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Legendary WWE referee Mike Chioda was recently a guest on Wrestling Inc Daily. Chioda was released from WWE earlier this year in April after 31 years with the company. Since his release, Chioda has refereed a handful of matches in AEW. He revealed during the interview that he is currently signed to a part-time deal with AEW.
Mike Chioda compares how WWE and AEW produce referees
During his appearance on Wrestling Inc Daily, Mike Chioda compared how WWE and AEW produce referees, saying that the process was very different:
It's very different to be honest with you. Similar in certain ways but very different. There's only about six referees I believe over there right now. WWE has 17 referees, but they go by the rules. They try to stick by the rules and stuff like that, and I hear some some things from fans, from feedback that wish they had a little more rules in AEW with referees. And I think the the kids over there and the referees at AEW are doing a fine job. I think they probably get treated a little bit better in AEW than WWE referees.
Mike Chioda also opened up about referees having more freedom in AEW than in WWE. He said that referees in AEW are allowed to have their own merch, giving the example of Aubrey Edwards, unlike in WWE where referees aren't really characters. He also mentioned how Aubrey Edwards is also working on the AEW video game:
I was amazed about that. I was like, 'You can sell shirts, 8 x 10's, do a podcast and do that?' I felt like I was in this bubble for so many years. I'm not gonna knock Vince, Linda, Shane and Stephanie, they gave me a hell of a run, 35 years. Had a hell of a run with them and I appreciate all they've done for me. Talking about from the referee standpoint, they let the referees have their own character. They let them do other shows, do other things, have their own shirts, video games [and] all that. H/T: WrestlingINC
Mike Chioda also revealed that he was once taken out of a WWE video game after asking about royalties.
You can listen to Wrestling Inc Daily HERE.
