This AEW star has weighed in on the latest debate surrounding high-risk offense in wrestling.
Speaking on his My World podcast, Jeff Jarrett shared his perspective on criticism of dangerous wrestling moves from the likes of William Regal and Arn Anderson. Arguing that the style in question is part of wrestling’s evolution, much like any other sport, Jarrett said:
“The industry is not going in reverse. If you look at the game of football… the sport has evolved. Basketball used to not have a three-point shot… All sports evolve. It’s just an evolution. The athletes today… they’re bigger, faster, stronger, period. The style of wrestling is not going in reverse, in my opinion.”
The AEW Director of Business Development further emphasized his point by stressing the importance of “preventive care,” linking it to the significant strides made in medicine and nutrition.
“The guys that are doing it, to me, you got two choices. Regal and Arn are 100% true because, left untreated or not figuring out how to do preventive [care]… you’re headed for an injury.” [H/T: WrestlingNews.co]
AJ Francis fires shots at fans after William Regal’s message
TNA star AJ Francis did not mince words when sharing his take on the debate. In a series of posts on X, the former Top Dolla basically called out fans for making a mockery of his botched suicide dive on SmackDown a couple of years ago.
Francis followed up by saying that fans tried to ruin his career by constantly bringing up the spot from four years ago, pointing out the double standards among the internet wrestling community.
“Yall literally tried to ruin my career, mental health and LIFE about ONE SPOT 4 YEARS AGO… and CONSTANTLY bring that shit up. But as soon as one yall faves almost gets hurt, or someone else gets ‘bullied’ online yall stand on a f*cking soapbox to protect them. YALL ALL FRAUDS,” he wrote.
William Regal’s comments seemingly stemmed from the straightjacket suplex spot involving Kyle Fletcher and Jon Moxley at AEW Worlds End. In a lengthy response, Regal highlighted his own struggles with neck injuries before citing the tragic death of legendary pro wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa as a stark reminder of how dangerous certain moves and spots can be.
Regal’s remarks received support from WWE Superstar Piper Niven, who is also dealing with neck issues. Former AEW World Champion Kenny Omega likewise praised the veteran for his words of wisdom, while calling out certain fans for turning a positive message into wrestling tribalism.
READ MORE: Josh Alexander Clarifies His Comments Towards William Regal
