In professional wrestling, the ability to move the needle and sell tickets is critical, and few individuals understand that part of the business better than AEW Live Events Vice President Rafael Morffi. He’s worked for WWE and AEW, so he’s seen a wide range of talent, and he confessed to “Talk Is Jericho” that Steve Austin, The Rock, D-Generation X, and Chris Jericho were the ones used to move tickets.
“And Mick [Foley], can’t forget Mick, Mick was a great babyface when Steve went out. After that John Cena, to this day, he’s great,” he said. “I’ll tell you what about John. When it was a media day, when it was 4 in the morning, 4:30, he was there in the hotel ready to go, all business. Rey Mysterio…That man sold tickets.”
Rafael Morffi via Talk Is Jericho
Morffi also credited Batista for selling tickets while champion in WWE, while listing Cody Rhodes, Jericho, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks as big-ticket sellers for AEW since the company’s inception. One of the reasons Jericho has flourished in WWE and AEW is his love of data, since he is one of only four wrestlers that continually asks Morffi for data.
“In my career, there have been four of them that did that for every show, whether they were on the show or not. Steve Austin, CM Punk is one, John Cena is another, and you [Jericho],” he said. “Every show.”
Rafael Morffi via Talk Is Jericho
Rafael Morffi, AEW Live Events Vice President, understands the vital importance of drawing crowds and selling tickets in professional wrestling. With experience in both WWE and AEW, Morffi revealed on the “Talk Is Jericho” podcast that iconic names like Steve Austin, The Rock, D-Generation X, and Chris Jericho were the key figures who consistently moved the needle and generated ticket sales. These legendary wrestlers possessed exceptional charisma and captivating personas that left a lasting impact on the industry, cementing their status as crowd-pullers and contributing significantly to the success of wrestling events.
h/t Wrestling Inc
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