Booker T Discusses Comparisons Between Rosters In AEW And WCW
Booker T has given his take on the similarities between the current AEW and that of WCW back in the day, and why Tony Khan’s approach to releasing talent differs so much from WWE’s philosophy.
A ten-time WCW Tag Team Champion, Booker T also held the WCW World Championship on four occasions before the company was purchased by WWE and he eventually migrated across with the sale.
One of the criticisms levelled at WCW was the size of its roster, meaning that there wasn’t enough television time for everyone to be featured leaving many wrestlers sitting at home whilst still getting paid. Some have compared this to the current AEW roster, with Tony Khan picking up plenty of new talent as time goes on.
Speaking on his Hall Of Fame podcast, Booker T has commented that WCW were happy to have people sat at home getting paid if it meant they didn’t go to WWE.
Yeah, there’s been a lot of guys on the show. They try to get a lot of guys on that show and highlight as many things as they possibly can. A lot of things get lost in the shuffle, of course, in doing that. WCW, back in the day, they hired a bunch of guys.
Most of the guys, they just hired them just so they wouldn’t go to WWE. WCW had signed a bunch of guys and they were sitting at home, making money. They just didn’t want those guys to go to the WWE or back to WWE.
Booker T went on to compare how WWE release talent, whilst AEW let their contracts expire so they are still earning money until they are let go.
We’ve seen now a lot of the AEW originals contracts are coming up and they’re not getting re-signed, so maybe that’s the theme and the motto of Tony Khan. I think that’s what I heard. He’s not going to fire guys, he’s just going to let their contracts run out. He may not use them but he’s still going to pay them. I don’t know if that’s a recipe for success, but we will find out in the long run.
WWE, they’re not going to pay you and let you sit at home. They let Mustafa sit at home for a minute, but look where he’s at now? I’m going to tell you right now, WWE’s motto is, ‘If you work in this company, you’re going to be doing something.
On the subject of wrestlers returning to WWE, Booker T recently commented that he wouldn’t be surprised if a former World Champion made a return to the company.
With thanks to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.