Renee Paquette is confident she won’t commentate for AEW, but cannot fully rule out the idea.
Paquette made her debut for AEW on this week’s Dynamite, the first time the show has been held in Canada.
Hours before Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan had confirmed Paquette’s ‘All-Elite’ status with a tweet.
Commentary
Before coming to AEW, Paquette worked as an interviewer in WWE, before rising to the ranks of Raw commentator.
Paquette’s arrival at the desk in September 2018 made her the first female full-time WWE commentator but faced criticism from some fans.
In her first appearance on ‘The Sessions’ since her AEW status was confirmed, Paquette was asked if she’d commentate for AEW.
“No. I shouldn’t say no, but I also feel like anyone who just heard you [co-host Emilio Sparks] ask, probably had the same reaction. ‘No thanks, we don’t need that. We don’t want that.’ And that’s always how I felt about it… People had such a negative reaction to it, and it just wasn’t the thing that I wanted it to be.”
While Paquette isn’t interested in the role, she still could not fully rule out the idea of commentating.
“If the opportunity made sense and it was something that everyone was on the same page about, maybe, but I just don’t see that being what I want to do.”
Being All-Elite
Paquette’s AEW arrival comes over two years after leaving WWE, where she worked as Renee Young.
Speaking about signing with AEW, Paquette said that it was more-so her husband [AEW World Champion Jon Moxley] who made the first step.
“For as much as I’d been around a lot, I’d never really talked to Tony about coming into AEW. A lot of it, and this is probably going to sound bad, and I’m sure people are going to take this out of context. Honestly, a lot of it was talking to Jon. Of being like ‘man, I want to get back in the wrestling world. I miss being around it. I miss doing stuff.’ So most of our conversations were internally between Jon and I.
“Him [Moxley] and Tony are obviously very close. They spend tons of time talking about things, so I think it was more so them talking about it. I think a lot of people thought I was done with wrestling to a degree.”
When asked later on, Paquette said that once the discussions about her joining AEW started, it did not take long for a deal to be struck.
“It all happened really fast. It literally happened so fast. Jon and I had been talking about it, and then the next day, my manager is calling me being like ‘oh yeah, they’re reaching out. I’m getting the contract through.'”
Feeling Displaced
Paquette made her on-screen AEW debut this week, but it was hardly the first time she had been at an event.
Being married to Moxley, Paquete is said to have been a regular behind the scenes before signing.
Early into the podcast, she explained how while she enjoyed her time as a guest of AEW, she never felt quite right.
“It was always sort of an odd displaced sort of feeling anytime I went to shows with Jon. Because I’m always used to being at shows, but working and being useful and contributing. So being there for the duration of Jon being at AEW and not doing that… It’s just a different feeling going there as a guest as opposed to now.
Differences with WWE
Paquette is excited to work with AEW, and has done plenty over the past two years, but is well aware that her name was made as part of WWE.
AEW allows their talent more freedom in their work, something that Paquette is very excited for.
“This is going to be a very different situation with AEW. Because my time with WWE was very much ‘here’s the interview, here’s the script. This is what we’re going to do.’ That’s now how AEW operates, so that is exciting for me.
“Now I get to actually interview people, if that makes sense? I mean, I was reading scripts before and I enjoy doing that. But this is different, actually interviewing people about things.”
Not Taking Shots
Paquette is the latest WWE alum to be welcomed with open arms by Tony Khan, who has never shied away from taking digs at WWE.
Much like the company President, AEW talent aren’t opposed to jibes about the competition, something that Paquette wants no part of.
“People become very territorial about WWE vs. AEW and all that. I want nothing to do with any of that. I love so many people at both companies.WWE was so great to me for years. Of course, I could have my gripes about things, but who couldn’t about any job?”
Paquette’s first assignment took place on this week’s AEW Dynamite, interviewing fellow WWE veteran Christian Cage.
