Jim Cornette and AEW haven’t exactly been on the same page over the years, but D-Von Dudley believes Tony Khan should seriously consider bringing the outspoken wrestling veteran into the company.
While speaking on the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, the conversation turned to Cornette after D-Von and Duke discussed New Jack’s memorable Smoky Mountain Wrestling promos. D-Von credited Cornette for knowing how to push the envelope without losing sight of what made professional wrestling work.
“Jim believed in pushing the envelope to the edge. And, you know, he knew what worked in professional wrestling.”
As the conversation continued, D-Von pointed to something he’s noticed throughout his career. In his view, many of wrestling’s biggest stars have consistently spoken highly of Cornette’s knowledge of the business.
“I’ve noticed that the most successful wrestlers put Jim Cornette over. I’ve always noticed that, and I’ve always found that interesting.”
D-Von went on to explain why he thinks Cornette has earned that level of respect. He argued that Cornette understands the wrestling business and compared his ability to develop talent to Paul Heyman’s.
“And they didn’t know how to work. They didn’t know how the business worked. Jim does. And anybody that Jim has been with and taught, just like Heyman, they got over.”
D-Von also admitted he’s a regular listener of Cornette’s podcast because he appreciates how direct he is, even when his opinions aren’t always popular.
“You know, I love listening to his podcast. I love looking at his YouTube stuff and all of that because he’s very real in what he says. Very real. And, you know, a lot of people don’t like to hear that, but it’s the truth. You know, that’s one of—that’s one of the things.”
That eventually led D-Von to offer some advice for Tony Khan. He said wrestling no longer has legendary creative minds like Pat Patterson or Vince McMahon around every promotion, which is why he believes AEW should at least consider bringing in someone like Cornette.
“You know, if I was Tony Khan, you know, I said there are no more Pat Pattersons, you know, and even though Vince had helped during the Hogan and Andre and the Attitude Era, there are no Vince McMahons either.”
“So, my thing is, you know, why not try to get a guy like Jim Cornette to come in? Because I tell you what, he would shake up everything.”
Whether that would ever happen is another story. Cornette has been one of AEW’s most outspoken critics since the company launched, making the idea seem highly unlikely. Still, D-Von clearly believes someone with Cornette’s experience could make a real difference behind the scenes.
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What do you think? Should Tony Khan ever consider bringing Jim Cornette into AEW? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
