Levesque sits down to chat the happenings of WWE as WrestleMania inches closer.
Pat McAfee and his team hosted a live edition of The Pat McAfee Show from WWE World in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joining the show as a co-host was Michael Cole.
The first guest to join them was WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. As the conversation rolled on, Levesque stated that when he sees talent trying to make it and they pick a job where the schedule is lighter and they work less, he said he does not want those individuals if they’re not in it for the grind.
It’s a different game, it’s a different world. If they’re not here to be all in on this — when I see people that come out of trying to make it and then they pick the job where they go, well, they work less, the schedule’s lighter. Alright, then I’m glad I didn’t get you. If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.
Levesque is going to be speaking to the media again following WrestleMania 40 at the post-event press conference.
If the quote in this article is used, please credit The Pat McAfee Show with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription.
Seems like there’s been an effort recently to “big league” the competition this weekend. These comments above, the “600 people” comment, letting talent go to other shows and get (among the) biggest pops of the night. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.
But yeah, this comment from Trips is not real life. If money is about the same, a lighter schedule is probably the best reason for a “young talent” to choose AEW over WWE.
I get where Levesque is coming from because that was the way was brought up in the business. He believed that “hard work” is a must. The reason why he left WCW in 1995 was because they were cutting out house shows and just focusing on more TV stuff. He wanted to work every single show 300 days a year because that was the way he thought he could reach the top in WWE.
At the same time, not everybody can be at the top and if you have offers from a lot of places and one gives a schedule that is good for the body, then that will be the most attractive.
I also think anyone under 30 who is already getting offers from AEW and WWE feels there’s a strong possibility that they’ll work for both at some point in their career (or at least have the opportunity). That’s how WWE and WCW/NWA worked for 20 years.
If that’s what hunters expectations of new talent is, then it probably is a good thing they go elsewhere. I didn’t take it as him saying they shouldn’t go elsewhere. Different companies have different expectations, if WWEs expectations don’t work for a talent, luckily they have other options. If AEW’s expectations don’t work for a talent, same thing. I don’t see why the internet is getting all worked up about this……we’ll, actually I shouldn’t be surprised lol.
Mone is a greedy pig who I’ve lost all respect for. She wanted to goto WWE but she thought she was Becky Lynch so he’s in a place where she openly says she wants to leave if they ever give her enough.
Osprey is different. He is happy being a big fish in a small pond and a good step father. He made the right call.
I agree with you in the sense that I think its obvious Mone wanted to go to WWE, if they gave her the money she wanted I dont think there is a chance she’s in AEW, but I dont think its fair to call her a “greedy pig”, that feels very harsh. Wrestlers have negotiated and played companies against each other for years, I dont think she did anything that any other big name did before her. Can’t fault her if Tony wants t pay her stupid money, all the power to her.
@jallonar4040 Yup and true, but that was 1995. Times change.
A lot has changed in biomedical knowledge, health, fitness, wellness, and overall human well-being since then. Health and happiness will carry you through the difficult times in life and is the most important and valuable thing any human has.
I think framing things as “corporate agent” vs “individual/contracted agent” perspective is helpful. The first values business success above all, while the other prioritizes health and happiness. I get the perspective of the CCO of WWE from a business perspective and the performer from a longevity and health perspective, with both having entirely different aims.
Hunter has toys (performers) he can use at his leisure and toss away when they are no longer serving their immediate purpose, because the continued and long-term success of the product and the company is his ultimate goal. The goal of the wrestler should be and necessarily must different and individually focused.
He might be taking somewhat veiled shots at individual performers - considering this week has become Dunkfest 2024, but he’s also speaking as a corporate agent and speaking to part of his talent acquisition and usage philosophy. It all depends on how you slice the cake.
If this is aimed at “certain performers”, how long do they need to grind for? Better to leave and get paid what you’re worth. Is grinding on wwe like being a wrestling intern?
You’d think Paul would be able to understand that considering how many of his peers have died because of said grind, but maybe he sees the grind as worthwhile because it panned out for his life. He gets to grow old, be wealthy, and have a family.
I can’t disagree with this, wrestlers of the 80’s and 90’s clearly went through hell. Hunter obviously knows and I hope he see the problems with this, he did just loose one of his closest friends a couple years ago and almost died himself.
The question I ask, is does Hunter definition of “the grind”, yours (and other fans) definition of the grind lineup as the same thing? If Hunter is advocating for wrestlers to go out there 50 weeks a year wrestling 5 days a week, I completely agree with you. If Hunter’s definition of “the grind” is working 40 weeks a year wrestling 2-3 times a week, I can’t say I have a problem with it. Now of course the answer is probably somewhere in between. I think most of the negative reaction towards Hunter for this is from those that don’t like him to begin with.
Serious question because I dont know the answer. The average AEW wrestlers who also work indies vs the average WWE wrestler, how many dates a year are each working? I dont expect you to necessarily know this, but does anyone?
The vast majority of top talent, with a couple of extensions, mainly only work AEW. Either they aren’t allowed to work elsewhere, or they choose not to.
I imagine that top group I doing once or twice a week in AEW vs I believe three shots a week in WWE (I’m not sure if house show schedules, but I believe it would be Saturday and Sunday, plus TV on Friday or Monday.
Undercard AEW talent has the option to work outside dates, if they pursue it. And in those cases, transportation and hotel are nearly always covered and arranged by the indies vs. WWE talent being responsible for arranging and paying.
