Tony Schiavone Avoids WWE/NXT Current Programming, Urges House Shows

Tony Schiavone, a senior producer and lead announcer for All Elite Wrestling, said on his podcast that he does not watch current WWE or NXT programming because he does not want outside content to influence how he calls matches or works behind the scenes. He also urged a return to nontelevised live events, saying regular house shows are essential for giving wrestlers the in-ring repetitions needed to develop under a live crowd.

"I have no interest in watching WWE or NXT current stuff," Schiavone said, explaining he prefers to focus on AEW and help the company "cut our own path." He added, "The current stuff, I'll just watch our stuff and not let anything they do in the WWE influence how I call a match or what I do."

Schiavone said his decision to avoid modern WWE is not a rejection of wrestling history. He said he watches older independent shows, classic ECW and past WWE and NXT matches, citing the Sasha Banks versus Bayley bout as, in his view, one of the greatest women's matches he has seen. He said those historical matches help him appreciate the performers he now knows from years in the business.

On the role of house shows, Schiavone argued that training facilities and...