Don Callis dropped a bombshell at the conclusion of this week’s AEW Dynamite. Kenny Omega’s first comments as new AEW World Champion will not take place on next week’s Dynamite, but on Tuesday’s edition of Impact Wrestling. It was a huge development that signals a working relationship between the two organizations. Wrestling fans are excited at the prospect of inter-promotional matches, especially in the women’s and tag team divisions.
AEW Executive Vice Presidents Nick and Matt Jackson have revealed interesting details about how the AEW-Impact situation came together. The Young Bucks spoke with Jon Alba and Doug McDonald this week for the Living The Gimmick Podcast. According to Matt, the working relationship has been in the works for nearly two years
“Two years ago, this is something Nick and I actually brought up and we wanted to get this going,” Matt said. “And for whatever reason, it just didn’t work out. I don’t know if that was more on our side or what, but we just couldn’t get everyone to agree on what the creative would be.”
This is something we’ve been whispering in Tony Khan’s ear for two years. So we’re all about collaboration and partnering with everyone and working together .. This is something that we truly wanted to do for a very, very long time. And I guess the timing was right and we got done.”
Collaborating With Other Promotions
In the lead-up to the launch of AEW, the Bucks made surprise appearances at independent wrestling shows across the United States. The All In pay-per-view was a “super show” of independent wrestling that showed the benefits of companies working together for a greater good. Matt thinks this attitude is “what wrestling needs” and will help AEW further transforming the landscape.
“I just think [working with other promotions] makes things unpredictable when you’re working with companies,” he said. “That’s what wrestling needs. It gets stuck in the same formula for so long it gets boring. It’s too easy to predict at times and you don’t want that to happen. So when you can make it different and change things up a bit, make it unpredictable, the fans like it more. It’s almost an easy formula when you explain it that way.”
Nick agrees that inter-promotional matches makes wrestling interesting. The entire industry benefits when companies ‘relax their borders’ to present the most compelling storylines and matches that are possible.
“This is a way to make things interesting, and if you do it right it can be very good for business,” said Nick. “We’ve done it, like Matt said earlier, it worked well when we’ve done it in the past.”
Both men talked about their feud with The Hardy Boyz doing massive business for Ring of Honor.
AEW & Impact Wrestling
So, what will a working relationship between AEW & Impact look like? Nick says it’s still so early, he doesn’t think they know exactly how things will play out. They’re dipping their toes in the water, but already have some big picture plans in place.
“There are immediate plans that I can’t exactly just give away right now. But my dream, if I had it my way, I just think about the possible dream matches. People are already hitting me up like, ‘Oh my god, can you imagine if it was the Young Bucks and the Motor City Machine Guns 10 years later?’ How can you not jump ahead and fantasize and fantasy book?”
AEW has the strongest tag team division in the world. In addition to established acts like the Young Bucks, FTR, the Lucha Bros. and Dark Order, they are still introducing exciting young talent, like Top Flight and The Acclaimed. The Bucks know fans are eager to see AEW’s top teams work The North, the Good Brothers and the Motor City Machine Guns. Matt once again hinted that there are some big surprises coming that fans are sure to enjoy.
“Are we going to do that stuff? I’m not sure yet, we’re still in the beginning of this. But there are some big surprises coming and I’m really excited about it,” Matt said.
The Young Bucks interview on the Living the Gimmick podcast drops next week, but you can listen early at the show’s Patreon page.