AEW celebrated its 200th episode of Dynamite. Matt Hardy was asked what AEW Dynamite has offered the wrestling space:
“More than anything else, it’s an alternative to WWE which is something that is very important for wrestling, I feel, just to have a different product out there, something that is an alternate choice that someone else can select and watch something that’s a little different. AEW has been done differently. It’s formatted differently from WWE and I think that’s a big positive.”
Hardy talking about Kenny Omega, Adam Page, and The Young Bucks staying in AEW:
“I’m happy to see it. I mean, I feel like The Elite in so many ways are the heart and soul of AEW. I mean, obviously the company is named after them, All Elite Wrestling. So yes, they were a big deal to this company. They were one of the most important reasons this company was started in the first place. These guys had a vision along with Cody and they made it come to reality when they hooked up with Tony Khan and AEW came into existence.”
“On top of that, Matt and Nick Jackson are two of my best friends on the planet as I’ve said many, many times, and yes, I do go hard for them because I do stand up for my friends whenever my friends are in issues. Kenny Omega is someone I’ve gotten to know over the last couple years. I like him a whole lot. Hangman Adam Page, obviously I knew him when he was a young up and comer coming up through the Indies in North Carolina. I’m very proud of all the success he’s been able to attain for himself over these last few years at AEW. I think having The Elite in your promotion is one of the biggest positive things you can possibly have.”
On what the Elite has offered the company from a backstage standpoint:
“I think from a backstage standpoint, they have really challenged people to try things differently creatively. I think one of the greatest examples of that is Being the Elite, their YouTube show which they use to add nuance, and they use to add detail into angles that are happening on television. I think it adds a lot to the programming. I think it adds a lot to the branding. I think it adds a lot to specific characters that come on to that show that do things like that. I really think the way they tell a story is different from traditional pro wrestling and that’s something I’m a big fan of.”
“I also think when it comes to them being EVPs, when they speak with talents, it’s much more a person talking to you than a boss and I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all because they talk to you from a very real standpoint and they also talk to you, not talking down, but they talk to you at the same level as people who are just trying to work together to get to a greater good.”
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