As reported before, AEW President & CEO Tony Khan hosted a conference call earlier today with members of the pro wrestling media to promote Saturday’s All Out pay-per-view.
You can click here for Khan’s earlier comments on the Brock Lesnar/AEW rumors, which AEW PPV did better than WrestleMania 36, and more. Below are more highlights from the call:
* Khan revealed that there will be a live crowd at Britt Baker’s dentist office for the “Tooth & Nail” match against Big Swole on the All Out pre-show. The cinematic-style match was originally planned for the main card earlier this summer, but Baker hasn’t wrestled much in recent months and the change was made. He sees it as a big opportunity for both Swole and Baker, who we will see a lot more from in the next few months. He said while this will be a cinematic match, the actual pay-per-view will be wrestling-heavy and not storyline-heavy. Khan said the “Tooth & Nail” match will be great and it will be fun, and it will be free for everyone to enjoy.
* Khan said he would love to have Serena Deeb back after her match with NWA Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa on Dynamite this week, adding that they both hit a home run. Deeb received rave reviews backstage, and he was proud of them for putting on a strong performance in the second hour position that the company trusted them with. He’s very excited about Rosa facing AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida at All Out on Saturday.
* There is not a working relationship between AEW and the NWA, past the good personal relationship he has with NWA Owner Billy Corgan. They have had a strong relationship for years, before Khan got into wrestling. Khan revealed that he was introduced to Corgan by another good friend – former WWE star Chris Nowinski of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. He talked more about Nowinski and how he respects his work, and had Nowinski come to speak to the AEW roster. He sees AEW and NWA as two different companies, but he wished Corgan the best with everything he’s doing. Regarding Rosa vs. Shida, he thinks this will be one of the best matches on the card and he thought the match maked sense for both promotions when it was pitched. He believes Rosa is the perfect contender for Shida at All Out, but it was Kenny Omega who first recommended Rosa for the match. Khan agreed, called Corgan and they made it happen.
* Khan said he, and everyone else in the company, are really missing PAC, who is still in the UK due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. He believes PAC’s absence has been a great opportunity for Eddie Kingston, who he sees as a good mouthpiece for The Lucha Bros, but also one who can fit well in other roles. While it’s unfortunate that PAC can’t be here right now, it means other wrestlers are able to step up, and they have been stepping up.
