Scott DAmore discusses criticism of AEW and Impact’s working relationship

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In a recent interview with Pwinsider, Scott DAmore, Director of Impact Wrestling, commented on criticism regarding the ongoing working relationship between AEW and Impact, the Slammiversary pay-per-view event tomorrow night, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:

On Sami Callihan being the man to challenge Kenny Omega at Slammiversary: ​​I loved your analogy where basically Supermans out of the game and his Lex Luthor having to stop and try to save the day what I think they’ve got done once or twice if you follow TV shows, movies and definitely comics. But look, Sami Callihan is a guy who eats, sleeps and breathes Impact Wrestling. So love it, hate it, one thing has always been someone who, as we like to say in the industry, has raised the flag. I think I was pretty consistent in Rebellion when it was the title vs. title match with Rich Swann and Kenny Omega and since. I have always said that personally, I have no problem with Kenny Omega as the Impact world champion. Kenny Omega is one of the best, most talented and most creative wrestlers, not only currently but in the history of the sport. So I really have no problem with Kenny Omega walking around as the Impact world champion. Many others are doing it. Many other people think he has to come home, that he has to rest with an Impact talent.

Boy, what a unique story with Sami Callihan, a guy who was the bad guy of the bad guys. If this is the guy who ultimately does this. And I think he’s a great representative in a way for Impact Wrestling in the past, it went on for many years. Impact Wrestling is a business that has been credited many times, much like Sami Callihan. Impact Wrestling might have been people looked past and overlooked it kinda like they had the Sami Callihan, but Impact Wrestling was out there night after night and happening, going on night and night. every Thursday night every Impact Plus special has an amazing show and performance just like Sami Callihan and Impact Wrestling just like Sami Callihan from myself across everyone in this organization loves and has a passion for professional wrestling . So for all his dastardly and everything in some ways Sami Callihan really isn’t the guy you’d ever pick and say he’s the guy we want to be our poster kid. I heard Josh Matthews say that Sami Callahan might not be the person we chose, but he might be the person we need. And he’s definitely someone who’s ready to go out there, ready to do whatever I think Sami has delivered every time he puts in a key, whether it’s Bound for Glory, whether it’s Slammiversary. , wherever he was put in the slot, to go there and have a main event style, a world title style match. I think Sami has always done this. And I’m glad to see him and Kenny this Saturday.

On the criticism that Impact doesn’t pull as much as AEW out of their relationship: Yeah, it’s funny, because sometimes I look at things and I see, and there are people who say, well, Impact doesn’t not getting enough. I see other people saying: Impact pulls it all from there. Were not locked and nested between the two companies. Which, as I said, doesn’t always have to be. From our perspective, we brought in Kenny Omega and made a number of appearances on Impact Wrestling. The Good Brothers went there and made numerous appearances on AEW. We brought in Matt Hardy, which is a good time to have that feeling process when there’s so much bitterness and everything between Matt Hardy and Impact Wrestling, stuff like that.

I think there has certainly been a recovery in business associated with it. I think there will always be wrestling fans who will point out a little hollow or a little inconvenience. But the point is, we were just dating Rebellion, our most successful pay-per-view, I won’t tell in history, but certainly in the last decade. A great success, from a financial point of view, a great success from an optical point of view, as much as for the quality of the show. And with regard to coverage and scope. We have a digital department that is growing exponentially almost day by day. We continue to expand, where we can deliver our show around the world. Are there things? Certainly. Can you sit there and say, Hey, I prefer it to be this way or this, or this way? Sure. But you have two completely independent companies coming together. If we can agree on something big. We are doing it. If we can’t agree on something, but one side wants it and the other doesn’t, I mean it doesn’t happen. And it’s good.

So we were in a position like, I certainly think, with Don Callis and the Good Brothers doing their work in AEW. I think AEW certainly got something out of it. And I think with Kenny and others appearing on our show, I mean, I know we got value out of it both for the bottom line and for the buzz, which in many ways is just as valuable or sometimes more precious than the pure result. So I think it’s been a great relationship. I think Tony Khan and the people there have been very good in their approach and in their openness. And I’m happy for them and for all of their successes, and I’m proud to be associated with doing business with them.

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