During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray (Bubba Ray Dudley) discussed several topics, including his belief that AEW should counter-program WWE’s WrestleMania 43 with their own event in the U.S.
This is what Bully Ray said, “During WrestleMania of 2027, put on an event in the United States, WrestleMania-esque for the people here, for the WrestleCon to piggyback off of, for the independent wrestling companies to piggyback off of. It’s right there in front of him, man. Do the show in like Chicago. This is your opportunity to put on an event for the United States where [you say], ‘Okay wrestling fans, if they want to take their show all the way over there, fine. Here is what we’re doing.’”
On how AEW should offer a free show to go against WWE’s greed:
“This would be a great opportunity for AEW to counter program the biggest show on WWE’s calendar. And since the perception is the WWE is being greedy and they’re going after all the money, this is all about money, this decision to go to Saudi. What’s the opposite of going after the money and only being about money? The opposite is free.”
On how Tony Khan can afford to put on a show like this:
“Listen, if anybody can afford to throw money at a show like that, it’s Tony. He does have disposable money. And think about the perception that you would create if you did a free event the same night as WrestleMania. If Tony doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity, where there is no competition in the United States on that day, where there is nobody standing up because it’s not like the WWE is going to be able to come back and go, ‘Well, we’re going to put on a show in Chicago that day.’ Also, they’re not going to counter program WrestleMania with their own programming.”
On how it would be a chance for AEW and Tony Khan to show that they care:
“Here is the opportunity we’ve been talking about for a while to create a perception of what AEW is and what AEW means to wrestling fans and what you can do to get eyes on your product. Give wrestling fans what you call the greatest pro wrestling on the planet. Give it to them. Give WrestleCon an opportunity. Give the Indies an opportunity. Allow AEW to become the center of the wrestling universe in the United States.”
On who deserves WrestleMania more:
“Here I will use a word that I hate using in pro wrestling — deserve. England, the UK, deserves a WrestleMania before Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has earned WrestleMania.”
On how it’s unlikely anyone in the room with the TKO leadership could convince them of another country or city being more deserving:
“Who in the room, when the decision is being made, when the final decision is being made, and we’re going, ‘All right, guys, we’re going to go to Saudi. Does anybody object to this? Does anybody have anything they want to add? Does anything, does anybody have anything to say?’ And Dave LaGreca raises his hand in the room and goes, ‘Well, Hunter, well, Nick, well, Mr. Ari, England and the UK really deserve it first.’ You think you got a leg to stand up?”
You can check out the complete podcast below.
