before that, his new film, "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," will premiere on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The art of professional wrestling is driven by improvisation.Athletes in the ring are simultaneously performing and reacting to feedback given by the crowd in real-time. Should something unexpected happen, be it a big cheer for a move that prompts revisiting, an unexpected injury in the middle of the match, or other unforeseen happenings that comes inherent with live entertainment, the best wrestlers in the world know how to take lemons and make hard-fought lemonade.But with the coronavirus pandemic forcing wrestling promotions to put on shows for television without fans in attendance, the very nature of the art form is changing. It's not a good thing or a bad thing, but rather the reality of the moment.WWE has utilized some more highly produced, pretaped matches for its biggest shows of the year. At WrestleMania, AJ Styles faced off against The Undertaker in a "Boneyard Match" that was far closer to an action movie fight scene than your standard wrestling match.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0zTIr8uPX74" frameborder="0"></iframe>It's an entertaining match, but is it wrestling? Yes, and no.AEW champion Jon Moxley spoke with Insider ahead of his latest film — "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," which premieres Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.In our conversation, Moxley touched on <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-aew-wrestling-without-a-crowd-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the difficulties that come with wrestling without a live audience</a>. I asked Moxley if it was possible to have a truly great wrestling match without an audience in attendance. His answer came with a history lesson and addressed the definition of the form."I think yes, but it's still missing that element," Moxley said, after a pause. "I don't know — it's an interesting question. We're gonna have to start thinking about what the definition of wrestling really is. Wrestling started in the carnivals to like, con money out of people in the audience. So with no audience, what are we even here for? What are we doing?"Moxley brought up WWE's Boneyard Match, saying it was an interesting example of how wrestlers could play with the form. How you define the finished product though, is a different story."Look at like the Boneyard Match, which was awesome," Moxley said. "But like, that's filmmaking and acting. Is that wrestling? I don't know, I'm just asking the question."Ultimately, Moxley said that with no live crowd, the success or failure of a match comes down to how it hits the fans at home."If a match was great but there was no audience to go nuts, how can you say it was great? But if somebody liked it at home, then great. If I liked it, then great," Moxley said. "I don't know, these are all just wacky questions we're going to have to — it's just an interesting time. I don't have the answers necessarily, we're just going to have to start to figure it out. It's murky waters."While Moxley believed that the production of the Boneyard Match challenged the definition of wrestling, he praised the match as a piece, and even went as far as to say he wouldn't be opposed to taking on a similar challenge in AEW if the opportunity presented itself."If the situation was right," Moxley said. "I think if you put me and the creative minds at AEW, my filmmaking partner Nick Mondo, and like Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle... I guess 'Money in the Bank' already kind of did this, but like some weird 'Die Hard' scenario where I'm John McClain, and all the inner circle has machine guns and I have to like rescue the girl from the top of the building. And at the end of it I smoke a cigarette and there's gasoline on the floor, and I flick the cigarette butt and the building explodes... I would not be opposed to exploring something like that."Whether it fits your definition of wrestling or not, I'd love to see it.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-aew-on-the-fly-creativity-2020-5">AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the company's 'on-the-fly creativity' has helped them navigate the coronavirus pandemic</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/why-wwe-athletes-fail-in-the-ufc-2020-5">The majority of WWE athletes would fail in the UFC because their physicality does not match their technical fighting ability</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-aew-wrestling-without-a-crowd-2020-5">AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the biggest challenges that come with wrestling without a live audience are mental</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/creative-ways-people-fill-seats-sports-restaruants-social-distancing-guidelines-2020-5">Photos show creative ways people have filled empty seats under social distancing guidelines</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-pro-wrestling-is-challenging-its-own-definition-2020-5">Insider</a>

The definition of professional wrestling is being challenged by the coronavirus pandemic.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The coronavirus pandemic forced some major changes to the world of professional <keyword id="29554" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wrestling">wrestling</keyword>.</li><li>According to AEW champion <keyword id="9228900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jon-moxley">Jon Moxley</keyword>, the "on-the-fly" creativity of All Elite Wrestling helped the company's ability to make the best of a bad situation.</li><li>Moxley credited his next opponent for the title, Brodie Lee, for jumping at the opportunity to join AEW despite being unable to debut in front of fans.</li><li>Before his match against Lee, Moxley's new film, "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," will premiere on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Two months ago the coronavirus pandemic brought a sudden stop to <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> around the world in response to the spread of COVID-19.The world of professional wrestling also had to figure out how to proceed in short order. While arenas packed with fans are obviously a no-go for the time being, the biggest wrestling brands in the country found ways to carry on with their weekly programming.At All Elite Wrestling, which broadcasts a weekly two-hour show on TNT, it meant shows without fans — a sharp adjustment from the locked-in crowds the company has largely played in front of through its first year on television.According to AEW champion Jon Moxley, the change of plans has been tough, but the company is built to manage it."Our situation was kind of ideal because it's on the fly creativity," Moxley told Insider. "It's kind of how we do things anyway."Moxley spoke with Insider ahead of his latest film — "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," which premieres Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.Moxley said that he was tested "every time he entered the building," and that AEW was taking several precautions to ensure the safety of both performers and crew members during filming."They're really strict on all the safety protocols. The locker room is like really separated. All the crewpeople wear masks," Moxley said. "I play it as safe as possible. Obviously, when I'm in the ring wrestling someone, that's not social distancing. But I keep it to where the only person I'm going to be around is the guy I'm wrestling."Moxley said his final match before going into lockdown came together quickly."Last time I filmed before this one ... I was like 'are we not going to get to film again ever?' I was thinking we were going to get shut down, so I was like let's at least just get a world title match in the can. We just kind of pieced together a quick little mini-angle with me and Jake Hager, and went out in the ring and did it in a few hours, just got a whole angle done."Moxley pointed to the current feud between Matt Hardy and <keyword id="577299" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chris-Jericho">Chris Jericho</keyword> as an example of the company's ability to put on an impressive show without a live audience. Hardy made his debut with the company without fans in attendance, missing out on what would have been a huge shock to the live crowd. Rather than wait for fans to return, Hardy hit the ground running, immediately needling former champion Jericho with the help of his trusted drone, Vanguard 1."To be able to do stuff on the fly like that is kind of one of our things," Moxley said. "Like Matt Hardy and Chris Jericho now — you don't get 20,000 people going nuts for Matt Hardy like they do, so we'll figure it out. We'll have this thing were Jericho gets a tee shirt from Vanguard and there's holograms. All this creativity on the fly — that's our strength."<iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/u739d2" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe>Moxley also gave credit to his upcoming opponent at AEW's "Double or Nothing," Brodie Lee. According to Moxley, Lee, who was revealed to be "The Exalted One," after months of build, had the opportunity to hold back his debut until after fans returned. Like Hardy, his introduction would have been a huge moment for the live crowd, but Lee decided to jump right in and make it work."We've got someone who was given a choice, so if you don't want to debut in front of no fans that's perfectly cool just wait until people come back, or you can take this opportunity," Moxley said of Lee."He jumped all over the opportunity — a lot of people wouldn't," Moxley said. "Here's an opportunity to shock the world. ... He's a bad motherf----- in the ring. In Japan, Ring of Honor, WWE — he's the top of the food chain level talent. Everybody already knows that, so it's not like he's skipping the line or anything."<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3pNd-L3fSaU" frameborder="0"></iframe>According to Moxley, the role of "The Exalted One" — a long-teased big bad that was the secret leader of "The Dark Order" — wasn't even originally planned for Lee, but his decision to dive into the character further shows the company's ability to adapt on the fly."He's top of the food chain level guy, but he's never had an opportunity to main event a pay-per-view by himself, being whatever he wants," Moxley said. "Even the Exalted One — whatever the f--- that is — I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't originally intended to be him. The Dark Order was something entirely different, but he had the opportunity to take it on. So he's going to take it and turn it into whatever he wants it to be. It's whatever he wants it to be. I think it will probably get a lot less supernatural, but it's whatever he wants it to be."Moxley and Lee will face off for the AEW championship at "Double or Nothing" on Saturday, May 23. While it won't be a packed house in Las Vegas as was originally planned, Moxley had faith that between himself, his opponent, and a company ready to adapt at a moment's notice, he'd still be putting on an unmissable show.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-drew-dober-threw-21-punches-in-knockout-win-2020-5">An American fighter threw 21 punches in a fight-finishing sequence, and said he's motivated to one day take on 'the Khabibs, the Conors' of UFC</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-glover-teixeira-said-sorry-to-anthony-smith-during-fight-2020-5">A 40-year-old fighter could be heard saying sorry to his American opponent in the middle of a UFC fight for beating him so bad</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5">An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game with tech innovations when his sport returns for good</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-gui-khury-1080-tony-hawk-2020-5">11-year-old skateboarder Gui Khury bested Tony Hawk by landing the world's first 1080</a></li></ul>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-aew-on-the-fly-creativity-2020-5">Insider</a>

AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the company's 'on-the-fly creativity' has helped them navigate the coronavirus pandemic

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="452634" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="AEW">AEW</keyword> champion <keyword id="9228900" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jon-moxley">Jon Moxley</keyword> will defend his title against Brodie Lee at "Double or Nothing" on Saturday, May 23.</li><li>But instead of performing in front of an amped crowd in his home town of Las Vegas, Moxley will instead be facing his challenger without the benefit of a live audience.</li><li>Moxley told Insider that without fans in attendance to urge him on, the biggest challenge as a performer is to "get in your own head."</li><li>Before his match against Lee, Moxley's new film, "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," will premiere on Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>In the world of professional <keyword id="29554" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wrestling">wrestling</keyword>, the show must go on.While the coronavirus pandemic put most of the <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">sports</keyword> world on an extended pause, professional wrestling forged on, <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-wwe-stone-cold-steve-austin-empty-coronavirus-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adjusting on the fly</a> to the new reality of their situation.The biggest change for these athletes — aside from the entirety of the world around them — is performing in front of empty seats, rather than packed arenas filled with screaming fans.According to AEW champion Jon Moxley, it's not a change that comes easy.Moxley spoke with Insider ahead of his latest film — "Cagefighter: Worlds Collide," which premieres Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. ET on <a href="https://www.fite.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FITE TV</a>.Asked about the challenges of performing without a crowd, Moxley said the lack of a live audience had a big effect on his mentality during matches."There's a huge difference. The biggest thing is you gotta get in your own head a lot," Moxley said. "You can be so tired and jetlagged and whatever, but the second you walk through the crowd and you got adrenaline burning, and a crowd going nuts, you ride the wave of the crowd."Moxley said that lack of the give-and-take between athletes and audience that is usually such an important part of live wrestling shows changes the perspective of a match, and forces him to focus and stay patient."What we're doing the ring kind of depends on — it's kind of like surfing. You're riding the ups and downs of the waves and your just kind of controlling the crowd, but also riding with the crowd," Moxley said. "Maybe something happens on the fly that gets a big reaction, and you go with that — and that wasn't your original plan. But without a crowd, you gotta really lock into your own head, and just tell your story, and be patient, and just get in a zone to where it's real.""When I'm at my best, I will convince myself — whether that's in the ring or on the mic or whatever — I'll convince myself that this is real. I've gone in the ring against a William Regal or a [Minoru] Suzuki or a [Tomohoro] Ishii or whoever, and I've convinced myself that I hate this guy. Or if I'm on the mic, I've convinced myself that I'm gonna kill this man. And with no crowd behind you, you really have to get into that mindset."While getting into the right headspace for a match was certainly more natural with a raucous crowd, Moxley said that locking into his matches is made easier by the fact that the AEW roster is stocked with talent that he's eager to perform with."We have so much young great talent that everyone is talking about in AEW, but something I was thinking the other day was 'Damn we have so many awesome veterans.' I got the opportunity to work with Christopher Daniels for the first time in my career — we just never crossed paths. I got the opportunity to work with Frankie Kazarian the other night, we never crossed paths either.""I watched him when I was a teenager, he's like, top of the food chain. He's a dude that can main event anywhere in the world, he can literally do it all. And to have an opportunity to be like, 'you and Frankie,' 'oh cool,' and me and Frankie just go to the ring and work."Moxley is set to defend his AEW championship against Brodie Lee at "Double or Nothing," on Saturday, May 23 — a match that was supposed to take place in front of a packed house in Moxley's home city, Las Vegas.With the event moved to Florida and without a live audience, Moxley won't have the hometown reception that should have come with his entrance as champion.But with or without a crowd, he'll be ready to put on a show.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-drew-dober-threw-21-punches-in-knockout-win-2020-5">An American fighter threw 21 punches in a fight-finishing sequence, and said he's motivated to one day take on 'the Khabibs, the Conors' of UFC</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-glover-teixeira-said-sorry-to-anthony-smith-during-fight-2020-5">A 40-year-old fighter could be heard saying sorry to his American opponent in the middle of a UFC fight for beating him so bad</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-professional-fighters-league-wants-to-change-mma-forever-2020-5">An MMA boss is paying fighters not to fight in the coronavirus era and wants to change the game with tech innovations when his sport returns for good</a><a href="https://www.insider.com/video-gui-khury-1080-tony-hawk-2020-5">11-year-old skateboarder Gui Khury bested Tony Hawk by landing the world's first 1080</a>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/jon-moxley-aew-wrestling-without-a-crowd-2020-5">Insider</a>

AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the biggest challenges that come with wrestling without a live audience are mental

<ul class="summary-list"><li>'Hangman' Adam Page suffered a concussion during a wrestling move gone wrong Tuesday.</li><li>The ropes were tampered with to ensure the wrestler could be stretchered out of the AEW ring.</li></ul>Officials took the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/aew" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All Elite Wrestling</a> ropes down to stretcher an injured wrestler, 'Hangman' Adam Page, out of the ring during a live event Tuesday.A match between the Hangman and marquee wrestler Jon Moxley headlined the Cincinnati show, having been heavily promoted during the build-up.AEW owner <a href="https://www.si.com/wrestling/2022/10/18/aew-chris-jericho-new-contract-expiration-date" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tony Khan told Sports Illustrated</a> ahead of the event that Page and Moxley represent "the very best of AEW," so he had high hopes the championship bout on AEW Dynamite was "going to be magic."The match ended abruptly, though, as Page fell awkwardly on his head and neck when Moxley hit him with a king kong lariat.The referee rushed over to check on Page, and called in the ringside physician.They determined Page was in no fit state to continue and waved the bout off.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Marshall Lloyd (@Dawgsfaninin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1582551363141369856">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>Officials brought a stretcher ringside and started to tamper with the ropes to ensure Page could be removed safely from the ring, signaling the gravity of the situation.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1582550032904900609">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote><h2>Prominent figures in wrestling offered prayers for Page</h2>"I hope and pray Hangman Page recovers," Moxley said later in the broadcast. "Can walk again, talk again, play with his little baby again."The incident transcended AEW, with WWE star Big E also offering prayers.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1582554352115253251">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>AEW then posted a statement on Twitter."'Hangman' Adam Page was taken tonight by medical personnel to a Cincinnati trauma center and diagnosed with a concussion. He was discharged, but will remain in AEW's concussion protocol," the statement said."AEW and 'Hangman' Page are grateful for the exemplary response and care of staff and local medical personnel, and are appreciative of the love and support of fans everywhere."AEW returns with a Rampage event Friday in Jacksonville, Florida. Moxley is expected to feature in the event.It is currently unclear when Page will return.

Officials took the AEW ropes down to stretcher injured wrestler 'Hangman' Adam Page out of the ring

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Changes at WWE can benefit the entire industry, AEW boss Tony Khan told DAZN.</li><li>Vince McMahon retired earlier this year in disgrace. Triple H is now creative lead at WWE.</li></ul>The changes <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/wwe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WWE</a> may be making in a post-Vince McMahon era could benefit the market-leading promotion, as well as its arch-rival, <a href="https://www.dazn.com/en-US/news/wwe/tony-khan-talks-aew-coming-full-circle-why-he-spread-out-jon-moxley-vs-chris-jericho-rematch-joshua-vs-usyk-2-pick/12kjkhguv1451rzjnf7urks2r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AEW boss Tony Khan told DAZN this week</a>.A seismic shift is underway at WWE in light of Vince McMahon's retirement as a 40-year leader of the company.McMahon's position seemingly became untenable after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wwe-vince-mcmahon-payments-former-female-employees-investigation-report-2022-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal reported</a> that WWE was investigating him for <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/wwes-vince-mcmahon-agreed-to-pay-12-million-in-hush-money-to-four-women-11657289742">paying women</a> affiliated with the WWE millions of dollars to keep their sexual misconduct allegations quiet.<a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001091907/000095014222002464/eh220277719_nt10q.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In an SEC filing on Tuesday</a>, the WWE said McMahon made "unrecorded expenses" totaling $19.6 million.Though McMahon remains a stockholder with a controlling interest in WWE, his daughter Stephanie McMahon replaced him as co-CEO, alongside Nick Khan.Paul "Triple-H" Levesque replaced McMahon as WWE's head of creative direction.<h2>WWE is 'getting better,' according to AEW boss Khan</h2><div type="image" title="Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and Triple-H were Octagonside for Adesanya's performance." height="1500" width="2000" msid="93510984" hostid="261" sizebytes="162156"></div>With McMahon at the helm, the WWE's focus was "sports entertainment." However, <a href="https://www.pwinsider.com/article/161816/legendary-promoter-says-triple-h-informed-wwe-roster-company-will-try-a-new-way-going-forward.html?p=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PWInsider</a> reported that Triple-H acknowledged on a phone call that nobody can fulfill McMahon's role but <a href="https://www.insider.com/wwe-heading-into-new-era-after-vince-mcmahon-retirement-2022-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they could do their own thing, instead</a>.Their own thing, in this new era, could focus on actual wrestling, according to a pro wrestling figurehead named Jerry Jarrett, the promoter of Continental Wrestling.This could benefit WWE, Khan said in an interview with DAZN, adding that it could also benefit his firm AEW — a potential challenger to WWE's dominance in the pro wrestling space.DAZN asked Khan whether 2022 could be a hard year for him as a promoter with AEW considering McMahon's retirement, and Triple H taking over as creative lead at WWE.Khan said the competition is "changing," adding: "I think that's a good thing in some ways. If you like good wrestling, you're just more likely to want to see it because our competitor has been doing better shows recently than they had been doing, I think."I watch them pretty often, and I think they've been better. It seems like that's the consensus among people who watch them."<h2>'If you're a fan of good wrestling,' Khan said, 'it's a good time to step back in'</h2><div type="image" title="CM Punk and AEW boss Tony Khan." height="627" width="1200" msid="93510986" hostid="261" sizebytes="39742"></div>Khan went on to say that if more people are going to be watching wrestling, then the entire industry benefits. "We stand to gain the most in many ways."The AEW president said his firm would benefit because people may be looking to find where their former favorite superstars are now performing.Chris Jericho, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and CM Punk — all iconic performers with WWE — are now at AEW, Khan said."I think if you're a fan of good wrestling, it'd be a great time to step back in and check it out because right now, there's a lot of good wrestling on TV," said Khan to DAZN.AEW's last special event was Quake by the Lake on August 10. Its next big show is Grand Slam on September 21 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.WWE's next flagship event, Clash at the Castle, takes place on September 3.

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The definition of professional wrestling is being challenged by the coronavirus pandemic.

Tyler Lauletta

AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the company's 'on-the-fly creativity' has helped them navigate the coronavirus pandemic

Tyler Lauletta

AEW champion Jon Moxley explains how the biggest challenges that come with wrestling without a live audience are mental

Tyler Lauletta

Officials took the AEW ropes down to stretcher injured wrestler 'Hangman' Adam Page out of the ring

Alan Dawson

WWE changes in a post-Vince McMahon era will benefit AEW: promotional rival Tony Khan

Alan Dawson