On the latest episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast, veteran professional wrestler Matt Hardy shared his perspective on why many wrestlers still harbor aspirations of working for WWE, even amidst the growth of alternative promotions like AEW.
Hardy addressed the signing of Stephanie Vaquer by WWE last year, a move that reportedly disappointed AEW, stating, “I just think this whole thing, I know there was a big deal when Stephanie (Vaquer) went to NXT, eventually in WWE. I know AEW was hoping to get their hands on her. I think it’s going to be like an undeniable reality. There are a lot of people now that are in the business that grew up, they watched WWE, and that was kind of their initial love, and they’ve always had a dream and an aspiration of going to WWE and being a star there. So I understand it. I can’t be critical of it. It is what it is. I mean, I’m sure there’s some people that will want to come to AEW to work and gain notoriety and gain enough overness and fame that they could do that. Is that something Mariah (May) does? I guess we’ll see. I have no idea what the actual facts of the matter are, but I do understand why there are so many people that do want to do that. I don’t even think that’s a knock on AEW. I think there’s so many people that have had these dreams of being at WWE and they really want to do it when it’s all said and done.”
“One thing that I’ve even said, and I said this about the Bucks at one point. I almost wish the Bucks would get an opportunity to do that at some point and be in WWE because I feel like WWE is a place you almost have to go to be considered, like, in the realm of one of the greatest of all time, and that isn’t necessarily as a performer in the ring, just talking about your coverage of the promotions you’ve been in because WWE is the oldest and longest and biggest promotion that there is. I just feel like at the end of the day, WWE is the benchmark of pro wrestling. That doesn’t mean if you spend your entire career in Ring of Honor or AEW or TNA or whatever else, that you’re not one of the best wrestlers, that you’re not one of the greatest acts to ever do it. It just meant that you didn’t go to all the big promotions, and that’s the only reason I say that.”
Matt Hardy’s podcast drops every Friday at ExtremeHardy.com. If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit ExtremeHardy.com with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
