Pro-wrestling star Sabatino Piscitelli, who fans will remember as Tino Sabbatelli in WWE, was the latest guest on Insight With Chris Van Vilet to discuss his temporary run in AEW back in 2020, which came at the heels of his first release from WWE’s NXT brand.
Sabbatelli began the interview by revealing that he unknowingly burned his bridge with AEW President Tony Khan, stating that he thinks it’s because he decided to return to WWE after his debut match on Dark.
“So here’s the thing. I don’t know what happened or where it went wrong, this is the truth, that bridge was burned, and I don’t know how. Tony Khan knows me from football, and when WWE offered me that contract, I actually texted Billy Gunn about it. They [AEW] hadn’t offered me anything, Triple H was the one who offered me something. I sent a nice text to Billy Gunn to thank me for the opportunity and I thought it was all good. But when I got released again, someone reached out to AEW and said to Tony Khan ‘Tino is a free agent and he’s going to be a star.”
He adds that Andrade El Idolo at one pointed wanted him in a group but Khan said no.
3 months ago, Andrade approaches me and said that he wanted me to be in a group with him. Me and Andrade have always had a good relationship. But he texted me personally and we shot a vignette together. He wanted to bring a group like Evolution to AEW. We shot the video and spent the whole day in Miami. He texted me back and said ‘Tony Khan likes the idea but no Tino.’ I’m like what do you mean? I would love to sit and talk to Tony.”
Shortly after Sabbatelli’s AEW run a rumor had circulated that he was the cause of several AEW spoilers being released to the public, an accusation that the former NFL star now laughs off as he admits that he is an internet dummy and doesn’t even use social media.
“Oh man I had to laugh. If anybody knows me, I don’t know where to begin with this. I am an internet dummy, I don’t know what a dirt sheet is, I am not on Twitter and I don’t use Instagram. So when someone tagged me and said ‘You hear what Chris Jericho said about you.’ What was it, NXT reject? At first I ignored it but people started to bring it up more and more, so I started to look into it. I’m like what is this dude talking about? For me to go on the internet and speak on something that I know nothing about? No disrespect, I don’t care about that much.”
Sabbatelli credits WWE Hall of Famer Billy Gunn for getting him through the AEW door, but it appears his one match on Dark caught the attention of Triple H, who reached out to him after the bout had aired.
“So then AEW comes into play, AEW calls me. Billy Gunn calls me and says ‘Sabby, show up to Jacksonville.’ They don’t tell me anything, I show up and I see my name on the board. I’m like wow, I have a match? I mean OK I will do it. So I had this match on AEW Dark, it was a tag team match, but they didn’t tell me anything. They didn’t offer me anything, it was a vague trip. But that same week coach Bloom texted me and said congratulations. I shot him a text back saying ‘Thank you but I didn’t sign anything.’ The next day Triple H reaches out to me.
Later in the interview Sabbatelli reflects on his time in WWE, and whether he thinks he would ever return if called upon.
(Thanks to Chris Van Vilet for sending us quotes)
