Thursday, March 28, 2024
NewsPaul Wight Talks His Frustrations With WWE Creative, His Departure

Paul Wight Talks His Frustrations With WWE Creative, His Departure

3,027 views

Paul Wight joined Renee Paquette’s “Oral Sessions” podcast to talk about a wide range of topics including his departure from WWE and signing with AEW.

Here is what he had to say (H/T to WrestlingNews.co):

“This was a very quick decision that was made in a matter of 48 hours for me,” Wight said about leaving WWE for AEW. “For me, it was just, I think, creatively, it was frustration. I’ve gone back and forth with Paul Heyman and Bruce Prichard and Vince. I had some medical issues a couple years ago where I had some problems with my hip real bad. You know how things are there. You kind of get out of the loop a little bit and it’s real hard for them to work you back into the loop, no matter how much talent you have, no matter how much you have to offer. It was frustrating to me because, yea, sure, I was making money. I worked once against Drew after WrestleMania. I did a couple of things.

I came in to be partners with Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe and then that went out. I’m like, I need more than this. I’ve never been, ever, a sit on the bench guy. I’m not going to take money to just sit at home and be happy like a little princess. That’s not my deal. I like to work for my money. I like to earn it and I like performing. I think I went 18 years with WWE without missing a European tour, spring or fall. People ask, ‘Show, how do you get on this plane? how do you do that?’ I just had to do what I had to do. I had two choices. I could go to work or I could not. It’s all in the attitude and I love doing what I’m doing.

I think the biggest thing was the let down for me of not being able to get something going creatively. I’ve known Vince for a long time and he gets focused and gets blinders on and he’s doing what he’s doing. It’s real hard to be that squeaky wheel that gets the grease. If you’re not at TVs and you’re just sitting there, it’s like, ‘Hey, Paul Wight is still alive. Paul Wight is cleared. He can work.’ It got frustrated trying to knock on the door. They were trying to use me for other things. They wanted me to do the community relations thing which is something I love to do anyway, but they were trying to do me a favor I think by putting me out to Shady Pines. I don’t want to be in Shady Pines. I tried to tell them, ‘Look, don’t put me in Shady Pines.’

I had an opportunity to do something else and I took it. Here’s the thing, I’ve talked to Vince. I’ve talked to Kevin Dunn. Nobody is mad and nobody is upset. It’s not an anger thing. The day I signed, Vince called me and wished me all the luck and said I’m going to be a big asset for AEW and to have a good time and all that. I’ve done a lot of things with them, so for me to turn around and bury WWE, it’s not about that. It’s just business. I get to work with younger talent. I get to work in an environment where I can really contribute. I can do color commentary. I’m excited about this. Then, hopefully, I get to work with some of these guys. There’s a lot of younger talent here that are bigger guys that I can really help and bring them along and find out who they are, and I can still perform in front of the fans. When you have more to contribute and you have more in the tank to give, you want to give it.  I know this will come to an end someday. I know it will. Not for a while yet. It’s on my terms.”