3 reasons why WWE will surpass All Elite Wrestling

WWE is synonymous with power, and is arguably the pinnacle of the professional wrestling industry. However, this was not always true. Between 1996 and 2001, WWE battled WCW in the Monday Night Wars. The war ended when WWE purchased its competition.

The new promotion named AEW will progress immensely. However, it will take years before it can surpass WWE.

At present WWE has a plethora of assets at its disposal, meaning an extensive global reach. Therefore, at least for the next few years, WWE has the upper hand. Lets explore exactly why WWE is safe from AEW.

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#3 The NXT brand

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa in battle

It all began in 2014, with the NXT Arrival PPV, a birth of the modern version of NXT. The version fans had wanted for years. Since 2014, multiple names have progressed to become mainstream performers. Notably, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch. Presently, the majority of Raw and SmackDown consists of former NXT performers.

Throughout its tenure, the brand has afforded excellent wrestling content. Firstly, it introduced elements for the women's evolution, notably the first-ever women's Iron Man match.

Secondly, it gave birth to another NXT brand, the UK division (NXT UK). Finally, it has spawned a niche which resonates with fans worldwide. Overall the brand has become a promotion within a promotion.

In recent years NXT has merged with British wrestling, forming NXT UK. Moreover, it has created partnerships with Evolve Wrestling, with NXT performers working on their shows. With the names involved with NXT, the brand has earned its value.

With the inception of AEW, it could be argued that WWE is in trouble. However, lets remember how popular the NXT brand has become. Moreover, it consists of excellent performers like - Undisputed Era, Ricochet, and Shayna Baszler.

#2 The NXT UK brand

NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool will take place on January 12

British professional wrestling has an extensive history dating back decades. However, its crowning moments came from promotions such as World of Sports. Fans in the UK have enjoyed great matches from notable names like Giant Haystacks ever since the 1950s.

In 2016 Triple H announced a UK Championship tournament, with Tyler Bate being the victor. In subsequent years, this vision blossomed into the NXT UK division. A division which has garnered mass intrigue, and seems to be extremely popular.

With WWE working closely with Progress Wrestling, it seems they have developed a new market. Therefore, could we expect further expansion?

Promotions outside of WWE such as - Impact Wrestling, ROH, and NJPW do work with British promotions like Revolution Pro Wrestling. However, their fan reach seems limited to sporadic tours.

WWE have the power here, as they have signed all three members of innovative British Strong Style - Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, and Trent Seven. Ultimately this solidifies WWE and their relationship with British wrestling. Unfortunately, AEW will not be able to match this (at least for now).

#1 SmackDown Live on Fox

SmackDown is likely to surpass Raw

Since the brand's inception in 1999, it has lagged closely behind the Raw brand. For years both brands have battled over ratings and on-screen storylines.

However, the Raw brand has always had the upper hand. But in 2018, that prospect was threatened, as Fox Broadcasting secured a TV deal for SmackDown Live.

According to Forbes, SmackDown is expected to adopt a sports orientated theme, moving away from predominant story-lines.

The exciting element of this prospect will be diversity, as WWE fans would be able to access a plethora of differing WWE content.

All Elite Wrestling will no doubt afford excellent content. Moreover, with comments made at their rally, the organisation will be vastly different to other promotions. However, it is unlikely AEW could challenge the content SmackDown is likely to portray.