Why Vince McMahon doesn't like to book smaller guys to win the WWE title

Former WWE writer Freddie Prinze, Jr. (yes, THAT Freddie Prinze, Jr. - or, as I like to call him, Mr. Buffy Summers) was Chris Jericho's guest on the Talk is Jericho podcast last week.

Prinze and Jericho discussed his two stints as a Creative team member - he was there for about a year in 2008 and returned for a slightly longer run in 2010 - how he came to work at WWE, teaching acting to Daniel Bryan and more.

Of particular interest, of course, are his stories of working for Vince McMahon. The Chairman has the final say in Creative decisions, and factors in his years of experience and weighs business and storytelling concerns to make calls.

So, why has McMahon relied on bigger guys throughout the years? Is it his much-mocked bobybuilding fetish? A neccessity for competing with shoot fights? A vestige of the old days when a guy had to look scary from the cheap seats?

None of the above, according to Prinze:

...  that's why Vince doesn't always like to give the title to a smaller guy because he thinks they're going to get hurt more and that damages the company. And that frustrates a lot of fans because some of their favorite guys are the smaller guys, but unless you're built a different way, you can't take that many hits.

Not sure if there's scientific data to back this assertion, but the anecdotal evidence at hand can be spun to support Vince's cause. Is that what was behind the reluctance to push Daniel Bryan?

Are his injury woes being used as justification backstage for why other sub-six footers shouldn't get a chance?

What does this say about AJ Styles or Austin Aries future in WWE?

Discuss.

(H/T: Wrestling Inc for podcast transcription)