{"id":127935,"date":"2024-10-25T11:25:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T15:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=127935"},"modified":"2024-10-25T11:25:53","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T15:25:53","slug":"realities-war-inherent-risks-going-aew-wwe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/10\/25\/realities-war-inherent-risks-going-aew-wwe\/","title":{"rendered":"The Realities of War: The Inherent Risks of Going from AEW to WWE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Transitioning from one work environment to another is not easy. After breaking down the discord about <\/span>WWE wrestlers going to AEW<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s time to consider the reverse situation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Especially given WWE is going through a boom period, does this automatically mean wrestlers who switch sides are going to succeed?<\/span><\/p>\n

Center of the Universe<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With former AEW wrestlers like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk being two of the hottest wrestlers in WWE, plus the perceived success of others on the main and NXT roster, it looks like the grass is greener. For some, this demonstrates a historical truth and repetition.<\/p>\n

The narrative is that WWE is the ultimate destination for pro wrestling. It\u2019s not new. It\u2019s a product of marketing, historical expansion, increasing profitability, plus monopolization. WWE put itself at the center of not just its galaxy.<\/p>\n

Popular perception sees WWE at the center of wrestling\u2019s entire universe.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the place many wrestlers dream of going to. AEW\u2019s continued existence has helped reshape the industry<\/a>. Although for some history is just repeating. Old history is revised and airbrushed.<\/p>\n

Especially as AEW right now is far from its creative peak. While AEW is not perfect (and that\u2019s fine)<\/a>, it conveniently fits the oversimplified WCW in decline narrative especially as more wrestlers appear or are rumored to be jumping from AEW.<\/p>\n

Some fans even predict who will be AEW\u2019s version of The Radicalz. Yet while two of that group\u2019s members became world champions, the other two arguably were reduced from wrestlers to characters. Dean Malenko went from Iceman to \u201cDouble Ho Seven\u201d.<\/p>\n

A joke turned gimmick where Malenko became a comic\/awkward James Bond parody. Perry Saturn portrayed a wrestler with CTE for laughs and dated a mop. Former cornerstones of WCW\u2019s mid-card turned into comedy characters.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a fate some wrestlers from WCW, the Indies, and even before from the territory days experienced. They came, fought, and were made to look silly.<\/p>\n

The logic is that if wrestlers like <\/span>Ricky Starks, The Lucha Brothers<\/a>, or<\/span> Wardlow go to WWE they would immediately become bigger stars is true in terms of exposure, but creatively, there are risks.<\/span><\/p>\n

The WWE Mould<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Paul Levesque Era is still the company built by Vince McMahon (as I\u2019ve dissected <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>). Some things have changed for the better, <\/span>including fan wish fulfillment<\/span><\/a>. Yet the machinery is still the same sports entertainment-orientated gears.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrestlers like planets must rotate around the WWE\u2019s sun to be successful. While true of all wrestling promotions, the mentality of adapt or perish is engrained in both wrestlers and the fanbase. It\u2019s a somewhat army-like mindset of breaking them down to fit our mold.<\/span><\/p>\n

Former artistic gymnast and current <\/span>NXT North American Women\u2019s champion, <\/span>Kelani Jordan told <\/span>SEScoops on the arrival of <\/span>Giulia, one of the best women\u2019s wrestlers in the world, \u201c<\/span>I think she\u2019s only gonna keep getting better, learning the WWE way<\/span><\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrestlers <\/span>now might<\/span> be able to keep their own names and identities, but they still follow the WWE playbook. This includes <\/span>Cody Rhodes and <\/span>CM Punk who have adjusted their in-ring styles and verbiage to meet the company and fans\u2019 expectations. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sidenote<\/span>– <\/span>I\u2019m discounting Rhodes and Punk from this discussion because of their headlining status prior to their WWE returns.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of the four AEW to WWE wrestlers who went straight to the main roster, three had previously competed in WWE. <\/span>Jade Cargill is the exception in more than one way. The rest started or remain in <\/span>NXT.<\/span><\/p>\n

Developmental Dominance <\/strong><\/h3>\n

One objective marker of success in wrestling is championship reigns. It\u2019s hard to ignore that former AEW wrestlers (outside of those with prior WWE experience) have done well. <\/span><\/p>\n

In five years, former AEW wrestlers have had six title reigns and a cup. Yet all but two of those reigns are with developmental championships.<\/span><\/p>\n

While NXT is currently beating <\/span>Dynamite<\/span><\/em> in the ratings, NXT is still in the developmental. It\u2019s not the main roster. That\u2019s not to undermine these reigns but to give context. NXT is the third tier of WWE\u2019s hierarchy. How significant have these reigns been?<\/span><\/p>\n

Ethan Page was recently NXT champion. His reign lasted 86 days. Immediately pushed to the top title, it\u2019s a great some of confidence in All Ego. <\/span><\/p>\n

Page has had a more defined and prominent role at the top of the card in NXT compared to his time in AEW and <\/span>ROH. <\/span>Although<\/span> Page\u2019s reign seemed designed to aid NXT\u2019s top babyface, <\/span>Trick Williams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dragon Lee was the North American Champion for 31 days. Lee is consistently competing on <\/span>Raw currently. However, beyond storylines as a member of <\/span>The LWO, what character development or storylines has Lee had as a solo act outside of NXT?<\/span><\/p>\n

Nathan Frazer is on his second NXT Tag Team Championship reign. Frazer spent four years in NXT, including being part of <\/span>NXT UK. A strong wrestler in one of NXT\u2019s best tag teams with <\/span>Axiom. <\/span><\/p>\n

But there\u2019s been weekly teases of breaking the tandem up. Creatively, why? <\/span>Given<\/span> their success? They could subvert the old WWE\u2019s break-up trope, but it highlights an issue of WWE\u2019s <\/span>creative<\/span> more widely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jade Cargill – Exception<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Cargill is the anomaly, with two WWE Women\u2019s Tag Team Championship reigns. Since her debut in WWE, Cargill has been pushed as a star and a regular feature of the women\u2019s division with <\/span>Bianca Belair. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the continual discord circulating Cargill, although steeped in tribalism, reveals some truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Cargill\u2019s greenness has been protected in tag team matches, her in-ring weaknesses have been exposed repeatedly, including on PLEs. WWE faces the same paradoxical booking issue with Jade that AEW faced which I discussed <\/span>prior to WrestleMania<\/span><\/a>. WWE too has failed to effectively address the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

In that article, I discussed Cargill\u2019s in-ring deficiencies could be glossed over with more emphasis on character development and storylines, the things WWE repeatedly put front and center.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This aided <\/span>Dominik Mysterio. Or dedicated road agenting to support her <\/span>development<\/span>. The kind <\/span>Ronda Rousey felt she needed. That Rousey said <\/span>Logan Paul repeatedly received.<\/span><\/p>\n

It highlights an issue of thought and attention that goes beyond Cargill. Cargill is not floundering, but as a wrestler and character, she\u2019s in a similar place to where she was in AEW. The difference is that Cargill has more eyes on her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gear Spinning Creative <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The top programs <\/span>have a lot of<\/span> time and attention <\/span>given to them<\/span> for character development, long-term storytelling, and carefully thought-out milestones. See <\/span>The Bloodline Saga<\/span><\/strong> or <\/span>Morgan\/Rhea\/Mysterio<\/span><\/a> Saga. <\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the latter, <\/span>there are<\/span> few women\u2019s storylines <\/span>getting<\/span> the same attention to detail or even time. There are exceptions but look at the women\u2019s tag championships.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cargill\u2019s lack of character development is not isolated. Her co-champion, Belair as a character has stagnated. Her position on the card is stationary. Although Belair vs. Cargill seems destined for <\/span>WrestleMania<\/span><\/em>, is enough being done to set up a gripping women\u2019s storyline?<\/span><\/p>\n

A lack of character development has also impacted <\/span>Naomi, after her return from <\/span>TNA. <\/span><\/p>\n

At least this trio has style and flash to compensate for substance. Cargill\u2019s strengths and championship give her a prominent role. Other women are spinning their wheels. <\/span>Blair Davenport has not had a significant role on <\/span>Smackdown<\/span><\/em> since her call-up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrade seemed to agree with the criticism of WWE booking Mexican talent together. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yet the men\u2019s <\/span>Speed champion, at least compared to the women\u2019s Speed champion, <\/span>Candice LeRae, <\/span>at least<\/span> has a long-term storyline against a long-term feud with former NXT Champion <\/span>Carmelo Hayes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although arguably if this repeated series of matches happened on AEW, <\/span>it\u2019s likely many would<\/span> say there is no storyline.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality of which is, that<\/span> there are creative issues on both sides of the divide, but WWE\u2019s current hot streak glosses over these issues. Arguably, with the examples listed above, some former AEW talent are doing just as good or better than NXT or pre-existing WWE talent.<\/span><\/p>\n

It Doesn\u2019t Matter How Green We Think It Is<\/strong><\/h3>\n

AEW has changed the wrestling industry, <\/span>including WWE in subtle ways<\/span><\/a>. In many cases, Rhodes, Punk, Cargill, Page, and <\/span>Shawn Spears<\/span><\/strong> retain the same gimmicks and characters they had in AEW. <\/span><\/p>\n

Others, like <\/span>Lexis King, have taken the opportunity to reinvent themselves. It’s notable that compared to their WCW predecessors, AEW wrestlers have not faced political booking, suspicion, or burial. Generally, they\u2019ve slotted into the WWE landscape seamlessly.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE will always have the advantage of being <\/span>for many fans and wrestlers<\/span> the centre of the wrestling universe. Underneath the tribal discord <\/span>around <\/span>Stephanie Vaquer joining WWE<\/a>, Vaquer picked WWE because it was her dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE is not perfect. Remove record profits, creative across the card remains mixed. However, there is a difference between our views of <\/span>creative<\/span> as fans compared to the wrestlers themselves who it affects. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, it\u2019s the wrestlers as individuals to decide whether the dream of WWE meets their expectations. Our view as fans doesn\u2019t matter. <\/span><\/p>\n

See as evidence Nathan Frazer\u2019s response from <\/span>X<\/span><\/strong> to a fan who jokingly questioned what happened to the former Ben Carter after competing on <\/span>Dynamite<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Went onto fulfil his lifelong dream of signing with WWE<\/p>\n

\u2022 Spent valuable time with his family during a worldwide pandemic<\/p>\n

\u2022 Won the Heritage Cup<\/p>\n

\u2022 Became a 2x NXT Tag Team Champion and formed one of the best teams in recent memory<\/p>\n

He\u2019s doing just fine \ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\udffb https:\/\/t.co\/KZ7iQ1QZ9D<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Nathan Frazer (@WWEFrazer) September 23, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n