Paul Wight comments on the differences between the products presented by WWE and AEW.
As he Big Show, Wight spent over two decades with WWE, and he was a Grand Slam Champion with the company. He later signed with AEW in 2021, and he mainly works as a commentator with the promotion, though he occasionally wrestles.
Speaking with WNYT, Wight noted that WWE and AEW have two different products, which shows that there are multiple ways to present wrestling. When asked to elaborate, he described how AEW is more wrestling-oriented, while WWE delivers an “entertainment spectacle.”
“It’s different in the fact that it’s really wrestling-oriented,” Wight said. “You know, both companies say that, but there’s a difference in how things are presented. WWE does a great job, an amazing job, of presenting things in this big entertainment spectacle. It’s a giant production. AEW gets to the grassroots of, [it’s] still an incredible production, we have an incredible production team. But it’s not so much backstage drama, backstage vignettes, the fourth wall, so to speak.”
Wight also noted that AEW president Tony Khan doesn’t like the fourth wall or having wrestlers ignore the camera in backstage segments. He also recalled how John Cena was the only performer who was allowed to look into the camera in WWE.
“Tony Khan doesn’t like that fourth wall. Tony Khan doesn’t like that, ‘Why is there a camera there catching this conversation and both participants ignore that there’s a camera crew there while they’re talking top-secret information?’ It’s one of those kinds of things that throws you off. This is, if there’s a camera there, it’s set up in such a way that it makes sense for a camera to be backstage.
“It’s more focused on the talent in the ring, and it’s funny because when I was in WWE, we weren’t allowed to look at the camera. God knows if you looked at the camera. There was like one guy I think that was allowed to look at the camera, and his name is John Cena. You sell as much merch as that guy does, he can look wherever the hell he wants to.”
The veteran emphasized that AEW focused on the talent and the in-ring action, and he also stated that the product has a faster pace.
“It’s a little bit more focused on the talent themselves and what they’re doing in the ring,” Wight said. “It’s a faster-paced I think product. WWE is a very deliberate product in what that do, but AEW has a very exciting product when it’s delivered.
