>>5870726ROH also got themselves on Sinclair network free tv. It should have been their golden ticket and for a period of time before AEW, it was. ROH started relying on New Japan, not knowing that NJPW had their own plans to become a big deal in the US. Then the Elite found out they were bigger than ROH and left it to form AEW.
New Japan successfully used their partnership with ROH and Dave Meltzer to become a thing in the US. AEW and Covid delayed and messed some things up, but if the key for them is to make the LA Dojo guys into draws in the US.
WWE NXT started up in the early 2010's. It was supposed to be developmental and was successful at it. Then they saw the indies, ROH and New Japan were gaining some traction and started putting the kibosh on it. They signed up a couple of guys then signed most of the big name indy guys, then AEW came along. WWE NXT has stopped being a super indy now.
Everyone knows the deal with AEW, but they were able to use wrestlers that ROH and NJPW used and got super lucky in being able to attract Jericho and Moxley. Without them, I think it's a totally different situation. While things are good between NJPW and AEW now, they have to realize they are rival promotions. They are going after the same audience and will eventually butt heads. Eventually NJPW, GCW or others will capitalize on AEW refusing to run house shows.
GCW also formed. I don't know as much about their history but they've become the biggest non-AEW/non-NJPW indy.
MLW and NWA also came around. MLW does some of the right things, but doesn't have a ton of cash and AEW fans want it to fail. The NWA had some buzz but made the mistake of firing Cornette, instead of using him as their PR man. Now they are stuck.
TNA is now Impact. It doesn't have a good situation right now and their future is not bright.
