'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WCW had an untimely demise, and AEW boss Tony Khan is intent on not making the same mistakes that WCW made. The Jaguars co-owner values his young AEW stars quite highly.
WCW's cruiserweight division boasted the likes of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, Juventud Guerrera, and Rey Mysterio. Jericho and Eddie ended up becoming main event stars in WWE, a status they never quite reached in WCW.
Tony Khan spoke to Robbie Fox on My Mom's Basement about AEW's young stars and wanting to develop them. The Fulham co-owner mentioned the likes of Jungle Boy, MJF, Darby Allin, and Britt Baker as stars of AEW's future.
He continued, stating that Hangman Page is also making a name for himself in a long-term storyline with Kenny Omega.
"I think one of the mistakes WCW made in hindsight was they never got to see through the growth of their young stars. Even if the company had stayed in business, Chris Jericho was gone and Eddie Guerrero was gone. Can you imagine, the young equivalent of those people for me, like MJF, Darby Allin, Britt Baker, Jungle Boy, these people are really important and they are part of AEW long term both in my plans and literally under contract." Tony Khan added, "I think of him [Hangman Page] as a more established talent. Everyone looks at him as a homegrown star, he was obviously a part of the Bullet Club and wrestled on big shows in New Japan and then him coming in with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. But he made his name even more so in AEW. What's happening with Kenny and Hangman now is very exciting."
Tony Khan is confident of AEW Rampage being better than WWE Smackdown because WWE RAW "sucked"
In the same interview, Tony Khan was quite confident that AEW Rampage would do better than WWE Smackdown this Friday based on the booking he saw on Monday Night RAW.
"We’ll see what happens. I’m not saying for sure we’ll win, and maybe the odds are against us in some ways. But we’re going to give a better show. I know. If you don’t believe me, watch the go-home show [RAW] they did last night, because it sucked. Did you watch it? Have you heard it was bad? Like, that's the prevailing opinion these days," Tony Khan said.
Smackdown will feature on FS1 this week and go head-to-head against AEW Rampage as WWE's blue brand will have an overrun of thirty minutes. The final thirty minutes of Smackdown will overlap with Rampage, making it a ratings battle between the two biggest wrestling promotions in the world.
Tony Khan put out a confident tweet upon this announcement, and it remains to be seen if his confidence is well placed or not.
Poll : Do you think AEW Rampage can beat WWE SmackDown in ratings this Friday?
Yes
No
75 votes
