Recently departed WWE talent Carlito has offered his perspective on the significant evolution of the company’s backstage culture, attributing the positive changes to the leadership of Paul “Triple H” Levesque and the industry presence of AEW.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Carlito described a past environment under former chairman Vince McMahon where talent was kept “walking on eggshells,” a dynamic he believes was fostered because WWE was the only major promotion in the industry. He stated that the existence of a viable alternative in AEW has fundamentally altered that power structure.
“I don’t mean to knock on Vince [McMahon], but, you know, he seemed to have his certain things you have to do this way and the next day it changed, whatever, you know, certain rules, just stupidity. They liked people walking around on eggshells. Because it was the only game in town and they liked the boys knowing that, you know what I mean? I think now that with AEW being around too, it’s helped. They cant — they know they can’t bully because there’s other places for people to go. That’s added to it,” Carlito stated.
In addition to the competitive landscape, Carlito also credited Levesque and a generational shift for improving the overall professional atmosphere within WWE, noting that many of the negative aspects are now gone.
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“But I think Hunter’s done a good job too of just cleaning all that cr* out. Plus, it’s just a new generation, you just can’t get away with certain things you could before, you know what I mean? And I just like that a bunch of that BS is gone now. People just go there, show up, and do their work,”* Carlito added.
These comments follow the confirmation that Carlito’s most recent contract with WWE was not renewed, with the veteran performer announcing his official status as a free agent just days ago. His latest tenure began in 2023, which saw him align with the LWO before becoming associated with The Judgment Day.
Outside of his WWE departure, Carlito captured the WWC Puerto Rico Title by defeating Ray Gonzalez late last month.
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