There has not been a single day in the entirety of it's time in existence where AEW's women's division has been on par with NXT's. Not a singular day in history.
And by the looks of it, this will not change whatsoever for the rest of human history.
The sun will nova, the mountains will crumble into the sea, WWE as a whole will be awash in the flames of perdition.
And AEW's women's division still won't be top 3.
There has not been a single day in the entirety of it's time in existence where AEW's women's division has been on par with NXT's. Not a singular day in history.
And by the looks of it, this will not change whatsoever for the rest of human history.
The sun will nova, the mountains will crumble into the sea, WWE as a whole will be awash in the flames of perdition.
And AEW's women's division still won't be top 3.
There has not been a single day in the entirety of it's time in existence where AEW's women's division has been on par with NXT's. Not a singular day in history.
And by the looks of it, this will not change whatsoever for the rest of human history.
The sun will nova, the mountains will crumble into the sea, WWE as a whole will be awash in the flames of perdition.
And AEW's women's division still won't be top 3.
being a 'seasoned vet' means nothing in a medium that is 80% performance art and 20% technique.
Riho has been wrestling longer than Kelani has known what wrestling was.
If my life depended on a compelling wrestling match being had for some reason, I'm not picking Riho between the two.
Because being 'seasoned' means nothing if you're 'seasoning' something no one wants to eat.
Compound that by most the AEW's roster being from one of two camps: Japan - which means they've been trained for Japanese gaze and that does not translate to America. Hell. 'Japanese Wrestler Fails To Cross-Over' could basically be the tagline of the AEW retrospective.
Or: they're former indy workers. Which means you could have girls that worked 5-10 years and learned everything they're supposed to do wrong. Got girls going on whole-ass abroad tours who still lock up with the wrong goddamned arm leading.
NXT women are better to look at. Obviously. But to shortchange them by trying to handwave it as an appearance contest is inane. In 2 years, the PC system is able to take a woman and have her on live TV running a 10+ minute match coherently and in a way that doesn't embarrassingly expose her. There are women who have been in Jacksonville for 5 years who you can't trust to do what they're even having Nikkita do right now.
The NXT women are better.
But the bigger point is: the NXT development system itself is better. And that means that there is always active growth, to the point its expected. In AEW it's a moment when Skye or Anna or Julia pull up and surprise us with some growth. In NXT, the women who can't grow are mocked, because excellence has become expected from the system.
in summary tl;dr: There are multiple women in NXT right now that could be transplanted directly to AEW and be main event ready.
There are zero women in AEW - who haven't already been in NXT at some point - that I could say the reverse about.
Skye ain't main eventing shyt in NXT. Anna Jay ain't. Riho ain't. Hayter ain't. Baker ain't. Statlander is the only one that you could even argue it with.
The best in-ring women in AEW are Athena, Mercedes, Deonna and Serena.
Every single one of them been through NXT/FCW.
AEW's inability to have a good women's division is an infrastructural failure. It's not on the women at this point. It's on the company.
being a 'seasoned vet' means nothing in a medium that is 80% performance art and 20% technique.
Riho has been wrestling longer than Kelani has known what wrestling was.
If my life depended on a compelling wrestling match being had for some reason, I'm not picking Riho between the two.
Because being 'seasoned' means nothing if you're 'seasoning' something no one wants to eat.
Compound that by most the AEW's roster being from one of two camps: Japan - which means they've been trained for Japanese gaze and that does not translate to America. Hell. 'Japanese Wrestler Fails To Cross-Over' could basically be the tagline of the AEW retrospective.
Or: they're former indy workers. Which means you could have girls that worked 5-10 years and learned everything they're supposed to do wrong. Got girls going on whole-ass abroad tours who still lock up with the wrong goddamned arm leading.
NXT women are better to look at. Obviously. But to shortchange them by trying to handwave it as an appearance contest is inane. In 2 years, the PC system is able to take a woman and have her on live TV running a 10+ minute match coherently and in a way that doesn't embarrassingly expose her. There are women who have been in Jacksonville for 5 years who you can't trust to do what they're even having Nikkita do right now.
The NXT women are better.
But the bigger point is: the NXT development system itself is better. And that means that there is always active growth, to the point its expected. In AEW it's a moment when Skye or Anna or Julia pull up and surprise us with some growth. In NXT, the women who can't grow are mocked, because excellence has become expected from the system.
in summary tl;dr: There are multiple women in NXT right now that could be transplanted directly to AEW and be main event ready.
There are zero women in AEW - who haven't already been in NXT at some point - that I could say the reverse about.
Skye ain't main eventing shyt in NXT. Anna Jay ain't. Riho ain't. Hayter ain't. Baker ain't. Statlander is the only one that you could even argue it with.
The best in-ring women in AEW are Athena, Mercedes, Deonna and Serena.
Every single one of them been through NXT/FCW.
AEW's inability to have a good women's division is an infrastructural failure. It's not on the women at this point. It's on the company.
The fact you left out Willow, Stat and Toni as a top talent is blasphemy. Just naming talent that went through the E, huh?
Anna Jay’s trip to Japan has improved her A LOT. Hayter was barely finding her lane before she got injured, now she has to get back to it.
And Toni Storm’s character work and title reign is not only more memorable than what current NXT women have done, but it’s one of the best in women’s wrestling period. I’ll say Roxy’s second reign has been the standout from NXT women, but not close to touxhing Toni Storm’s.
To say AEW’s women division is a failure shows you’re not watching the product as much as you think. It’s far from a failure when you have multiple women rise and Get over. Britt Baker, Willow, Hayter, Rosa, Stat, Shida, Riho come to mind.
The fact you left out Willow and Toni as a top talent is blasphemy. Anna Jay’s trip to Japan has improved her A LOT. Hayter was barely finding her lane before she got injured, now she has to get back to it.
And Toni Storm’s character work and title reign is not only more memorable than what current NXT women have done, but it’s one of the best in women’s wrestling period. I’ll say Roxy’s second reign has been the standout from NXT women, but not close to touxhing Toni Storm’s.
To say AEW’s women division is a failure shows you’re not watching the product as much as you think. It’s far from a failure when you have multiple women rise and Get over. Britt Baker, Willow, Hayter, Rosa, Stat, Shida, Riho come to mind.
I watch the product fine.
It's women's division is bad. It's always been bad. It's never been good.
It's had bright spot performers. But both women's divisions are usually C tier at best, and if one makes it into B, the other compensates by going into F.
Even when Toni was on top doing all-time tings, she was there with no one to work with.
Her over-delivering in spite of it was a Herculean personal effort.
She was putting up an All-Star-worthy 30/10/6 on a team that was going 10-72.
Toni was on NXT. Held the title and everything.
Means she falls under my qualifier statement.
I also only counted people who are actually going to work lately.
Willow has been underutilized.
Khan won't let Willow prosper because she's a black woman and their ceiling in that company is the TBS title.
Athena is their best in-ring worker and she's on the D show because 'reasons'.
Anna Jay is better in ring and looks wise than Fallon Henley and I like Fallon... Fallon is currently the NXT North American Champion. What are we even talking about here
NXT is only a "developmental" brand when they want it to be. They've repeatedly said it's a third brand as well. Main roster talent comes in and out at random times. Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia are not "developmental level" wrestlers... they are better than 99% of the women on the main rosters.
being a 'seasoned vet' means nothing in a medium that is 80% performance art and 20% technique.
Riho has been wrestling longer than Kelani has known what wrestling was.
If my life depended on a compelling wrestling match being had for some reason, I'm not picking Riho between the two.
Because being 'seasoned' means nothing if you're 'seasoning' something no one wants to eat.
Compound that by most the AEW's roster being from one of two camps: Japan - which means they've been trained for Japanese gaze and that does not translate to America. Hell. 'Japanese Wrestler Fails To Cross-Over' could basically be the tagline of the AEW retrospective.
Or: they're former indy workers. Which means you could have girls that worked 5-10 years and learned everything they're
I watch the product fine.
It's women's division is bad. It's always been bad. It's never been good.
It's had bright spot performers. But both women's divisions are usually C tier at best, and if one makes it into B, the other compensates by going into F.
Even when Toni was on top doing all-time tings, she was there with no one to work with.
Her over-delivering in spite of it was a Herculean personal effort.
She was putting up an All-Star-worthy 30/10/6 on a team that was going 10-72.
Toni was on NXT. Held the title and everything.
Means she falls under my qualifier statement.
I also only counted people who are actually going to work lately.
Willow has been underutilized.
Khan won't let Willow prosper because she's a black woman and their ceiling in that company is the TBS title.
Athena is their best in-ring worker and she's on the D show because 'reasons'.
Tired of the race talks when Willow has gotten so much shine since she’s been in AEW. Former TBS, CMLL, NJ Strong, and Owen winner. Over with the crowd. Was in the finals of this years Owen and carried Mehriah to a good match. But she’s underutilized, huh?
No one might care about ROH, but Athena is doing more for her career in AEW/ROH than she did in NXT/E.
Even Jade Cargill’s first year in AEW she did more for her career than what she’s done in the E in 1 year.
I watch both divisions and enjoy both. I just don’t see the developmental girls better than AEW’s. Give me Willow, Stat, Toni, Mone, and Hayter starting 5 over Lola, Jaida, Roxy, Guilia and Steph.
Since 2015 women’s wrestling has finally been taken seriously for the most part
In ring it’s the best it’s ever been now added with current day politics with how women should have equal opportunities as the men in wrestling & not being second place some feel the women should have just as much presents as the men on tv
But when you look at it the only women’s division that could get it’s own show right now is NXT
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moment when Skye or Anna or Julia pull up and surprise us with some growth. In NXT, the women who can't grow are mocked, because excellence has become expected from the system.
