Actor and former WWE creative member Freddie Prinze Jr. recently spoke with Ariel Helwani about a number of pro-wrestling related topics, including his thoughts on the AEW vs. WWE war, and how he finds AEW to be the better product for wrestling fans at this time. Highlights from the interview are below.
Says AEW is closer to being balanced than WWE is:
“I think for the first time, you can make an argument that AEW is closer to balance than WWE is. I don’t know if you win that argument.”
How WWE is clearly overwritten:
“WWE is clearly overwritten and the hands are on and the grip is tight, right? AEW is, you could say underwritten and the grip is there to catch you if you fall. It’s a very loose, comforting grip, right? I think the best wrestling is somewhere in the middle.”
Why he thinks some wrestlers have problems with scripted promos:
“There’s some wrestlers where, no matter how cool I think it looks on paper. Once it comes out of their mouth it’s not theirs. It’s just not theirs and they can’t say it. So I literally would have to teach them how to write and then how to act what they wrote.”
Says AEW currently has a product that better services their fans:
“Currently, I think AEW is doing a better product and servicing the fans better. The majority of fans, better than WWE is, and I include NXT in that. If NXT was still the way it was, then I would say WWE is still servicing the mainstream and the hardcore and the kids in a better fashion. Simply because they had more variety.”
On AEW promos being old-school:
“I like the fact that the people who can talk, talk. It’s so nice to hear CM Punk say a promo that wasn’t written. Even in WWE, he got to freestyle a lot, but there were certain moments that he had to hit. Especially when he was in there with someone like Vince, otherwise it’s going to be a problem. I just think they got some people trying to do things in an old-school way. But with some new school ideas and philosophies as far as how a match should go.”
(H/T and transcribed by Wrestling Inc.)