WWE legend Booker T has opened up about AEW's recent signings and how he feels that the promotion has become a lot like WCW. He said that AEW felt like a promotion that would be built around young stars when it was formed, which hasn't been the case.
AEW has signed quite a few former WWE stars over the last year or so, and some veteran stars. Two of the big names that have been signed by AEW in recent months are Sting and Paul Wight, who were both previously with WWE.
In his recent Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T spoke about his stint in WCW, where he witnessed the addition of WWE legends, who came into the company on big contracts.
"Those guys (WCW) came in with contracts where they had creative control, they were paid more money than all of us guys that had been there all of those years. They jobbed every out, and had in their contracts where they couldn't lose. I don't think in return, we got what they got. I don't know what's going on with AEW or anything like that, but my thing is this: when AEW first started, I thought we were getting ready to see something new. I didn't think we were getting ready to see a revamp of WCW, and I'm not knocking them or anything like that, but I thought we were getting ready to see The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and a group of these young guys that - I don't know - felt like they knew a whole lot more about the business than the older guys, create something that these old guys had never seen before in their life. And now, we're seeing everything the old guys have seen for the last thirty years."
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Earlier in the podcast, Booker T said that he wants to see younger stars backed because they're the future.
AEW's recent blockbuster signings
AEW has consistently added star power to their roster since their inception in 2019. After the big signings of Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley, AEW has made a few blockbuster signings over the last few months.
They signed WWE Hall of Famer Sting in December 2020, and a few months later, announced the signing of Paul Wight, FKA The Big Show, as well as Christian Cage.
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