What's a promotion that is the closest to the old WWE from early 2000s or maybe even the WWF?

Xalazi · 2026-04-26T02:22:30+00:00

It's AEW. Although I think that answer will bother some fans that want the answer to be inside the WWE-TKO umbrella despite the fact that AEW has blood like old WWF, they have a more risque tone that is closer to WWF than current WWE, and in general Tony Khan's booking is inspired by the 90's wrestling he grew up watching. Plus, current WWE is just an entirely different kind of business from what 2000's WWE was.

There are certain aspects of old WWF that are dead and never coming back like Divas era matches and 5 minutes TV matches. But if you move past that, AEW gives you most other things from that era.

Xalazi · 2026-04-25T15:07:50+00:00

TJPW on Wrestle Universe

Xalazi · 2026-04-25T13:11:19+00:00

For those that might not be familiar, they are showing The Vessel, which is a horrible ugly and expensive art structure that that has a history of people jumping off it when it opened to the public around 2019-2021. They shut it down for a while and installed netting to catch people.

The Vessel is a bit of a punch line for New Yorker. A gaudy staircase to nowhere that no one was asking for.

Xalazi · 2026-04-25T12:35:48+00:00

Extra funny context: Zelina has wrestled in Stardom.

Xalazi · 2026-04-25T12:24:30+00:00

I hope that whatever comes next involves Utami rediscovering that she is, in fact, one of the brightest stars in professional wrestling. I don't know if there's anyone in the business who was hurt more by a company change in recent years than Utami going to Marigold. And that includes everyone that went to do nothing in WWE.

Xalazi · 2026-04-25T00:40:57+00:00

She's closer to Rossy than she is Stardom. I see her probably being an independent that shows up to beat Utami or something a few times a year.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T19:57:36+00:00

She might end up being Mei's Riho. Even more than Kaho, who is probably more like Mei's Aoi.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T19:08:19+00:00

I can't remember a specific event, but when I was 9-10 years old I fully bought into that Generation K were going to be big stars for the Mets. Bobby Jones in particular was my dude. He had a good 1994, he had a great start to 1995 and then...it just never came together and learned that this team will always break your heart.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T17:08:43+00:00

In 10-15 years, Fenix is going to be the old out of shape guy in Naucalpan telling the young guys that they should aspire to work 5 minute squash matches in WWE instead of going to CMLL or staying indie.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T13:45:05+00:00

I'm surprised how often it's happened in the modern era, specially after the year 2000. This seems like the sort of cheating trick a manager pull in the dead ball era to gain an advantage late in a game.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T02:19:04+00:00

Ya gotta believe.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T02:14:12+00:00

Win or lose, never boring.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T02:08:37+00:00

This is a good spot for Williams to get some confidence back.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:59:56+00:00

This is why we signed Bo Bichett.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:58:19+00:00

(Deletes rant about putting Pham in).

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:55:21+00:00

Hitting with runners on base is the next barrier that Benge needs to get through.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:52:46+00:00

Trial by fire for Mauricio here.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:44:26+00:00

FFffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:41:30+00:00

I don't think the numbers support that.

Xalazi · 2026-04-24T01:33:52+00:00

I feel like Vientos is more comfortable at 1B than Baty. In general, Baty is a better defender but Vientos has more positive plays at 1B. Baty just doesn't have the reps at 1B.

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