AEW superstar Matt Hardy recently spoke with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp about a variety of subjects, including his thoughts on how pro-wrestling has evolved, how much better wrestlers are treated, and how wrestlers now interact with the pro-wrestling media. Highlights from the interview are below.
How much better wrestlers are treated and how the business has changed drastically:
“In all honesty, too, wrestling has changed drastically. When we started in the 90s, it was the wild, wild west. Literally, you were gonna come in and you were gonna get hazed and they were gonna see if you had the balls to stick around or whatever it might be. It was a different world,” said Matt. “As society has changed, so has pro wrestling, especially here at AEW. It really mirrors society in many ways. You try and be fair across the board. I don’t think we look at fans or even people who are wrestling reporters, we don’t look at them as less than. I feel like everyone is on the same level and equal. People are treated as such. That’s definitely one of the good things that’s come out of the last 20 /25 years of pro wrestling. People, in general, are treated better and more like human beings.”
On wrestler’s relationships with the media and how it is their choice to keep kayfabe alive:
“I think it’s fine. I’m sure guys like the Young Bucks or even Tony Khan, Kenny Omega, whoever. They can interact with whoever that is. A wrestling journalist that probably is looking for those scoops, doesn’t mean you have to give it to them scoops. You can give them insights into whatever you would like or if they have certain questions about certain things, you can give them certain insights. But once again kayfabe is as real or not real as you personally make it.”