'What the f*** to do...' - Mark Henry criticizes AEW creative process

Mark Henry isn't hiding anything about the creative process at AEW. The WWE Hall of Famer attacked the backstage culture at AEW on a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, calling it impractically collaborative and excessively self-congratulatory. Henry was blunt in his criticism of the creative environment, calling it a "circle jerk" and citing the absence of substantive discussion as a major problem. Mark Henry isn't hiding anything about the creative process at AEW. 

During a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, the WWE Hall of Famer attacked the backstage culture at AEW, calling it excessively self-congratulatory and lacking in teamwork. “[Creative] is supposed to be an argument. It’s supposed to be a shake-up to figure out what the f*** to do next,” Henry said. “[But] everybody wants to circle jerk over [in AEW]. And you can’t do that. You gotta disagree. Me and Bully [Ray] — for years — we disagreed, but… We knew what we were fussing at was the greater good of the match and the show.”

When Mark Henry reflected on his time in the WWE, he recalled tense brainstorming sessions with legendary figures like Jim Cornette, Michael Hayes, and Vince McMahon. The intensive back-and-forth discussions, in Henry's opinion, were essential to developing compelling plots something AEW is currently lacking. Since the company's founding, AEW's creative process headed by Tony Khan has been under intense criticism.

Not unclear if AEW will change course

Critics have frequently voiced their opinions, frequently pointing to the need for more seasoned leadership, like former WCW CEO Eric Bischoff. Bischoff even suggested Bully Ray and Jennifer Pepperman as possible team leaders for AEW's creative department. Whether you agree with Mark Henry or not, his remarks provide light on AEW's creative process and the difficulties of striking a balance between leadership and teamwork in a quickly expanding organization.

It's unclear if AEW will change course or remain firm in the face of calls for change from individuals like Henry and Eric Bischoff. There is little doubt that the wrestling community will be attentively observing.