Bryce Remsburg & Stephon Smith Address Bully Ray’s Criticism Of AEW Referees
AEW referees Bryce Remsburg and Stephon Smith have responded to Bully Ray‘s criticism of AEW match officials holding ladders for talent.
In a recent episode of their podcast, “Referee Rant,” Remsburg and Smith noted that holding ladders is part of their job and that it is done to ensure the safety of wrestlers.
The two AEW employees also pointed out that WWE referees have held ladders for talent in the past, contrary to what Bully Ray claimed on social media.
Ray recently took to Twitter and posted a clip of a WWE SummerSlam 2000 ladder match he was part of, claiming that referees didn’t hold ladders for the talent. However, it turns out that ladders were indeed held in the very match Ray referenced.
You can check out the tweets below:
Ray wrote, “No ladders held be Refs. ps…Enjoy the highlights.”
Remsburg replied with the following,
“All are entitled to their own opinion. And this was a different era. But if the option is hold the ladder and help protect our coworkers (and often friends) OR watch them possibly break their necks, I/we will hold the ladder every time.”
Smith later chimed in with the following,
“It’s frustrating that this is still a line of criticism. I get it. There were no ladders held in this match but had someone been seriously injured I’m sure the line of thought would be different. I held the ladder for Darby’s “Coffin Drop” from the ladder at Full Gear ‘22. I held the ladder for Jordan Devlin vs Santos at “Stand & Deliver Night 2” in ‘21 while I was in NXT. Both times I was thanked for ensuring talent wasn’t injured & both times critics said nothing.”
“In both instances production shot the talent tight but in the case of Will that was a split second call by the team & it was the right one. Production (in both companies) always take the ladder climb wide to get the crowd and then tight once they get whatever is there. We’re there to help. To make sure everyone bell to bell is safe regardless of the shot production takes. Talent safety is #1 (in both companies). Sorry the curtain got pulled back too much on live TV but not sorry because it ensured Will had his moment & was safe in the end.”
No ladders held be Refs.
ps…Enjoy the highlights.
https://t.co/J6ClXf1OEj
— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) March 11, 2023
It’s frustrating that this is still a line of criticism. I get it. There were no ladders held in this match but had someone been seriously injured I’m sure the line of thought would be different. https://t.co/2WyphzqcaM
— Stephon Smith (@RefStephonSmith) March 12, 2023
I held the ladder for Darby’s “Coffin Drop” from the ladder at Full Gear ‘22.
I held the ladder for Jordan Devlin vs Santos at “Stand & Deliver Night 2” in ‘21 while I was in NXT.
Both times I was thanked for ensuring talent wasn’t injured & both times critics said nothing.
— Stephon Smith (@RefStephonSmith) March 12, 2023
In both instances production shot the talent tight but in the case of Will that was a split second call by the team & it was the right one. Production (in both companies) always take the ladder climb wide to get the crowd and then tight once they get whatever is there.
— Stephon Smith (@RefStephonSmith) March 12, 2023
We’re there to help. To make sure everyone bell to bell is safe regardless of the shot production takes. Talent safety is #1 (in both companies). Sorry the curtain got pulled back too much on live TV but not sorry because it ensured Will had his moment & was safe in the end.
— Stephon Smith (@RefStephonSmith) March 12, 2023
— YXNG SHARK
(@YXNGSHARK) March 12, 2023
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