Freddie Prinze Jr. On Who Has The Better Product: WWE Or AEW
Freddie Prinze Jr. was recently a guest on The Ariel Helwani Show where he compared AEW and WWE. He admitted that right now, AEW is close to having balance.
"I think for the first time, you can make an argument that AEW is closer to balance than WWE is," he said. "I don't know if you win that argument."
Freddie Prinze Jr went on to talk about how the two are written at the moment, noting that he thinks the perfect situation is a creative direction that is somewhere in the middle.
"WWE is clearly overwritten and the hands are on and the grip is tight, right? AEW is, you could say underwritten and the grip is there to catch you if you fall," he stated. "It's a very loose, comforting grip, right? I think the best wrestling is somewhere in the middle."
When it comes to promos and scripts, Freddie Prinze Jr admitted that some people cannot read one. He discussed how he would have to teach people how to write their own content.
"There's some wrestlers where, no matter how cool I think it looks on paper," he admitted. "Once it comes out of their mouth it's not theirs. It's just not theirs and they can't say it. So I literally would have to teach them how to write and then how to act what they wrote."
Freddie Prinze Jr believes that overall, AEW is providing a better product for fans. However, he admitted if NXT was how it used to be, he would have a different answer.
"Currently, I think AEW is doing a better product and servicing the fans better. The majority of fans, better than WWE is, and I include NXT in that," he added. "If NXT was still the way it was, then I would say WWE is still servicing the mainstream and the hardcore and the kids in a better fashion. Simply because they had more variety."
The former WWE writer also spoke about how he is enjoying AEW's promos right now. He stated that being able to hear the roster talk is something that is working right now.
"I like the fact that the people who can talk, talk," he said. "It's so nice to hear CM Punk say a promo that wasn't written. Even in WWE, he got to freestyle a lot, but there were certain moments that he had to hit. Especially when he was in there with someone like Vince, otherwise it's going to be a problem. I just think they got some people trying to do things in an old-school way. But with some new school ideas and philosophies as far as how a match should go."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit The Ariel Helwani Show with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.