The recent episode of “AEW Dynamite” sparked varied reactions within the wrestling community, primarily due to AEW’s decision to broadcast previously unseen footage capturing the backstage altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry at last August’s All In event.
Some observers even speculated that the airing of this footage caused internal division within AEW, particularly focusing on announcer Tony Schiavone, who appeared visibly perturbed immediately after the segment aired.
Tony Schiavone, however, vehemently refuted these assumptions. Speaking on the latest episode of “What Happened When,” Schiavone seized the opportunity to clarify his reactions from last Wednesday’s episode.
He explained that his facial expressions were not indicative of displeasure with AEW but rather a deliberate attempt to enhance the storyline involving The Young Bucks within the context of the broadcast.
“I think it’s hilarious, not hilarious, it’s probably apropos that people can take screenshots and assume anything from a screenshot,” Schiavone remarked.
“My facial reaction to what happened was me…trying to put more heat on the Bucks for being a******s, within the storyline itself.
I did not have any reaction to the footage we saw because I don’t give a damn…So what? So f*****g what? So I was not upset at the promotion, I was not upset at Tony Khan, I was not pissed off about what we had shown.”
Schiavone continued to address the comparisons drawn between AEW’s decision to air the All In footage and notorious moments from WCW’s history, such as the Fingerpoke of Doom.
Rejecting these comparisons outright, Schiavone emphasized his firsthand experience with both companies and stressed the fundamental differences between AEW and WCW.
“Some people are saying ‘Oh, the footage you were showing is like the Fingerpoke of Doom moment for AEW,'”
Schiavone countered.
“Well, you know what? That’s what you want it to be, because you want to see us fail. And there is no way, because I was in both companies, there’s absolutely no way that you can compare us to WCW.
You can’t. You may want to, you may think you’re right…you’re wrong. You cannot compare us to WCW. I was there for both, you were not.”
