Do you consider any of the WWE talent in AEW as a big deal?  Game changer level.  

 

Most come in hot then sink slightly below their position in WWE. Early Jericho was. Current Mox is. And maybe in the future Swerve.

There are no game changers in wrestling in 2023 - except for maybe John Cena and Brock Lesnar. But TK is like a dog chasing a car, he wouldn't know what do with one, if it caught it.

AEW's success isn't down to any one " game changer " - but a series of important acquisitions. Jericho may be a pompous egomaniac but his day-one association with the company was incredibly important in presenting the company as a series contender. Jon Moxley's debut cemented AEW's place in wrestling. He could have stayed in WWE, he could of worked for anyone, but choosing AEW was a big deal.

Sept 10, 2023 14:36:44 GMT NATH45 said:

There are no game changers in wrestling in 2023 - except for maybe John Cena and Brock Lesnar.

You've been reported to the Tribal Council.

Sept 10, 2023 14:55:56 GMT Big Pete said:

Sept 10, 2023 14:36:44 GMT NATH45 said:

There are no game changers in wrestling in 2023 - except for maybe John Cena and Brock Lesnar.

You've been reported to the Tribal Council.

I will not acknowledge. 

Sept 10, 2023 0:41:06 GMT bodyslam said:

Do you consider any of the WWE talent in AEW as a big deal?  Game changer level.  

 

Nope. Simply because there’s been no game changing throughout its history.

Ironically Cody leaving was a far bigger game changer than any WWE acquisition.

Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson both debuting on the same night felt like a game changer, especially when Danielson and Omega squared off just a couple weeks later and got a standing ovation before the bell even rang.

Then it turned into the Bryan Danielson Retirement Tour and Adam Cole got so badly concussed in his first title match he almost didn’t wrestle again.

I don’t think CM Punk counts but even if it did the fucking moron caused more harm than good.

I would argue Jon Moxley was, and probably the only one. He turned down millions of dollars to join AEW, and has been their Ace ever since. Chris Jericho maaaybe, but he had already been gone for a bit and WWE didn’t really need or want him at the time. They wanted Mox and he chose to leave. I think that counts.

Business wise the only possible answers are Jericho and Punk. Jericho for giving them credibility straight off the bat on national TV, and Punk for the undoubted upturn in business he caused when he was brought in.

Sept 12, 2023 8:58:44 GMT @toddisdrunk said:

Business wise the only possible answers are Jericho and Punk. Jericho for giving them credibility straight off the bat on national TV, and Punk for the undoubted upturn in business he caused when he was brought in.

Does Cody qualify? I'd consider him a shoe-in considering he was the guy when the company first started and was involved in some of their more successful segments (namely that Shaq tag team match).

Sept 11, 2023 23:15:58 GMT RT said:

Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson both debuting on the same night felt like a game changer, especially when Danielson and Omega squared off just a couple weeks later and got a standing ovation before the bell even rang.

Then it turned into the Bryan Danielson Retirement Tour and Adam Cole got so badly concussed in his first title match he almost didn’t wrestle again.

I don’t think CM Punk counts but even if it did the fucking moron caused more harm than good.

I would argue Jon Moxley was, and probably the only one. He turned down millions of dollars to join AEW, and has been their Ace ever since. Chris Jericho maaaybe, but he had already been gone for a bit and WWE didn’t really need or want him at the time. They wanted Mox and he chose to leave. I think that counts.

100%.

There was a brief moment where it felt like AEW could possibly out-draw RAW on total viewers. With Claudio, Jeff Hardy jumping ship and Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn coming off contract it really felt like the rats were leaving the titanic. Then it seemed like once Owens/Zayn re-signed in December momentum started to swing back.

Ok, so Cody has been a delight for WWE - maybe, a game changer.. maybe not.

Who of the AEW roster would translate well to WWE and say.. main event?

Most of the AEW roster was already in WWE <.<

MJF is the big one. Powerhouse could see easily fitting in perfectly as well.

Sept 13, 2023 2:06:05 GMT NATH45 said:

Ok, so Cody has been a delight for WWE - maybe, a game changer.. maybe not.

Who of the AEW roster would translate well to WWE and say.. main event?

I feel like this is almost an unfair question because WWE has proven itself able to wreck anyone's career pretty much whenever they feel like it. They signed and ruined Mistico, who was pretty much the hottest guy in Mexico. They did such a great hit job on Zack Ryder we all collectively went 'wait, why did we ever cheer for this guy in the first place? Did we actually do that or was it some weird fever dream?'

But with some care -- yeah, I can definitely see Powerhouse Hobbs working. Ricky Starks is a maybe; he's a talker going to a roster full of talkers and he's certainly very fit but not a mass monster. Acclaimed, Penta, and Kris Statlander would fill out my list.

Sept 17, 2023 1:39:51 GMT Michinokudriver said:

Sept 13, 2023 2:06:05 GMT NATH45 said:

Ok, so Cody has been a delight for WWE - maybe, a game changer.. maybe not.

Who of the AEW roster would translate well to WWE and say.. main event?

I feel like this is almost an unfair question because WWE has proven itself able to wreck anyone's career pretty much whenever they feel like it. They signed and ruined Mistico, who was pretty much the hottest guy in Mexico. They did such a great hit job on Zack Ryder we all collectively went 'wait, why did we ever cheer for this guy in the first place? Did we actually do that or was it some weird fever dream?'

But with some care -- yeah, I can definitely see Powerhouse Hobbs working. Ricky Starks is a maybe; he's a talker going to a roster full of talkers and he's certainly very fit but not a mass monster. Acclaimed, Penta, and Kris Statlander would fill out my list.

To be fair, Mistico didn't translate well to WWE. It was no fault of WWE.. or maybe partly a failure of WWE's then developmental system. Hence why you see so many international talents spend lengthy periods in NXT to understand the WWE style of work. 

The best thing to happen to Zack Ryder was being released. Because he sucked - the gimmick that is. Ok, even his work and I think even he'd say that also. He was talking a few days ago about being booked out until 2024 and seems to be doing incredibly well. Will he ever return to WWE ala Cody or Drew to that magnitude? Probably not, but there's no reason why he couldn't slip into a position similarly to where Waller, Theory and Knight are playing at. A hard-edged Matt Cardona doing his best 'Game-Era' Triple H impression with an entitled Chelsea by his side.. it wouldn't be a bad thing in WWE. And with the changing size and body types in recent years, he's probably returning as a bigger guy. 

Ricky Starks would be my pick and being Cody's boy, I would think he's on the WWE radar. It's an MJF type scenario where AEW really need to give him something of significance to keep him there, or eventually he gets a tap on the shoulder from WWE and makes the jump. 

The Acclaimed are a hard-sell because a lot of their gimmick won't fly in WWE. No one is getting scissored in WWE. They won't be The Acclaimed.. they'll be something else. Max is the likely potential due to his mic work. I pitch debuting Max against LA Knight and The Miz " Let me talk to ya! " " Liistenn... " " Let me talk to ya! " " Liistenn... " " Let me talk to ya! " " Liistenn... " " Yeaahh.. " with The Miz then commenting " what the hell is going on? "