Seth Rollins’ AEW Reference on Raw Draws Surprise from Wrestling Legend Bully Ray

One Big Thing

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins made waves by directly referring to AEW as “the competition” during his Raw segment with CM Punk, breaking WWE’s usual protocol of avoiding direct mentions of their rival promotion.

Why It Matters

This rare acknowledgment of AEW on WWE programming marks a significant shift in the company’s approach to addressing competition, potentially signaling a new era of inter-promotional awareness.

Key Details

• The reference occurred during the closing segment of Raw
• WWE has historically avoided mentioning AEW by name since its 2019 launch
• This marks one of the few times WWE has openly acknowledged AEW on air
• The comment came during a heated exchange between Rollins and CM Punk

Expert Analysis

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray expressed surprise on “Busted Open Radio,” stating: “I was shocked because I thought that gave AEW a little bit of ammunition to come out and say, look they just admitted on their own show that we’re competition.

Historical Context

• Sami Zayn previously mentioned AEW during a 2019 Raw segment
• AEW regularly references WWE in their programming
• WWE typically uses indirect terms like “the opposition” when referring to other companies

What’s Next

Seth Rollins and CM Punk will face off next week in the main event of Raw’s debut episode on Netflix, adding extra significance to this developing story.

By The Numbers

• 4+ years since AEW’s founding in 2019
• 2 documented instances of direct AEW mentions on Raw
• 1st time Seth Rollins has directly referenced AEW on WWE programming

What do you think about WWE’s decision to openly acknowledge AEW as competition? Share your thoughts in the comments below.