Major League Wrestling (MLW) openweight champion Austin Aries stated that while he understands the entertainment value of professional wrestling, he harbors reservations about celebrities entering the sport. Aries, who described himself as a "traditionalist," expressed concern that outside performers may be given opportunities that could otherwise go to those who have dedicated their careers to perfecting their craft.
"I think balance is key, right? I'm probably more of a traditionalist in a lot of sense, but I also understand at the end of the day this is entertainment," Aries told OutKick. "And so, even going back to, the first WrestleMania, I mean, it was about bringing in celebrities. I grew up more of a rasslin’ fan as opposed to a sports entertainment fan. So, I'll always kind of skew towards being more traditional."
He added that for many wrestlers who have spent years honing their skills, seeing celebrities receive preferential treatment can be disheartening. "And also, I think the important part is, for a lot of us who have, like, this has been our career, we've had to work very hard for a very long time to perfect what we do. And to take someone because they're a celebrity and roll out a red carpet and let them take shortcuts and let them do things in a way that kind of skirts all that hard work that a lot of us men and women have put in, frankly, it can be insulting. It can be disrespectful at points," Aries said.
Aries acknowledged the business aspect of drawing larger audiences but emphasized that it should not come at the expense of the regular roster. "I understand about wanting to sell more tickets and get more eyes on the product, but you can't do that at the expense of the people that are in there week in and week out putting the work in."
Historically, professional wrestling has integrated celebrities into its events. WrestleMania I, for instance, featured appearances from figures like Mr. T, Cyndi Lauper, and Muhammad Ali. More recently, WWE has involved artists such as Jelly Roll and Lil Yachty.
Aries' comments came before his appearance on MLW's "Fusion," where he defended his MLW Openweight Championship in a three-way match against Místico and Averno. He emerged victorious from the bout, also taking Místico's mask.
MLW "Fusion" is broadcast on Saturdays on YouTube, beIN Sports, and Veeps.