Ariel Helwani Open To Working With AEW Or WWE

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani is about to become a free agent. His contract will soon run out and the popular MMA reporter is open to the idea of moving into pro-wrestling. Helwani was the guest recently on Renee Paquette‘s “Oral Sessions” and spoke about the possibility.

“I was a massive pro wrestling fan. I was born in ‘’82, so I remember WrestleMania I, going to the video store and watching it with my brothers,” Helwani said during the interview.

He would continue to say he sort of stopped following wrestling when he went to high school but that all changed when he attended Survivor Series 97 in Montreal. It was a fairly notable PPV, if you remember.

[I]“I remember going home, going on Scoops Wrestling and those sites, reading up on all the drama, and thinking, ‘Holy Crap.’ That got me right back in. Then ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, 2000’s, I was more of a fan than ever before. Attitude Era. So in the moment, I was a little bit oblivious, but now in hindsight, I’m like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I was at one of the most historic matches of all time.”

In terms of the possibility of him moving to wrestling, Helwani sounds enthusiastic about the idea.

“Wow, TNT, I like it yea…it would be fun,” Helwani said about possibly working with AEW. “We also have ONE Championship on TNT so that’s an MMA organization that’s over there. Back in 2006 or so, I actually had a brief conversation with Double J Jeff Jarrett to work in TNA for the early days in TNA through Kurt Angle, who I befriended at the time. The wrestling world has always been a big part of my life and an influence. I’ve never worked for WWE as you know but I’m open to anything…If you know Mr. Khan, put in a good word.”