Billy Gunn Reveals If AEW's Goal Is To Compete With WWE, If He Talked To WWE Before Taking AEW Job
After decades as a wrestler, road agent and trainer, Billy Gunn will get his first shot as a producer with All Elite Wrestling. Gunn says AEW refers to him as more of a "coach" than a producer, but he'll be tasked with putting together the matches that AEW hopes will separate them from other wrestling promotions.
Speaking of other promotions, many people think that AEW is looking to compete with WWE. But Gunn says that is not there goal as everyone knows what happened to the last company that went head-to-head with Vince McMahon and co.
"No. I say no," Gunn said to Chris Van Vliet when asked if AEW's plan is to compete with WWE. "So I look at it this way: Vince has been doing this a very long time. Somebody already went after him once and we see where they're at hence WCW. Am I saying we're as good as them? Sure I am. Do I say that we compete against them? No.
"Why can't we have our own product and they have their product? You know what I mean? So do they intercollide at some point? I have no earthly idea. It's way too early to tell. But can we be an alternative to WWE programming? Yes we can. Can we have as much of a fan base as WWE? Yes we can. Can we have just as good of a product as WWE? Yes we can. Do I say we compete and that we're all sitting around going 'I can't wait to go live against them'? We don't sit around and do that because I feel like you're setting your sights on something away from what you should be focusing on. Let's focus on our company."
Gunn last worked for WWE in 2015 when he was a trainer for NXT and occasional in-ring performer. Thus, he had no obligation to let WWE know he was taking a job with a rival promotion.
"I don't work for them," Gunn said of WWE. "They know exactly what I'm doing. I think they knew I was getting hired at AEW before I did. AEW has offered me an awesome opportunity to do what I do best. Everybody there knows that, I know that and I feel like I'm going to really help them and I want to be part of that. Especially at this time of my career to be involved with something new, something fresh, something exciting. How many people get to say that?"
Gunn was announced as AEW's first producer back in January but their first event isn't until May's Double or Nothing. He stated that his role will be a full-time position "as soon as we get kicking."
AEW certainly has big plans for Gunn in his role and they would like to see his work materialized to a national audience. When the notion of Gunn being hired full-time meant that AEW has plans for weekly television, he was brief and to the point.
"Yes, that's what that means," stated Gunn.
Source: Chris Van Vliet