AJ Styles and Cody Rhodes have shared their perspectives on how wrestlers should approach disagreements and frustrations with the creative process.
During an episode of What Do You Wanna Talk About?, Rhodes acknowledged that there are creative ideas he doesn’t necessarily love, but said he views the process as a collaborative effort and saves his strongest objections for issues he believes are worth fighting for.
Cody: “I have plenty of things that I’m like, ‘I don’t love that.’ But if there’s a collaborative effort here, there’ll be something bigger that I’d really fight for. But we’re all working together, if that makes any sense.”
Styles responded by arguing that wrestlers shouldn’t complain about an idea unless they can offer a better alternative.
Styles: “Right, and if you don’t have a better idea, then don’t say anything at all.”
Cody: “Oh, man, don’t complain until you have the better idea.”
Styles then expanded on his philosophy, explaining that he ultimately views it as the writers’ responsibility to develop storylines and his responsibility as a performer to execute what is given to him.
“Don’t say anything if you got nothing. It may suck, but since you didn’t come up with anything else, shut up and do the job.
It’s the writer’s job to come up with whatever storyline they want, and it’s my job to do what they have laid out and perform. That’s my job.
And sometimes their ideas are a lot better than mine, and sometimes, every once in a while, you might have an idea that certainly does work, but it doesn’t mean you’re gonna get it.
You know, just because it does, doesn’t mean you’re gonna get to pitch it. Doesn’t mean you’re going to get to do it.”
Styles’ comments highlighted the balance between offering creative input and accepting that performers will not always get their preferred ideas onto WWE television.
