Tony Khan compares roster to 97 WCW

[O-Blaze]

Tony Khan compares the AEW roster to the 1997 WCW roster

"I don't want to compare our roster to anything, ever, but I like to compare our roster sometimes to what I think was the hallmark great roster, which was 1997 WCW where you had all these stars and all this young talent. I really do my best to try to utilize the roster even better than they were when they were a successful company and printing money in 97 and 98. They had a lot of young talent that they didn't realize and they could have built for the future to help make it a profitable company that they never want to shut down. They could have made it a money-printing machine if they developed the young talent in-house that they had like Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, and Rey Mysterio. I do try to build stars for the future and that's why you have so many great homegrown stars that are being featured at All Out. There are great opportunities here and I don't think Jericho, Mysterio, and Guerrero got those same opportunities when they were on a roster with the all-time names like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Randy Savage, and Roddy Piper. What a great TV business they built with that roster that unfortunately didn't last, but I think would have lasted longer if they had built the young stars the way I try to do," he said.

Full comments here

Tony Khan Likes To Compare AEW Roster To WCW 1997 Roster - Fightful | WWE News, AEW News, Pro Wrestling Backstage News

AEW has made major additions to its roster over the past year, signing the likes of CM Punk, Andrade El Idolo, Malakai Black, 2point0, Sting, Paul Wight, and more. Khan has said more additions are on the way, which will only add to their roster that already included, Kenny Omega, The Young...

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[Tremendez]

Not quite, but it's getting there.

 

[Davey Wrestling]

Depends on whether he's including the "forbidden door" options or not. Which, in theory, means the entirety of New Japan, AAA, NWA and Impact too. In which case yes, absolutely.

If just those officially AEW then no, not yet.

 

[Barry Poppins]

Maybe the 1995 Roster tbh.

 

[O-Blaze]

Maybe the 1995 Roster tbh.

That’s just ridiculous.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

I can see why he might that statement any roster you compare to WCW especially 96-98 is a good one just make sure you use those talents in the Midcard with perfection unlike WCW which didn't with their Cruiserweights leaving them in just one spot on the Shows and never making them seem worthy of being at the level of the guys we saw in the Main Event scene consistently.

 

[Barry Poppins]

That’s just ridiculous.

Not at all.

You have several big ex WWE superstars, a couple of home grown/indy stars, a very good undercard, and a few talents that I prefer they didn't showcase.

Hulk Hogan = CM Punk
Randy Savage = Chris Jericho
Sting = Cody Rhodes
Ric Flair = Kenny Omega
Booker T & Stevie Ray = FTR
Chris Benoit = Darby Allin
Brian Pillmam = Adam Page
Jim Duggan = Miro
The Nasty Boys = The Young Bucks

Cruiserweight Division = Women’s Division

I mean... there's easy comparisons to make, no?

 

[O-Blaze]

Not at all.

You have several big ex WWE superstars, a couple of home grown/indy stars, a very good undercard, and a few talents that I prefer they didn't showcase.

Hulk Hogan = CM Punk
Randy Savage = Chris Jericho
Sting = Cody Rhodes
Ric Flair = Kenny Omega
Booker T & Stevie Ray = FTR
Chris Benoit = Darby Allin
Brian Pillmam = Adam Page
Jim Duggan = Miro
The Nasty Boys = The Young Bucks

Cruiserweight Division = Women’s Division

I mean... there's easy comparisons to make, no?

See, I agree with some, but Nasty Boys and Young Bucks? I don’t even like the Bucks but come on. I don’t know much about 95 Duggan but Miro is amazing, and since he’s right above the Bucks I almost feel like you disagree. I agree with parts of the top half, but those guys are there in 97 also. Add in Bryan likely coming in, maybe Wyatt as well.

Are you comparing the Cruiserweights to Women because in 95 it was not showcased as much? Or because it was bad? The first half I can agree with, the women should be showcased more. If it’s because it’s bad, that shows that you don’t keep up enough as it’s gotten good.

I can meet in the middle and say maybe 96 WCW.

 

[Barry Poppins]

See, I agree with some, but Nasty Boys and Young Bucks? I don’t even like the Bucks but come on. I don’t know much about 95 Duggan but Miro is amazing, and since he’s right above the Bucks I almost feel like you disagree. I agree with parts of the top half, but those guys are there in 97 also. Add in Bryan likely coming in, maybe Wyatt as well.

Are you comparing the Cruiserweights to Women because in 95 it was not showcased as much? Or because it was bad? The first half I can agree with, the women should be showcased more. If it’s because it’s bad, that shows that you don’t keep up enough as it’s gotten good.

I can meet in the middle and say maybe 96 WCW.

The Cruiserweight Division was one of the highlights of WCW, so you tell me.

 

[O-Blaze]

The Cruiserweight Division was one of the highlights of WCW, so you tell me.

Was it in 95? I know later on it was, but I seem to always hear a lot of bad things about 95 WCW, which is why I don’t really agree with all of this.

 

[Barry Poppins]

Was it in 95? I know later on it was, but I seem to always hear a lot of bad things about 95 WCW, which is why I don’t really agree with all of this.

The first match of Nitro was Brian Pillman vs. Justin Thunder Liger. A fucking awesome Cruiserweight match. So yeah.

 

[O-Blaze]

The first match of Nitro was Brian Pillman vs. Justin Thunder Liger. A fucking awesome Cruiserweight match. So yeah.

Like I said I don’t know much about it. I just know wrestling in general in 95 gets talked about a lot. Maybe more so WWF, but for some reason I feel WCW did as well. But maybe I’m just remembering things I never heard in the first place. i still feel it’s getting to that 96 Roster area. But yeah.

 

[Comrade Khan]

Not at all.

You have several big ex WWE superstars, a couple of home grown/indy stars, a very good undercard, and a few talents that I prefer they didn't showcase.

Hulk Hogan = CM Punk
Randy Savage = Chris Jericho
Sting = Cody Rhodes
Ric Flair = Kenny Omega
Booker T & Stevie Ray = FTR
Chris Benoit = Darby Allin
Brian Pillmam = Adam Page
Jim Duggan = Miro
The Nasty Boys = The Young Bucks

Cruiserweight Division = Women’s Division

I mean... there's easy comparisons to make, no?

Andrade = Eddie g
Rey fenix = mysterio Jr

Few more coming too.

 

[Tremendez]

The Cruiserweights were introduced in 1996.

I’d say he’s close to ‘96 WCW and ready to bust into 1997. I will say 1998 WCW had the best roster.