WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley recently shared his thoughts on the differences between WWE and AEW, offering a candid assessment of what he believes separates the two promotions in today’s wrestling landscape.
Foley, who made an appearance at AEW Double or Nothing 2026 during the Buy-In pre-show, discussed the topic during an interview with Ariel Helwani. During the conversation, the hardcore wrestling icon praised AEW’s presentation while expressing concerns about what he feels WWE has lost in recent years.
“What I feel from watching the two shows that AEW has that little bit of magic, and WWE has kind of lost it.
I think when you’re part of a corporation and the bottom line is everything, you take away from your midcard by making it clear that what you’re selling is more important than the product in the ring.
I have a lot of young fans who weren’t even born when I was wrestling, and they’ll come up to me and talk to me about matches. Now, I can’t prove this, but I wonder if part of the reason younger audiences are drawn to matches from my era is because we called the matches.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler were locked in on the matches. There weren’t so many things they had to go to that would take people out of that suspension of disbelief.
That’s just a theory on my part, but I think 10 or 20 years down the line, the matches that JR called — whether it was with the King or whether it was with Jim Cornette in WCW — will stand the test of time better than the current matches in WWE.
It seems like the matches are a means to an end instead of something to be enjoyed for themselves.
So I just feel like, at this point, AEW has a personal ownership that shows in a way. There’s a love and a feeling of magic that I don’t think the corporate ownership of WWE displays nearly as well.”
Foley’s comments add to the ongoing discussion surrounding the creative and presentation differences between the two major wrestling promotions. While WWE continues to thrive as part of TKO Group Holdings and remains the industry’s global leader, AEW has often been praised by fans and wrestlers alike for its emphasis on in-ring competition and wrestling-focused storytelling.
As someone who experienced multiple eras of professional wrestling and enjoyed legendary runs in WWE, WCW, and ECW, Foley’s perspective carries significant weight whenever he discusses the evolution of the industry.
His remarks are likely to spark debate among fans, particularly regarding the role commentary, match presentation, and corporate influence play in shaping the modern wrestling product.
