Roman Reigns Calls The Idea of AEW as Competition 'Foolish'

With AEW's weekly television show on TNT slated for an October 2nd, expect the animosity between WWE and AEW to ramp up in the months ahead.

While both sides are downplaying the idea of a new "wrestling war," it's hard to not look at it that way with AEW set to be featured on the same major cable network that WCW once was a part of. Not to mention some of the stars, like Jon Moxley, who have jumped to the upstart promotion and the symbolic nature of Cody Rhodes smashing a Triple H styled throne with a sledgehammer during Double Or Nothing back in May.

During a recent interview with The Sportster, Reigns was asked about AEW and made some interesting comments.

"I'll just say this. It's all so new and it was what it was with Ambrose leaving and popping up over there. Competition? No, there's no competition," Reigns said. "WWE, we know exactly what we're doing. We have the best talent in the world. There's no comparing, I say that with firm confidence, all the way from the top to the very bottom. We are world class all the way through."

He went on to acknowledge the new promotion is a good thing in that it's another place for performers to get paid. "I'm never against optimism, but I think you have foolish thoughts if you really think there's a comparison or actual competition. Just an option, which isn't a bad thing," he said.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported in recent weeks that virtually everyone in the WWE locker room outside of around five people had reached out to AEW, with Reigns being one of the names who has not, so his comments here are not surprising. And given Reigns' position as one of WWE's most-pushed stars, it wouldn't make much sense for him to inquire with AEW.

While from the start, AEW's television numbers are not likely to rival WWE's, they will be a growing company looking to establish an audience and go from there. Nobody knows what the landscape will look like one year from now, let alone several years down the road.

However, it would seem that the start of AEW has pushed WWE to make some changes and acknowledge that their creative in recent months has not been good. Look no further than the recent hiring of Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff to head creative for RAW and SmackDown, respectively. Does that happen without an AEW right now? It's hard to say for sure, but the advent of another wrestling company that can pay performers on-par with WWE contracts and give wrestlers (and fans) another option is a great thing for the industry as a whole, on the creative side as well as the business side.