In a recent interview explaining the difference in working for NXT compared to other promotions, Ethan Page inadvertently confirmed what many fans feared and assumed about AEW’s ability to develop talent.
After being a red-hot brand in the industry and quickly rising to the No. 2 spot in professional wrestling, AEW has hit some bumps in the road over the last two years. Arenas are not as packed as they once were. And television ratings have declined sharply.
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Furthermore, the downturn in business and questionable booking have had an effect on locker room morale. And several wrestlers have either jumped to WWE or are rumored to be heading there. One of those talents that was seemingly underutilized is Impact Wrestling veteran Ethan Page.
He joined NXT earlier this year and has made a huge impact right away. It is a major departure from his final year in AEW. Where he was marginalized to appearing on Rampage or for Ring of Honor. His success in NXT has shown his former employer missed a great opportunity with him.
Some wrestling fans believe that has been a consistent issue with AEW. That unless a talent can develop themselves into stars, the infrastructure isn’t there backstage to build them up into serious moneymakers. The organization has hired wrestling greats like Mark Henry, the Big Show, Jeff Jarrett, and Arn Anderson yet it seems like it hasn’t made a difference.
Ethan Page on major differences between NXT and previous promotions he’s worked for
While answering a question about his experience in NXT during a chat this week with Chris Van Vliet, Ethan Page seemed to confirm the lack of a talent development setup backstage in AEW.
“To get the guidance of Matt Bloom and Terry Taylor and then Fit Finlay, any of these guys that I want to either pick something from or ask them questions, or they are willing to just help you out. That’s not something I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “It’s such a competitive business, especially everywhere else that I’ve been. You can have camaraderie with fellow wrestlers and stuff like that. But not many guys are just walking around being like, Hey, do you want to get better? This is how.
“No, because they want to do it themselves. They want that position. But here, especially NXT, I don’t know the main roster yet, but with NXT, this is such a great environment to hone your skills and to get better.”
It seems that while the AEW atmosphere might be a fun one, it is very dog-eat-dog. And not about the best interests of the entire company.
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