Shawn Dean on What He Looks For In Talent He Recruits as AEW Extra Coordinator & Him Not Being Interested In Going to WWE In Future

A recent episode of the King of Kings podcast featured AEW and Ring of Honor talent and AEW Extras Coordinator Capt. Shawn Dean as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Dean’s thoughts about what he looks for in talent that he recruits to do extra work for AEW.

“One of those things that I look for when I’m out there scouting is, are you TV ready? Are you looking at who you see as a star, and how do they look? I’m not saying you have to look like them, dress like them, but see what they’re doing. What is your style? What are you about? Then apply that and put it together. Then, can you wrestle? I can teach anybody can learn how to wrestle. I honestly believe, my trainer, QT (Marshall), he said ‘We can teach you to move, I can’t teach you personality.’ That’s real. We’re out here doing the moves, and that’s cool, but let’s get the crowd invested in more than just your moves, why else are they going to come see you? Do you have a character that’s going to grip them? Another thing I’ll tell them, work on your characters. Moves, you can learn the moves. Work on your character, make the crowd want to see you. TV ready, character, learning your craft. I’m not saying you’ve got to be a historian, but learn ring psychology.”

Dean also gave his thoughts about how he is not interested in the idea of leaving AEW and potentially going to WWE in the future.

“I think at the moment, I don’t, and that’s just because at AEW I’ve carved out a lane for myself. I’ve put myself in a position to where I’m respected by my peers, I’m making a difference, and I’m a part of something that’s growing, something that’s going to be around for a long time. So for me, even if that time was to come in 10-15 years, and 10-15 years, I don’t plan on wrestling that long. So I’m already in a position now where I’m changing the future and establishing the next crop of people. So for me at the moment, right now AEW is where my heart is at. AEW took a chance on me and put me in a position to be able to get people to go to other places if it’s not AEW. They’re going to the WWE, they’re going to TNA, they’re in MLW, they’re going overseas, and a lot of them have got these opportunities based off of something they did on AEW Dark. Something that they probably would have never got a chance to do on the other side. AEW has opened the door for so many people to get exposure, that it’s really crazy how it changed the game for wrestling in general. Because you went from one entity running the whole thing, to now you got another one that’s producing just as much talent, if not better talent on this side. So I want to be on a side where we’re continuing to change and grow and knowing that I got a part in that. Like, that’s my place in history, and I choose legacy over fame any day.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com 1 & 2