'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A recent report has shed light on WWE's internal perception of AEW. While WWE has never publicly acknowledged AEW as a competitor, there seems to have been an internal shift in their perception of the upstart company.
Andrew Zarian of Mat Men Pro Wrestling reported that those within WWE earlier believed that their company was the best and had no equal.
Trending
Zarian revealed that WWE executives initially considered AEW a joke when it first came into existence and compared the promotion to IMPACT Wrestling. They even reportedly mocked current AEW Champion Kenny Omega.
"The perception within that company forever very much has been "WWE is the best, nobody will come close to us. Yeah, you'll hear about buzzes that other people do, but in the long run, there's nobody that'll come near us." And when AEW started, the perception was that this company is a joke. I'm legitimately telling what was said to me. "AEW is going to be nothing, it's gonna be another IMPACT. Yeah, who are they gonna bring, Kenny Omega? He's nobody." People within the WWE were telling me this," said Andrew Zarian
They weren't even phased by the arrival of CM Punk since he's been away from professional wrestling. However, their stance on AEW has reportedly changed after Tony Khan's reported acquisition of Daniel Bryan and other former WWE Superstars.
"Essentially the belief was that nobody is going to come near to us. Even now, with CM Punk, it was like, "He hasn't done anything for seven years. It means nothing." But the Bryan Danielson stuff, the possible Adam Cole stuff, Bray getting released, Braun getting released stuff has shifted the perception within the company." said Zarian
WWE considered AEW a joke for the longest time
Andrew Zarian went on to reveal that he had heard people from WWE and its partners call AEW a "joke." He also cited some of their jabs at Jungle Boy.
"I have seen conversations that have happened between people that are within positions in WWE or a partner of theirs. For the longest time, those conversations were like, "Did you see this, this is a joke." I'll give an example of it, Jungle Boy in one of these chats, it wasn't a WWE chat, the comment was, "These guys have children wrestling, how can they think they can come close to us?" said Zarian
Whatever the unlying perception among the WWE higher-ups is, it's safe to say AEW is on course to become a legitimate threat to them, an opinion shared by WCW veteran Eric Bischoff.
Please H/T Mat Men Pro Wrestling and Sportskeeda if you use any of the above quotes.
Do you think WWE is underestimating the threat posed by AEW to their monopoly over the wrestling business? Sound off in the comments section below.
Major rumor about recently released stars HERE
