AJ Styles & Arik Cannon’s Social Media Argument Over Claims Avery Styles Did Not Help Out at GCW Event Update – Paul Wight Responds Saying “Paying Your Dues” Exists Just For “Old-Timers” To Bully Younger Talent

As noted before, WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles and indies wrestler Arik Cannon were involved in an online incident on social media earlier this month over an argument revolving around Cannon’s claims that Styles’ son Avery did not help out with the ring setup at an event for Game Changer Wrestling this past July and Styles stating that his son was only paid to wrestle and not do other work. This dispute originated after Cannon had responded to recent comments from Nattie who had praised Avery for being someone who was “paying his dues” for his wrestling career. Over the past week, GCW, Cody Rhodes, Lexis King, Nic Nemeth, Nattie, and Matt Hardy have been among those who responded to the controversy involving Avery and him not “setting up the chairs.” AJ recently gave his and Avery’s side of the story of the “chairs” controversy.

A recent episode of TMZ’s Inside The Ring podcast featured Paul Wight as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Wight’s thoughts about the Avery Styles situation and his belief that “paying your dues” in wrestling just exists as a way for “old-timers” to bully and intimidate younger talent. Wight also gave his thoughts about how he cares more if a younger wrestler has a good attitude, is drawing money, and is a net positive to a show than punishing them into doing things that are not their responsibility under “paying your dues” reasons.

“How much can you swear on this show? F*** that bullsh*t,” Wight said about paying dues. “Paying your dues, to me, is an old-timer’s way of intimidating and bullying and f***ing with the younger talent for no goddamn reason. If a talent comes in respectful with a good attitude — don’t come in like you own the place, don’t have an attitude — but why should you take heat because your athleticism, your look, or what opportunities you’ve been given, you’ve been successful on? Why should someone hold that against you? Because you didn’t drive for 35 dollars a night and you didn’t set up some broken, torn-ass-down ring and you didn’t struggle for all this stuff? Okay, why punish somebody for that?”

Wight also gave his thoughts about his belief that veterans should inspire and help the next generation of wrestlers but he does have a three-strike rule when it comes how he won’t waste time trying to help someone if they refuse to listen to him three times.

Wight also gave his thoughts about how the old way of paying dues is outdated and does not see the difference between promoting a show on social media and the way young wrestlers used to put up flyers for it.

“What are paying the dues now? You know, the business has changed so much. These kids have brands now with social media and they understand TikTok and Instagram and Twitter. They are smoking it on that and building their brand and extending their brand. What’s the difference between them doing that or riding up and down the road sticking 8×10 sheets of paper to a telephone pole to let everybody know that everybody’s wrestling at the armory that night? I think it all depends on the talent, and I think it depends on their attitude toward the business.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com