Former Head Writer Hails AEW for Not Following a WWE Tradition That Has Led to the Latter Failing to Create Many Superstars Like Roman Reigns

Published 04/18/2023, 8:00 PM EDT

The WWE is one of the oldest pro-wrestling promotions in the world. It has survived steep competition from rival companies and even enjoyed a peerless run in the early 2000s. Not surprisingly, the company made more money through its fanbase and was able to convince many top performers to jump ship. However, Vince McMahon saw an exodus of sorts as a group of former WWE talents helped breathe life into the newly set up All Elite Wrestling. In a short time, AEW has become the number one rival of the Stamford-based promotion.

A former WWE head writer has revealed what works for Tony Khan’s company and what it has done differently from the WWE.

AEW gives its stars a real shot, says Freddie Prinze Jr.

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Best known for his appearance in the 1997 American slasher film ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’, actor Freddie Prinze Jr. is a man who dons multiple hats. At one point in time, he was a writer in WWE, working for Vince McMahon for a brief time in the late 2000s.

The actor currently hosts a wrestling podcast, Wrestling With Freddie, where he discusses pro-wrestling matches. In a recent episode on his podcast, the 47-year-old explained the main differentiator between WWE and AEW in terms of management.

“They definitely give a more consistent push to talent than WWE. We may feel they push the wrong person sometimes, but they’re consistent with it. If they say, ‘Hey, we’re giving you a shot,’ you’re getting a real shot. And if you mess up, that’s okay, you’re going to get it right next week. And in WWE, if you mess up, that’s it, your story’s over. Period. It’s literally end of story,” he said.

This can be a reason why the WWE has stopped producing stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Dwayne Johnson, John Cena et al. In fact, many believe the only big star to have emerged from Vince McMahon’s promotion in recent times is Roman Reigns, who is the company’s current top guy.

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Reigns has kept the main event spot occupied, while others despite being talented have been floundering in the mid-card. Prinze Jr. also revealed another dark truth about the WWE.

Is Vince McMahon a reason for WWE’s waning star-making ability?

Even at 77, Vincent Kennedy McMahon reminded the world why he’s such a formidable personality in the world of sports entertainment as WWE finalized a deal with UFC’s parent company Endeavor. The announcement was made earlier in April as Vince McMahon inked a deal that valued his company at a little over $9 billion. Like him or not, one cannot question his business acumen.

However, Vince McMahon might have become the creator who ends up destroying his own creation or sabotaging its growth to an extent.

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On his podcast, Prinze Jr. revealed McMahon wouldn’t take botches lightly. “I used to hear him say it all the time. If somebody messed up a spot, he’d go, ‘Well that’s dead money.’ And I would just be like, ‘Yo, they made a mistake. In TV and film, we get take two.’ This is live. Stuff screws up.”

McMahon’s stringent policies may have worked wonders for the WWE in the past, largely due to the lack of rival promotions for talents to latch on to. However, AEW seemed to have changed that game. Also, there are former superstars like Mandy Rose, who have admittedly made more money from alternate sources.

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What do you think WWE should do to build more main event calibre stars? Who will be the next big star to emerge from Vince McMahon’s promotion? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Sudipto is a WWE writer at Essentially Sports. He holds a PG degree in Mass Communication. Being an experienced journalist, Sudipto has interviewed WWE Superstars Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus and hopes to add some more names to that list.

Edited by:

Sherjeel Malik

Former Head Writer Hails AEW for Not Following a WWE Tradition That Has Led to the Latter Failing to Create Many Superstars Like Roman Reigns

AEW gives its stars a real shot, says Freddie Prinze Jr.

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