Former AEW wrestler Slim J recently appeared on the “Talking Indys” podcast to talk about his employment stint with Tony Khan’s AEW promotion and his release from the company. Highlights from the podcast are as follows:
During the discussion, Slim J opened up about his AEW contract saying, “My engagement with AEW was on a per-appearance basis. Fortunately, I had my insurance covered through my primary job. However, for those trying to make a living solely from this, regardless of the terms of the contract, it’s not enough to just treat it as ‘I’m a wrestler now, I’ve made it’. There’s a need to maintain the hustle and keep striving.”
Slim J was notified about his AEW departure by Tony Schiavone. Reacting to this, he stated, “The wrestling business isn’t primarily driven by money. It’s sort of analogous to the NFL or other high-profile sports. A multitude of people neither make it nor even get the opportunity for a spear at making it. Though I was fortunate to get numerous opportunities and contracts, I can’t unequivocally say I was fully utilized or leveraged to my utmost potential. Does that disappoint me? Absolutely. But will it grind me to a halt or decimate me? Absolutely not. I have had numerous challenging experiences that were harder to process, those go way beyond getting a call from Tony Schiavone saying they’re terminating my contract.”
Speaking about how fans didn’t get to see the full potential of his character, he said, “True, I made that statement and I was emotional when I did, but it wasn’t negative in any sense. I didn’t bash anyone, nor did I besmirch anyone’s reputation. I am exceedingly grateful for my AEW opportunity. All I did was illuminate what I believe the fans didn’t get to witness — an unfiltered view of my character and my commitment, giving it my all, 110%, every time. While my work isn’t flawless, I am well-aware of the fact. My eyes aren’t closed to reality.”
The episode of the “Talking Indys” podcast featuring Slim J can be viewed in the embedded video below.