Rick Boogs has echoed AJ Styles’ recent comments about the lack of live events hurting the development of WWE talent, saying the Performance Center simply cannot replicate what performers learn from being in front of a real crowd.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Boogs addressed why he believes new WWE talent struggles to develop the same way performers did in previous generations.
“Every new talent in which they won’t get reps anymore. They don’t do live events where you get reps. The PC, it’s not the same thing. You don’t get reps at the PC. Headlock takeover drills and stuff like that, matches, but it’s not the same. The crowd dictates the pacing of everything,” Boogs said.
He also revealed that talent relations were under the impression he was not attending the Performance Center during his final period with the company, even though he was there regularly.
“They texted me and stuff. You got to go to the PC. I’m like, I do. Ask any of the coaches there. I’m there all the time. So they’re always holding that against me, clearly. But I get it if that’s where I stand in their minds. I need reps. Pretty much like every new talent, which they won’t get reps anymore,” Boogs said.
He also offered a blunt take on how his guitar-playing persona came about in the first place, suggesting it was a happy accident rather than a carefully developed creative decision.
“I think they were just scrolling my Instagram and said, ‘Oh, he plays guitar.’ Shinsuke is not doing anything. And you know, Shin has a guitar theme. Yeah, pretty much. You can make anything out of nothing,” Boogs said.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Insight with Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
