Cody Rhodes knows AEW doesn’t do itself any service by running a “sloppy shop” and made clear that the well being of the talent is “paramount” when it comes to the protocols that they continue to develop behind the scenes on the safety side of the pro wrestling business.
During the AEW Full Gear media call, Cody was asked about the protocols taken and the lessons learned from after the AEW roster had suffered some concerning in-ring injuries as of recent and the Executive EVP opened the book to how their system is always evolving.
“Well the main thing we have to take in consideration is the actual what is really happening, not what we’re presenting on TV that could be a little bit of the gray area where ‘I think he or she is hurt but perhaps they or not,'” Cody said in relation to fan and pundit feedback after scary in-ring incidents occur. “We have to take into account what is really happening. Did such and such take a shot to the chin? Are they out on their feet? And medical protocol is evolving with the company: full disclosure, after this call there’s a full talent, all personnel meeting with Chris Nowinski about concussion protocol. So we have to take into account what is really happening and the medical protocols are evolving with the company.
“Talent safety – talent, health and safety. Your ability to do this and then go home to your wife or your husband and your children and your ability to continue doing this is paramount. It absolutely is so, so significant. So you have to be able to plow through the background noise and the arm chair quarterbacking of it all and take a look at what the situation really is. We have a wonderful team medical here that is lead by Doc Sampson. We have [AEW Head Trainer] Bryce [Ready] there leading the charge with the training. Our training room protocols are lovely and we’re even doing on-site rehab. There’s a lot of wonderful things we’re doing and we are evolving as a company and we are learning and that’s learning from the things we do right and the things we don’t do right, but again, talent safety is paramount. It’s paramount to me personally just as a performer but also paramount in this role as an executive.
“Wrestling is violent and I think some fans have forgot just how violent it can be, but it should never be so violent that you’re injured. I even said in an interview not too long ago, ‘You’ll always be hurt, but you should never be injured,” talking about wrestling and I want to make sure that our boys and girls are always healthy and always happy and that their families trust us when they give us their bodies like they do. So short answer: concussion protocols, medical protocols are evolving daily with an effort of only bettering them. We do ourselves no service by running a sloppy shop or not having those protocols. We need those protocols and we do have them.”
(Transcription credit should go to @DominicDeAngelo of WrestleZone)
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