FTR Discuss Creative Differences Between WWE & AEW
Say Tony Khan’s appreciation of talent input ‘gratifying’
Former AEW and WWE Tag Team Champions FTR sat down with the Sunday Night’s Main Event podcast recently, and explained how different the creative process is in AEW compared to WWE.
Dax Harwood: “I think AEW is for the wrestler’s wrestler, and I don't mean the wrestler who can go out there and be the technical wrestler, or the best striker, or the best flyer, I mean the person who cares about wrestling. Man, I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, and sometimes I actually feel bad about it, but I care almost too much about wrestling.
“So, for me to be able to sit at my kitchen table and think about where I want to go next and what I want out of FTR next, and who we want to make the next big stars, that's a huge accomplishment for me but also this gratification for me and for Cash as well.
“Obviously in WWE, you have one man who thinks it's right or wrong and that's okay because he's become a multi-billionaire and created a whole brand that's tied into professional wrestling, whether he likes it or not, he's created a whole brand. So who's to tell him he's wrong? But with Tony Khan, he may not be 100% on board with what you're presenting to him but he will take the time to listen to it and we will ping pong it back and forth until we get the perfect scenario. That's what I love the most about AEW so far.”
Cash Wheeler continued: “Like Dax said, Vince has a vision he has what he likes and he sticks to that. Who can argue with his success? He’s been around longer than any wrestling promoter ever and he's made more money than any of them, so I can't tell him he's wrong.
“But for Tony's approach to be so open-minded [and] for him to know that he's going to get the most out of his performers if he listens to them and what they're passionate about and he finds a way to make that work around his vision. He wants people to talk and to figure it out he doesn't want it to be, ‘Alright, this is what it is. Go do it.’ He says, ‘What's your strength, what do you enjoy, what are you best at, what do you feel?’ and you go from there. Like Dax said, it's so liberating and it's so fulfilling for us.”
While FTR’s comments will come as little surprise considering their exit from WWE and their proposed gimmick had they stuck around, it’s interesting to hear a little more about AEW’s inner workings.
Credit: Fightful
