Darby Allin says he does not want “complacent” wrestlers working for AEW

A: As an AEW original with no, no TV experience beforehand, kind of got put in the deep end there and just to develop kind of in the deep end. And a lot of guys I feel like that were AEW, originals when they got thrown on national TV they panicked, and I felt like they kind of dropped the ball on themselves. But me, I flourished, and I just really showed everybody that I’m capable of being in there with whether it be a Danielson, whether it be a Moxley, whether it be a (Chris) Jericho, whether it be, you know, X, Y and Z, Cody (Rhodes), (CM) Punk.

Q: Does that make you the person who can say to Evil Uno in that TV segment that you have to find that thing inside you and find a way to go back to your true self or find a way to evolve? Do you feel like throughout wrestling and even people in the company that need to hear that every so often?

A: A lot of people need to hear that. We have to wrestle with the sense of urgency. We have to wrestle with the chip on our shoulder. We can’t get complacent. Because if you want to get complacent, get lost. Like, I do not want you in the AEW.

Q: The talk around the company right now is the TV deal that hopefully is going to be announced soon. There’s obviously some big money figures thrown out there. What would it mean for the company to secure a deal like that?

A: Everybody literally needs to work harder. Once we get a new TV deal, it’s not time to be like, ‘oh yeah let’s celebrate.’ Like, which is fine, I think when someone makes a lot of money, they almost feel like they don’t have to work. They feel like people have the best work ethic when they have nothing, they’re broke, they’re like, living paycheck to paycheck. That’s the work ethic we need to have at all times.

Q: Is that kind of what you say when people feel maybe a level of violence has gotten to a level that some have been obviously concerned with?

A: AEW has been in existence for five years, and we hold the all-time attendance (tickets distributed) record for a pro wrestling event. A lot of stuff happens on a day to day basis, but I think that kind of goes over some people’s heads. But like, if you really stop and think of how insane that is, and the fact that we stay true to ourselves and put our brand of music out into the world and then (not) try to change or anything. That’s massive.

So the fact that we’ve done that, you know, honestly, if someone thinks we’re too violent, go watch something else, because I would be so bummed if I loved a band or I loved the director, and also that director started making soft movies. Sometimes you just have to live to offend people.