As previously noted, WWE issued a statement to TheStar.com about AEW and mentioned “gory self-mutilation that bloodied several women” during the December 31st 2021 edition of AEW Rampage.
AEW’s current television deal with WarnerMedia expires at the end of 2023. Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com noted how this was a tactic by WWE to position the two companies in different ways. Meltzer added that WWE specifically brought up a women’s match instead of a men’s match for “obvious cultural reasons.” AEW has reportedly been getting controversial content cleared by network officials in advance.
Melzer wrote the following in regards to WarnerMedia’s reaction to the quote:
“Sources noted that WarnerMedia was upset about the WWE quote, taking it as an attempt at a personal attack against the company in an attempt to hurt their ad sales.”
After WWE’s quote about AEW went viral, an open letter that Vince McMahon had written to Ted Turner in 1996 resurfaced:
“Dear Ted: Since there has been no response to my repeated request that you and your pro-wrasslin’ company stop the practice of self mutilation, I can only assume based upon the last two weeks of Nitro that the practice of self mutilation (slicing oneself with a razor blade) is not only condoned but encouraged. As you know, Hulk Hogan has been bleeding all over the place the past two weeks. There have been numerous references on your wrasslin’ programming that this weekend’s double cage match will be so violent that one opponent will be ‘bleeding to the point of no recognition.’ This encouraged practice of self mutilation is disgusting, violent, potentially infectious, and completely contradictory to your testimony before Congress in June of 1993 and contrary to your 1995 participation of ‘Voices against Violence.’ Notwithstanding numerous unprecedented predatory practices against the World Wrestling Federation, if you continue to promote self mutilation, I hope your stockholders hold you accountable for this unethically, guttural, potentially unhealthy practice.”
Just revisiting the open letter Vince McMahon sent to Ted Turner (and all the dirty dirty dirtsheets).
Dear Ted, I wrote you but you still ain't callin'. pic.twitter.com/pk2zNYr0DZ
— Dan (@GolazoDan) July 31, 2021
Here was Tay Conti’s response to the WWE quote about AEW:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ? pic.twitter.com/lAw1cm5oVB
— TAYNARA MELO (@TayConti_) January 15, 2022
