Mike Chioda:
“AEW’s rules with the refs, I can’t – it’s hard for me to watch it. I want to go back to referees because, you know, I watch it. I watch the show. And it’s just hard to watch as a referee when they’re just acknowledging the tag in, but not acknowledging the five count out of the corner, or the five count off the ropes, and not even acknowledging the 10 counts pretty much. It’s basically count a false finish or count the finish.
(In WWE) we made it where you had rules. The only thing I didn’t like is when Vince cut our fucking names off, and he heard some referee’s name years ago just being announced on commentary and he said, ‘Who the fuck is this guy?’. They said, ‘It’s the referee Vince’. ‘Well why the fuck am I hearing a referee’s fucking name Goddamnit. I don’t wanna hear any more fucking referee’s names’, and I’m like, ‘What?’.
They’re building Aubrey (Edwards) and doing a great job and she’s Chris Jericho’s referee, and I wish I was in AEW right now training these guys. I know I can help.
Cody wanted me (in AEW) and there was a lot of guys that pushing for me like Taz, Jim Ross… a ton of guys. Tony Khan’s not high on referees, bro. I mean, he didn’t want me there to train them, and Cody wanted me to do a lot of their pay-per-views, but they axed me after like three shows. That was it.”
Personally I think that
All Elite Wrestling's disregard for the pro wrestling rules and the inconsistencies with their referees is a MAJOR reason that the promotion isn't dramatically more popular with wrestling fans. Mike Chioda training their referees isn't just something that they should want, it's something that they NEED!
but here we are
