Legendary commentator Jim Ross believes AEW bringing in former WWE superstars has nothing to do with a wrestling war.
Ever since AEW emerged as one of the top wrestling companies, they've constantly found themselves under the radar of criticism over signing multiple released WWE superstars. In just two years, Tony Khan has signed legendary stars like Chris Jericho, Sting, Paul Wight, Christian Cage, and Mark Henry, to name a few. Even relatively young superstars like Cody Rhodes, Malakai Black, and Andrade have joined hands with Tony Khan.
Speaking during the latest episode of his 'Grilling JR' podcast, Jim Ross explained that the idea behind signing multiple former WWE superstars is to help elevate some of the younger superstars to reach new heights in the company. He added that there's no wrestling war between AEW and WWE as it's just a perception created by homegrown fans:
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"It’s a weak argument. They’re WWE lite. I don’t agree with that, and I’m not knocking WWE. I had 26 great years there and I’m not anti-WWE. I don’t feel like we’re in a wrestling war. The war is AEW against its self – getting our young guys to continue to evolve and get better. I think we’re seeing that. Some of your homegrown kids are starting to find their way. There’s a big difference in working in PWG or an indie show and working a match on a national television show. It’s a different mindset and a different ballgame…..I just believe we’ve got some talent and I love watching the evolution of it," Jim Ross said.
Jim Ross says he enjoys watching other promotions as well
Jim Ross further added that he wants to see the betterment of every wrestling company. He believes that every promotion gets to contribute their share in a wrestling business. Jim Ross also revealed that he loves watching NJPW as they give some quality matches:
"We all want the business to be healthy. The trickle down if someone gets hot. It’s good for all of us. Everybody gets a share in some of that newfound or renewed enthusiasm. I want Ring of Honor to do well, or Impact. I still enjoy watching New Japan. They give you some really great matches," Jim Ross said.
Jim Ross has expressed his open-minded opinion here. His statement couldn't be more agreeable as many of the wrestling promotions, including AEW, are working collectively to grow their wrestling business.
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