From AEW started in 2019, many wrestlers competed in both fields. WWE and AEW. Whether it’s those recruited by AEW after years in WWE or WWE looking for names that have spent time in AEW, there have been a selection of names that have gone to a direction or the other.
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Whether due to booking, environment, age or other factors, one promotion ends up being a better fit than the other, and that’s the case for the following wrestlers. For some, they were better in WWE, while for others, they were much better in AEW.
Better in WWE: Adam Cole
Cole’s NXT run was fantastic
- Adam Cole’s time in AEW has been up and down
- He was the face of the brand in NXT
- Injuries disrupted Cole’s momentum in AEW
During his time in NXT, Adam Cole dominated as a cocky, cocky heel who used his friends to help him take shortcuts. His promotional work was excellent, he had some jaw-dropping matches and he was showered with gold titles.
Things were going well in AEW before an injury, although his babyface run proved fun alongside MJF after his return. However, betraying MJF on top of another injury completely derailed him, and he became a shell of himself over the past year.
Better in AEW: Jade Cargill
Cargill dominated as TBS champion
- Cargill was a force to be reckoned with in AEW
- She quickly got lost in the shuffle of the tag team division.
- Cargill didn’t feel like such a big star
Jade Cargill had a major presence in AEW, dominating in the singles division and looking super strong in the process. AEW managed to protect her, hide her negatives and make her feel like a star.
WWE attempted to replicate this, but Cargill was more exposed than she was in AEW and seemed a bit overwhelmed in the tag team division. Working alongside Bianca Belair, Cargill often didn’t feel like a big deal and was lost in the shuffle.
Better in WWE: Malakai Black
Black people struggled in both societies
- Black was an NXT star
- His run in AEW has been extremely disappointing
- His WWE run is about better than AEW thanks to NXT
Malakai Black was at one point the number one name in NXT, with perfect presentation and looking like an absolute star. When he arrived on the main roster, he wasn’t introduced in the same way, but was taken off television before he really had a chance to shine.
In AEW, things started out promising, but quickly went downhill with a nasty feud with Cody Rhodes before getting completely lost in the trios division, often disappearing for weeks on end. His success in NXT tipped the scales for his WWE career to be better.
Better in AEW: Christian Cage
Cage’s best work happened in AEW
- Cage underutilized by WWE for many years
- He has main PPVs in AEW
- His character work has been world-class
Christian Cage has always shown the makings of a potential WWE main eventer, but aside from a brief appearance in 2011, Cage was stuck in the middle of the card and didn’t have too many opportunities to showcase his work as a that character.
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In AEW, Christian Cage felt like a big deal from day one, also introducing himself and putting out a lot of younger names as well. His heel turn unlocked the best streak of his career, with his “Patriarch” gimmick being one of the best in AEW history. The quality of his matches has always been great, he elevated the TNT Championship and his feuds have been better than he had overall in WWE.
Better in WWE: Ethan Page
NXT pushed the page up
- Ethan Page has never had a sustained singles push in AEW
- He was lost in the shuffle more often than not
- He was quickly named NXT Champion
Ethan Page always showed some potential in AEW, but he was never properly pushed or given a chance on a major program, and it really felt like he was wasted. He left AEW, quickly went to NXT, and was pushed to the moon.
His time in NXT was divisive, but he reigned as NXT Champion and was featured consistently every week, having a much better time than before.
Better in AEW: PAC
PAC has been consistently well booked in AEW
- PAC was underutilized in WWE
- He was saddled in the cruiserweight division
- AEW hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been much better for him
PAC’s time in WWE started off well in NXT, but he wasn’t Vince McMahon’s idea of a star and received poor booking over the years, constantly feeling disrespected even in his solid heel run in the cruiserweight division.
AEW has always made PAC seem like a threat, and while he has often spent long periods away from the promotion, he has never lost his aura or presence and is a very credible contender. He’s also won his fair share of titles in AEW.
Better in WWE: Cody Rhodes
WWE made Rhodes the face of the company
- Rhodes was initially a success in AEW
- His time in AEW went downhill
- WWE pushed Rhodes to the top of the card
Cody Rhodes was AEW’s top babyface and involved in some great feuds, but a few bad programs turned his fortunes around to the point where he found himself in such a bad position that he had to leave the company.
Things were different in WWE, becoming a main eventer and the number one babyface in the entire promotion. He became the face of the new era, competed in several WrestleMania events and reigned as world champion, so his time in WWE was infinitely better than that of AEW.
Better in AEW: FTR
FTR has had so much success in AEW
- WWE tag team booking was bad for FTR
- FTR feels like defined stars in AEW
- They have become one of the most successful teams in the world in AEW
Fans were well aware of FTR’s talent, but in WWE they were not respected and were booked very poorly (at least on the main roster). They were set to leave WWE, and their arrival in AEW saw them booked seriously and as stars.
AEW’s tag team division was red hot at the time, and FTR was thrust into the spotlight, winning tag team titles both in AEW and around the world. They got plenty of time between the ropes, with countless classics they wouldn’t have had in WWE.
Better in WWE: Kyle O’Reilly
O’Reilly was pretty much better in NXT
- O’Reilly felt like a big name in NXT
- Things went off the rails in AEW with an injury
- He struggled to find a solid character in AEW
Both in the Undisputed Era and as a solo star, Kyle O’Reilly is one of the biggest names in NXT, winning gold and having breathtakingly long matches. This hasn’t been the case in AEW due to various factors, including a long-term injury that was unavoidable.
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O’Reilly’s character has also been pretty mediocre, and he hasn’t been given too many opportunities to have long singles matches like he did in NXT.
Better in AEW: Toni Storm
Storm is the biggest star in AEW’s women’s division
- Storm was massively mishandled in WWE
- She became a multiple-time AEW world champion.
- His character work has been some of the best in the business
Even in NXT, Toni Storm didn’t have much success, and it only got worse on the main roster as her character was handled very poorly and her booking was terrible.
AEW allowed him to showcase his talent in the ring, as well as branch out with one of the best characters in the business. “Timeless” Toni Storm was one of the highlights of AEW, and her run was much better than in WWE.
