On a recent episode of “Busted Open After Dark,” WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray gave his detailed thoughts on the recent announcement that WWE will be running a premium live event called “Wrestlepalooza” on the same night as AEW’s “All Out” pay-per-view. He discussed whether the move was “petty,” if WWE views AEW as competition, and drew parallels to the historic Monday Night Wars.
WWE’s first PLE on ESPN, “Wrestlepalooza,” is scheduled for Saturday, September 20, the same night as the long-scheduled AEW All Out. Bully Ray compared the move to a famous tactic used by WCW in the 1980s. “Reminds me of back in the day when WCW put on the Clash of the Champions for free to go head to head with WrestleMania,” he said.
He then posed a question to his listeners about WWE’s motivation. “How do you feel about the WWE running a show opposite All Out?” he asked. “Do you think the WWE considers AEW competition? I know they say they haven’t, but is running a show right up against All Out the WWE basically saying, ‘yeah, they are competition,’ or are they just trying to squash the competition before the competition becomes competition?”
Bully Ray then offered his own perspective on the matter, stating that he does not believe WWE sees AEW as a direct threat at this moment, but is instead taking preventative measures to halt their growth. “I don’t think that the WWE currently looks at AEW as competition,” he stated. “But I don’t think the WWE is going to give AEW an opportunity to become competition.”
He also addressed the sentiment among some fans that WWE’s move could be seen as a malicious or unnecessary tactic against a smaller company. “One of the words that I’ve heard thrown around is petty,” he said. “It’s petty of the WWE to do this. Do you agree?”
Ultimately, Bully Ray’s comments framed the situation as a significant strategic move by WWE. He contextualized it within the history of wrestling “wars,” where the dominant company, having already “endured the competition that was WCW” and the early challenge from AEW on Wednesday nights, is now using its power to prevent a rival from gaining any further ground.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
