Jim Ross recently spoke on his Grilling JR podcast about a wide range of topics.
During it, he talked about the current WWE product, which he thinks the booting has become stale. He does see the company trying different things including NXT, but thinks AEW is fresher.
“I think the WWE’s booking has just gotten a little stale,” Ross said. “They’re trying desperately, as you see on NXT and so forth, to get younger. I think Big E, he’s not a young pup but he’s a new face in that role, and I think that’s what they’re trying to do. It’s like starting the race a little late in the game, it’s going to take a little while to catch up and develop young stars. I said this a million times on the show at nauseam, wrestling fans love new. They love surprises, they love things that they can’t call, and I believe that to this very day. No matter what their age is, they love surprises.”
“[AEW] is fresher,” Ross said. “Even though they see Adam Cole, they haven’t seen him in this environment. They haven’t seen Adam Cole against CM Punk yet or Bryan Danielson yet. All these matches are there at Tony Khan’s disposal whenever he wants to use them. Tony Khan has done a great job of getting these talents who aren’t necessarily young, but new and fresh, and therefore, their marriages/matches with other guys is going to be fresh. I think that’s where we are right now, and Tony did a good job of signing all these dudes that can work. They can work with each other, work as a team, they can do anything because they’re skilled.
“WWE has got a lot of really good, young talents but it’s going to take a while for those talents to realize you’ve got to be a main eventer and raise your level of performance in every aspect of what you do. From your ring entrance, to your ring attire, to your music, finish hold, how you sell, everything. Everything changes and everything has to be elevated, and I think it’s going to take a while.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc for the transcription