Corey Graves offers sage advice against a risky maneuver seen on AEW, receives backlash

Patrik Walker

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Corey Graves offers sage advice against a risky maneuver seen on AEW, receives backlash image

Corey Graves, one of the ringside announcers mostly housed on WWE SmackDown, was sick to his stomach about one scene in particular at AEW Dynamite: Blood and Guts on Wednesday. It wasn’t the thumb tacks superkick, or the gasoline being poured onto someone, or any of the other rehearsed violence.

It was one that forced him to push kayfabe to the side because of his own personal experience in the ring — being a former superstar himself who was forced to call it a career prematurely due to injury.

He spoke out about the incident on X (formerly known as Twitter) before deleting it due to backlash he immediately received. 

“This is not meant to sound judgmental, or incite “us vs. them” or question anybody’s passion, or talent or intentions. This is just coming from a guy whose career ended from a few too many ACCIDENTAL headshots. The ART of this business is protecting ourselves and each other.

“Trust me … the gaps in memory are not worth it. I promise.”

It’s incomprehensible that such sage advice, and from a former wrestler, would be railed against, and yet it was, but it goes without saying that Graves is correct — the unprotected headshot should not have been agreed to (assuming it was on both sides) or executed.

It is simply too risky with all that is known about concussions and CTE nowadays. Hopefully, more in-ring talent will listen to Graves versus shrugging off his advice as so many did on social media, because it could easily preserve the quality of life for wrestlers and their families. 

Shock value is fun and definitely a part of the industry, but not if the cost might be someone's career … or worse.

Patrik Walker

Patrik Walker Photo

Patrik [No C] Walker is an accredited, award-winning journalist and podcaster who has worked to become one of the most respected and recognizable forces covering the Dallas Cowboys. Having never lost his lifelong passion for the wrestling, the one-of-a-kind analyst is using his talents to complete a journey that began as a rambunctious kid wearing a championship belt fashioned from cardboard and aluminum foil, to the ranks of covering an industry that's had his heart pinned to the mat for decades now. Follow him on Twitter/X: VoiceOfTheStar.