WWE Believes "Gory" AEW Product Doesn't "Appeal To The General Public"

WWE doesn't feel that they and AEW are running the same type of business, as evidenced by a quote printed in the Toronto Star.

Previously, WWE and Vince McMahon have made reference to the violent aspects of AEW's product, with McMahon notably mentioning "blood and guts" during the 2019 second quarter investors call. AEW responded by naming their War Games match "Blood and Guts".

In the Toronto Star feature, WWE commented on AEW by saying, "If you look at the gory self-mutilation that bloodied several women in the December 31 event on TNT, it quickly becomes clear that these are very different businesses. We had an edgier product in the ‘Attitude’ era and in a 2022 world, we don’t believe that type of dangerous and brutal display is appealing to network partners, sponsors, venues, children, or the general public as a whole."

The match in question was a "street fight" pitting Anna Jay and Tay Conti against The Bunny and Penelope Ford, which aired on the New Year's Eve edition of AEW Rampage. Bunny, in particular, bled considerably during the match.