AEW and WWE… Time to End the Press Conference Debacle

Sometimes things that are brought over from the mainstream work in professional wrestling. We have seen that first hand with the WWE developmental center, TV production values, social media accounts and business tactics and more. Like everything in life, even pro wrestling has to evolve with the times to survive.

But after the last year, its safe to say that post fight press conferences in pro wrestling need to go away.

At this point, the whole thing has become so cringeworthy that it does more to hurt the product than help.

Before the usual suspects jump on me, I want to be clear that this is not a “WWE is great and AEW is bad” nor is it a “AEW Rules and WWE Sucks” take. Both companies have tried doing this and its become just an abject failure in different ways. And the truth is that the biggest reason that WWE/AEW or any other company can’t do pressers is simple.

Professional wrestling is scripted and rehearsed and something that just can’t be done right in a setting that is designed for reality.

I have been to at least a hundred post-fight/sports press conferences in my life doing podcasting from college football to boxing and MMA. It’s a news source and way to talk to coaches and athletes at the raw moment where you get unfiltered thoughts and quotes.

In professional sports at its best, the whole thing is coordinated, athletes are brought in and sat down, they are real and honest thoughts in theory, and they are taking you through the wins and losses and what goes on. But more importantly the reporters are asking questions to give the fans insight into the minds of the athletes

Press scrums are a chance to get in theory a heartfelt and sincere response from the athlete in the heat of the moment.

There is no chance that you get that in WWE or AEW because everything has been scripted and planned out. The match has been laid out prior, everything has been coordinated, and no secret sauce recipes are being given. Even at their worst, CM Punk or Bryan Danielson aren’t going to tell the audience how rehearsed this match was.

Kayfabe might be dead but they aren’t going to bastardize the whole affair and make it out to be a joke.

Even in the post-fight pressers, you never are going to get honest criticism on the matches simply because it is all company employees. These are the same people who are paid by the company and their jobs are to hype the product.

Does anyone thing Renee Young-Moxley is going to tell people how much the main event sucked? That Cathy Kelly is going to tell people that Cody Rhodes looks old and haggard and his tactics were awful? Unless they want to get fired and have a huge hook come out and take them away, no chance does any of that happen.

Instead, each event is praised, the matches are labeled as amazing, the crowd was wonderful and we get more fluff than a Peanut Butter and Fluff sandwich. You don’t get any inside analysis or critical thinking but just a recap of how everything is awesome and things are going great.

Honestly, watching paint dry is more fun and real than any pro wrestling presser.

Meanwhile every post-fight press conference seems to have at least two or three “cringe” questions from “Wrestling Media”. Honestly some of these people at the media are credible like Mike Johnson of PWI and Dave Scherer who understand how to behave and come up with quality questions.

But alot of these writers/wresting media people are too often fan boys, marks or influencers who have no business asking questions. They don’t understand how to behave, how to put together well thought out questions or even able to read the room.

And some like Dave Meltzer have become just marks for one promotion while being too critical of other promotions.

At the AEW All In presser, several reporters were caught asking questions that were too personal or just poorly worded causing all parties to get upset or talked down to. Instead of fans enjoying and learning something, the ordeal became trying and many probably regretting even watching it.

And neither Tony nor Paul Levesque are going to give any honest answers to tough insider questions. There is no benefit for them to do so and will do more harm than good for their promotion. Tony’s big issues have stemmed from his post fight answers as he always says things are “Great” or “Exciting” and even “Big plans and surprises”.

Meanwhile Paul just gives lots of facts and stock answers but nothing of substance; i.e. corporate jargon. This is not must see TV and for most people its complete nonsense that could be sent out by a PR coordinator.

When you think of press conferences that are worthy the biggest takeaway is athletes and coaches who are emotional, they are giving you passion about something that happened in the moment.

Professional wrestling is sports entertainment that has already been scripted, choreographed, and planned well in advance. There is nothing regarding emotion or in the moment because the whole thing has been rehearsed.

So for the love that is all pure in pro wrestling, I ask on behalf of both AEW and WWE fans to put this bad idea to bed and spare us from more stupid questions, bad pro wrestling media takes, and cringe worthy performances that make all us embarrassed to like pro wrestling.

To listen to interviews from fighters, sports reporters and more check out the website at www.LastCallPodcast.com or follow me on www.twitter.com/LastCallwChrisC