Adam Pearce might be well-liked backstage but gets accused of overselling and "looking cartoonish" on WWE TV (Exclusive)

Adam Pearce has quietly become a valuable asset for WWE in recent times as an on-screen official. While many admire his work in the wrestling business, Vince Russo explained why he wasn't a fan of Pearce's apparent overselling on TV.

Adam Pearce has been with WWE since 2013 and has taken up different roles backstage while also helping guide many talents as a coach and producer. The former ROH champion has a brilliant reputation backstage, as Vince Russo also admitted that he'd heard how Adam Pearce was a genuinely lovely guy to be around.

While the former writer liked Pearce as a person, he wasn't too amazed by his performances as a kayfabe authority figure. Vince Russo brought up the example of Jack Tunney, who famously served as WWE's figurehead president during the 1980s and 90s.

Russo hoped Adam would get inspired by Tunney and avoid going overboard with how he presented himself in WWE programming every week.

Here's Russo's advice to Pearce, as revealed on the latest episode of Legion of RAW:

"Adam Pearce is a great guy. I have heard he is a great guy. Everybody is very happy for him. I'm not talking about the guy. I'm talking about the presentation on television. Let me put it to you this way. If I was producing Adam Pearce, this is what I would tell him. Do you remember a guy by the name of Jack Tunney? See, I go all the way back to Jack Tunney. Pearce, he is way overselling. Toney never oversold; he was funny, bro! He is way overselling, and it looks cartoonish." [22:11 - 23:50]

I always go back to if this were real: Vince Russo on why he is being critical of Adam Pearce's work

Professional wrestling might have evolved drastically since the golden era. However, certain fundamentals still exist, as Vince Russo pointed out while speaking to Legion of RAW co-host Dr. Chris Featherstone.

Vince Russo always urged talents to think about how they would react to a particular situation if it was the real world and not the kayfabe wrestling setup.

As a spectator, Russo didn't find Pearce's facial expressions and mannerisms natural as he labeled them "over-the-top" and not something that felt effortlessly legitimate. He then added:

"I always go back to if this were real. I can't tell you how many times I've said that to talent. Would you do that if this were real? 'No, I wouldn't do it.' Then don't do it! It's got nothing to do with Adam Pearce; I'm just telling you, as a television viewer, the facials and the mannerisms are way too over-the-top for me." [24:00 - 25:00]

Do you agree with Vince Russo's opinion on Pearce? Share your views in the comments section below.

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