Posts Tagged ‘Tony Khan’

Tony Khan: “Surprise Signing Is One of My All Time Favourite Wrestlers”

AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. Khan discussed a number of topics on the show ahead of this Sunday’s AEW Revolution PPV, including the ‘surprise Hall of Fame worthy talent’ that will be signing with AEW on Sunday.

“It’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers” Tony Khan stated on the show. “I’m very excited about [it]. I’ll say one thing, it’s one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. I tipped this on Unrestricted, I tipped the gender — it’s a male. He’s coming.”

“He’s going to do great things for us” Khan continued. “He’s committed, he’s going to sign a contract on Sunday at Revolution on PPV.”

There of course have been rumors flying from all corners online. Two names that have been mentioned on multiple occasions are Kurt Angle and CM Punk. The Straight Edge former WWE Superstar Punk confirmed recently via Twitter that he was not the star showing up on Sunday.

Another name that has been mentioned is Christian, as he is believed to have not signed with WWE following his appearance at the Royal Rumble back in January.

Who do you think is showing up on Sunday? Christian, CM Punk, Kurt Angle or someone else? Let us know in the comments

Tony Khan Comments On “Huge Huge Star” Debuting At AEW Revolution

Paul Wight dropped a bombshell at Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. During his first appearance for AEW, Wight revealed that a ‘Hall of Fame’ worthy star will debut this Sunday at AEW Revolution.

AEW President Tony Khan appeared on this week’s AEW Unrestricted podcast and provided some new information about this signing. Khan said, “It’s true. There’s going to be a major star in the world of wrestling, a huge huge star, is going to sign a multi-year deal at the pay-per-view.”

You can listen to Tony Khan’s comments in the player embedded below:

Khan confirmed there will actually be two debuts at AEW Revolution: Paul Wight’s mystery man, as well as the 6th and final competitor in the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match.

So, who is the “huge huge star” who has signed a multi-year contract with AEW? Khan’s “It’s true” remark has some fans guessing Kurt Angle. Other possibilities could include Christian, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk or Batista.

Batista Says It’s Not Him

Speaking of Batista, he denies that he’s signing with AEW. In response to a fan on Twitter, Batista reiterated that he is retired from pro wrestling.

https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1367349588970123267

So, just how “done” is Batista with pro wrestling? Back in 2019, Batista told Chris Van Vliet that he would go broke before wrestling another match.

”This is a real wrestling retirement. I am done. My in-ring career is over… I will not have another wrestling match. I will go broke before I have another wrestling match, and I will not go and wrestle for another promotion. It’s not going to happen.”

CM Punk: It Isn’t Me Either

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk is also urging fans to not get their hopes about him being the AEW signee. Punk held a Twitter Q&A on Thursday afternoon told people flat out – “no, it’s not me.’

Tony Khan Discusses AEW Programming Plans For This Year

AEW currently airs Dark on Tuesdays and Dynamite on Wednesdays, but starting March 15th, Dark: Elevation will be airing every Monday night on YouTube as well.

When this was first announced, some thought this was supposed to be the second show on TNT that was confirmed when AEW signed an extension with the network in 2020, but that’s not the case. 

AEW President Tony Khan later stated on Twitter that a second AEW show on TNT would still be coming in 2021. He then did an interview on Thursday with Wrestling Observer Radio where he further commented on their programming for this year.  

He started out by noting that he thinks it’s very appropriate to have two television series and two streaming shows as some of the most successful wrestling companies of all time have had a couple of flagship shows and then a couple of shows that are more for developmental talent. 

“So, you’ll have the two Dark properties and the two TNT properties and I’m really excited about it. I think we’re ready for it.”

He noted that he thinks you can get a lot of or most of the viewing experience by just watching Dynamite and the PPVs. He brought up how there are hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people watching Dark every week. He noted that there’s an audience for Dark and will be the same for Elevation, which turned out to be an idea by TNT. 

“It was TNT’s idea, I’ll be 100% honest. I originally had the title Elevation and they’re right, the executives made a great point to me, ‘You don’t want to create confusion with different brands.’ Elevation is an extension of Dark so they essentially said, ‘Call it AEW Dark: Elevation.’ And I said that’s a great idea.”

Paul Wight, formerly known as The Big Show, and Tony Schiavone will be doing commentary for Dark: Elevation.

Tony Khan Teases New Wrestlers Coming To AEW Through “The Forbidden Door”

Tony Khan says AEW fans can expect some new faces to show up on Dynamite soon. Khan was recently a guest on Wrestling Observer Live and spoke about some surprises he has upcoming.

“The ‘forbidden door’ is open. The forbidden door means that anybody from any company can show up anywhere now. The gloves are off and I’m really excited about it,” Khan said. He continued to say the travel restrictions currently limit this, however.

“Hopefully, we can do some exciting things with this forbidden door now that it’s been opened, I think we can and we will,” Khan said. “There’s going to be people showing up, could be people from New Japan, could be people from Impact, could be people from other companies. Could be new faces, old faces, but there’s going to be a lot of changes and I’m really excited about it and that’s important in wrestling, bringing new people in and consistently changing up the card.”

Khan also spent some time talking about people he had to convince to sign with AEW. He noted that he spent a lot of time convincing Trent to sign with him instead of remaining with NJPW.

“Trent was probably the hardest person for me to convince that actually came,” Khan said. “I spent a lot of time on the phone with a few people who really needed the extra convincing, people I believed in and put the full-court press on.”

Khan then said there were some people who didn’t listen to him. He didn’t say “The Good Brothers” by name, but one can make some assumptions.

“There are a couple of other people who didn’t come, who made a huge mistake,” Khan continued. “(They) should have listened to me, and they didn’t.”

Khan also praised Tay Conti during the interview.

“Tay Conti is a great example of somebody who I always thought looked like a star,” Khan said. “I went to a house show, an NXT house show, 4 years ago in Jacksonville and I thought Tay Conti looked like she’d be a great star then.”

The interview with Tony Khan can be viewed in the player below:

Tony Khan To WWE: “Come to Jacksonville, I’m Begging You”

Tony Khan is open to the possibility of AEW working with WWE.

Khan appeared on the WrestleFetish podcast this week and discussed AEW’s “open borders” policy. All Elite Wrestling currently has partnerships with Impact Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. We are just scratching the surface of what these alliance will yield, but fans are wondering what other companies could get involved.

The elephant in the room is WWE, the world’s largest and most profitable wrestling promotion. Tony Khan was asked if AEW would be receptive to working with WWE or NXT. He was very receptive.

“They are more than welcome,” Khan said about working with WWE. “As I have said, the forbidden door is open anytime. Just come and knock. If they were to knock on the door, then I would certainly be willing to let them in.”

Tony Khan Open To Working With WWE

The hosts were surprised by Khan’s answer. They referenced WWE’s ‘invasion’ of WCW Monday Nitro at the height of the Monday Night Wars. Eric Bischoff did not permit WWE Superstars to appear on Nitro that fateful night, but things would be different if WWE or NXT talent showed up at an AEW event.

“Come in, please!” Khan continued. “I would love that. I would love that. Come to Jacksonville, I’m begging you. I would love it.”

WWE’s Position

WWE knows AEW is making waves by partnering with Impact and New Japan. Triple H recently stated that people have ‘misperceptions’ about WWE’s willingness to work with other promotions.

“Are we open to the right business opportunities? Yeah, at any given time we’re open to things,” he said during the NXT Takeover: WarGames post-show media event. “It just depends on what they are and if they’re beneficial to us in the long-term.”

Triple H referenced the “best for business” attitude, stating that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is “open to anything” if it makes business sense.

“Open for business, I think Vince says that a lot and I’ve been around him long enough that if it’s the right thing and meaningful to business, he’s open to anything.”

AEW Files To Trademark “Forbidden Door” and “Forbidden Portal”

All Elite Wrestling has filed two new trademarks possibly related to a working agreement between AEW and NJPW as well as other promotions. The US Patent and Trademark Office website show filings by AEW on February 8th, 2021 for the terms “Forbidden Portal” and “Forbidden Door.” Tony Khan has been using both terms as of late to describe talent from AEW, NJPW, and Impact appearing on each other’s programs.

Both filings are listed as being for: “Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing multimedia program featuring wrestling distributed via various platforms across multiple forms of transmission media; Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling provided through a global computer network.”

The Forbidden Door

AEW President Tony Khan referred to himself as the “Forbidden Door” in his latest paid ad on Tuesday’s episode of Impact Wrestling on AXS TV.

“I just had to open myself, and that comes from being here with you IMPACT Wrestling! Doing these paid ads, I’ve learned so much about myself. I’ve opened myself up to new experiences, and look at all the great things that have happened. We did a great rating for Dynamite this week with IMPACT people there. We had people from New Japan, who knows who is going to be there next week?”

The opening of the “forbidden door” has led to NJPW’s KENTA being on Dynamite for the last two weeks. Impact’s Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows are also regularly on Dynamite now. Jon Moxley will face KENTA on New Japan Strong later this month. Additionally, Matt Hardy and Private Party are now regularly appearing on Impact Wrestling as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxBvL88SkR4

Tony Khan: “I Am The Forbidden Door!” Between AEW & NJPW

The “Forbidden Door” is the phrase used to describe the metaphoric barrier between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. According to AEW President Tony Khan, he’s the forbidden door and that door is now wide open. Fans should expect a lot more crossover in the months ahead.

Khan and Tony Schiavone returned to Impact Wrestling this week with their latest ‘paid advertisement’ on the program. Khan says that everywhere he goes, people have been asking when he’s going to open the forbidden door. People want to know, when is New Japan going to come to AEW?

He’s been telling people that he doesn’t know where or what the forbidden door is. “And then I figured it out. The Forbidden door is me! I am the forbidden door!” Khan emphatically stated.

“I just had to open myself, and that comes from being here with you IMPACT Wrestling! Doing these paid ads, I’ve learned so much about myself. I’ve opened myself up to new experiences, and look at all the great things that have happened. We did a great rating for Dynamite this week with IMPACT people there. We had people from New Japan, who knows who is going to be there next week?”

Tony Khan: “Let’s Do This Every Week”

Khan continued, “One thing I do know? The Forbidden Door has been opened. I can’t wait for this week’s main event tomorrow night on AEW Dynamite. One of the biggest matches ever on Dynamite, Falls Count Anywhere, anything goes.”

He then made a huge statement regarding the future of AEW Dynamite allowing talent to ‘cross borders.’

“I just have to say, thank you Kenny [Omega]. Thank you Don Callis, nobody ever expected me to say that. But thanks to you two and everything you’ve done in AEW? You’ve opened me up, you’ve changed me, and you’ve opened the Forbidden Door. I love it, I want to do more big ratings, I wanna have more people show up! Let’s do this EVERY WEEK.”

Tony Khan finished by confirming that the Forbidden Door swings both ways; with IMPACT Wrestling set to see more of the AEW President inside the IMPACT Zone with All Elite talent. You can see this week’s “paid ad” in the player embedded below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxBvL88SkR4

AEW & NJPW

Tony Khan has been outspoken about his desire to work with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Over the past several weeks, we’ve seen the groundwork of a full-blown inter-promotional war coming into focus.

The conclusion of last week’s AEW Dynamite saw the surprise appearance of KENTA, who is feuding with AEW star (and IWGP United States Champion) Jon Moxley. They will square off later this month (2/26) at NJPW’s New Beginning USA event.

This heated feud is just one element of the AEW-NJPW storyline that’s unfolding. Also in play – Bullet Club in AEW and NJPW, AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and IWGP World Champion Kota Ibushi teasing a program.

The main event of Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite will see Jon Moxley and Lance Archer teaming up against AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and KENTA. AEW has billed Moxley as the reigning IWGP United States Champion, another example of relations improving between the two promotions.

The possibilities for the coming together of these promotions is almost limitless. Thus far, we have seen Tony Khan bring AAA, the NWA, Impact Wrestling and now NJPW to AEW programming. Originally it was rumored that the NJPW/AEW ‘deal’ was purely for New Japan to get use of Jon Moxley. As mentioned, the former WWE Superstar is the current IWGP United States Champion, and with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic New Japan wanted to still have use of one of their prized assets. This meant that Moxley would have to work in the United States under the NJPW banner; something that would involve striking a deal with All Elite as he is contracted to only appear on major promotions for them in the US, much like Chris Jericho.

It appears as though the deal has now been completed, with a huge shift in the momentum for the 2nd and 3rd biggest pro wrestling promotions in the world coming together. Once again AEW have managed to make Dynamite, IMPACT and even NJPW Strong appointment viewing.

Impact Results (1/19): Tony Khan, Matt Hardy & Private Party Appear

Impact Wrestling on 1/19 featured the first episode filmed during the tapings over the weekend. Some significant events took place on the show including an in-person appearance by Tony Khan. “Big Money” Matt Hardy brought Private Party into the promotion as well.

Impact 1/19 Quick Results:

  1. Eric Young defeated Rhino
  2. Kimber Lee & Susan defeated Jordynne Grace & Jazz
  3. Brian Myers defeated Fallah Bah
  4. #1 Contenders Impact Tag Team Titles
    Private Party defeated Chris Sabin & James Storm

Here are 8 Takeaways from Impact Wrestling 1/19:

Tony Khan & Jerry Lynn Help Matt Hardy & Private Party Qualify For Tag Title Shot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcf5KipibqM

Earlier in the night, the Good Brothers were cutting a promo when they were interrupted by Chris Sabin. With Alex Shelley on the shelf with an injury, James Storm also came out as Sabin’s new, albeit temporary, partner. All 4 men were then interrupted by Matt Hardy making his return to Impact Wrestling. Hardy was decked out as “Big Money Matt” and lobbied for his clients, Private Party, to be added to the tag title mix as well. The Good Brothers then pointed out that Private Party and Sabin/Storm could face each other with the winner facing the Good Brothers down the line. This set up the main event for later in the evening.

Before the match began, Tony Khan and Jerry Lynn came out in person and set up chairs at ringside. Lynn, of course, has a long history in Impact. Along with guys like AJ Styles and Low-Ki, Lynn is a pioneer of the X-Division.

After a fun back and forth match, Lynn would get involved in the finish. Sabin was on the top turnbuckle as Private Party was looking to set him up for their Gin and Juice finisher. Sabin tried to escape but Jerry Lynn ran to ringside and held onto his foot, holding him in place for Private Party to hit their finisher and get the win. Now, Private Party has earned a title shot against the Good Brothers.

Taya Valkyrie Arrested For Attempted Murder, Future Plans Teased

It’s not clear if Taya was really at these tapings or if they just filmed this scene ahead of time. Regardless, it appears Taya Valkyrie’s run in Impact Wrestling has come to an end. What a run it was too. She held the Knockouts Championship for the longest single-reign in history and was involved in major storylines throughout her entire time here. I don’t even think she missed anytime for injury either.

Acey Romero brought new evidence to Tommy Dreamer this week that proved Taya Valkyrie was the one who shot John E Bravo. She was taken away to prison after sharing an emotional moment with Rosemary.

After Taya was gone, Tommy Dreamer, Acey Romero, and John E Bravo had a very humorous exchange where they commented on what “prison” Taya might be going to. I’ve taken the liberty of transcribing their comments:

Tommy Dreamer: “If she’s lucky, she’ll go to Jacksonville (AEW)….state prison. But for what she did and she’s not that lucky, I think they are going to send her to Stamford (WWE) Maximum Penitentiary for 2 years, maybe an option for 3, and trust me, that will change a person’s soul forever.”

Acey Romero: “I hope they don’t send her to Baltimore (ROH)”

Tony Khan Explains Why He Sent “Big Money Matt” To Impact

After Matt Hardy had made his first appearance on the show, we were treated to another Tony Khan video this week. Tony Schiavone wasn’t with him this time, however, rather it was Jerry Lynn by his side. In this video, Khan explained why he sent Matt Hardy to Impact. Khan explained that he can’t “out carny” Impact because he’s a nice guy, and not a carny. Big Money Matt is a carny, however, so Khan sent him to Impact to cause chaos in response to Impact stars showing up on his program.

Moose and Rich Swann Rivalry Continues

At Genesis a couple of weeks ago, Moose earned a title shot against Rich Swann by defeating Willie Mack in an “I Quit” match. Then, after their Hard to Kill main event match where they teamed together along with Chris Sabin against Omega and the Good Brothers, Moose attacked Swann in the back. Swann cut an in-ring promo this week and said he had trust issues with Moose in the match at Hard to Kill. He calls out Moose, who joins him in the ring. Swann said he wants to give Moose his title shot tonight, but Moose declines, saying he wants the match to take place on his terms. The champion can’t wait, however, and goes after Moose and sends him retreating to the back after a Phoenix Splash.

Violent By Design Takes Out Rhino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzoiF_bXE9s

Eric Young and Rhino faced off in singles action to kick-off Impact this week. Both had been involved in the trios “Old School Rules” match at Hard to Kill. Young had Joe Doering and Deaner at ringside and Rhino brought Cousin Jake with him. Deaner would provide a distraction at ringside that allowed Doering to hit a brutal clothesline on Rhino and toss him back into the ring where Young was waiting. Young locked in a heel hook and made Rhino tapout for the win.

After the match, the faction continued the assault on Rhino’s leg, much like Young has done to Rich Swann in the past. They wrapped Rhino’s leg in a steel chair and Doering stomped on it, possibly leading to an injury. It might be awhile before Rhino is 100% again.

Kimber Lee & Susan Pick Up Win Over Jordynne Grace & Jazz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFuLHHsjekw

Su Yung was Susie and is now Susan, a straight-laced business-suit wearing persona. She teamed with Kimber Lee this week and had Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo on the outside. Their opponents were the team of Jordynne Grace and Jazz, who went to the semi-finals of the Knockouts tag-team title tournament.

The finish of this match came, when Kimber Lee had the ref distracted, allowing Purrazzo to hit Jazz with the Knockouts title. Susan then covered Jazz and picked up the win for her team.

It appears Susan is something of a “Susan” as well:

Brian Myers Defeats Fallah Bah, Will Face Eddie Edwards Next Week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4XLUaI8hvE

The “Most Professional Wrestler” Brian Myers didn’t shy away from taking shortcuts to pick up the win this week. He was taking on Fallah Bah, who has lost a dramatic amount of weight lately and is looking good. The finish of the match came when Fallah Bah inadvertently poked Myers in the eye. As Myers was explaining this to the referee, he was able to hit a low-blow with the ref out of position. Myers then hit a big clothesline and got the pin.

Later in the show, Myers went to Dr. Ross Foreman to get his poked eye evaluated. At the time, the doctor was treating Eddie Edwards for the many injuries he sustained at Hard to Kill. This set up a match between Myers and Edwards for next week.

Next Week On Impact Wrestling

The following matches have been confirmed for next week’s Impact Wrestling:

  • Brian Myers vs Eddie Edwards
  • Ace Austin & Madman Fulton vs Josh Alexander & Matt Cardona
  • Joe Doering vs Cousin Jake
  • Tenille Dashwood vs Rosemary
  • Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz host “Fire & Flava Festival” in celebration of tag title win

In 2 week:

  • Rohit Raju vs TJP (Non-title)

Tony Khan Does Not Want To Be An On-Air Authority Figure In AEW

AEW President Tony Khan recently spoke with Renee Paquette for the Oral Sessions podcast.

The following are some highlights from the discussion, including Khan’s views on competition in wrestling, whether or not he watches WWE/NXT, how AEW’s relationship with Impact Wrestling came about and not wanting to be an on-screen authority figure in AEW.

Competition in Wrestling

Competition is great for wrestling and he can only imagine how frustrated wrestling fans would be if AEW was not around for the past year. Tony Khan feels that Dynamite is the the best wrestling show on television. He admits he is biased. He’s not saying Dynamite is the only good wrestling show out there, but he thinks it’s consistently the bet show. He believes competition is a good thing for AEW and it’s good for the fans.

Khan keeps up with a little WWE programming, because he wants to make sure they are not doing the same exact thing creatively as fans can see elsewhere. He just likes watching wrestling, including New Japan Pro Wrestling, some of the big AAA shows and others. He enjoyed Wrestle Kingdom 15.

Overall, he thinks all wrestling promotions have worked hard to keep fans entertained during the pandemic. He is proud that AEW has not only kept their full staff but also hired new people over the past year.

AEW’s Relationship with Impact

AEW’s relationship with Impact Wrestling was Kenny Omega’s idea. A lot of wrestlers pitch him ideas and he’s trying to get better about picking the right ones. Sometimes there are good ideas that don’t work, for one reason or another. Omega put a lot of time and thought into the Impact storyline that is currently unfolding.

Kenny Omega was a strong proponent of bringing in Don Callis as his heel manager. Sometimes, wrestlers are turned heel, but fans aren’t ready to boo them. Khan named Steve Austin in 2001 as an example. When Omega turned, fans were ready. Omega has put a lot of effort into reinventing himself for this new character. Tony Khan touted Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley as the two best pro wrestlers in the world.

Tony Khan as an On-Screen TV Character

Finally, Renee asked Tony Khan if we are seeing the start of him as an on-screen character. Khan said definitely not. He made a big exception for the Brodie Lee special. The “paid ads” on Impact Wrestling exist in a bubble, outside of the AEW ‘universe.’ We are not going to see him as a ‘Mr. McMahon’ type figure.

General Managers do not have to be on television. He owns professional sports teams and he’s never on television in that capacity. In the case of AEW, the GM will sometimes make matches. He doesn’t need to be on television for that. The announcers can say, “Tony Khan made this match” and that’s enough, as a storytelling vehicle.

Tony Khan also revealed that his father was not pleased when he was pitching the idea of starting a wrestling league. They had some loud, uncomfortable conversations about it. Shad Khan knew nothing about wrestling before AEW. Now, he enjoys the product and he’s able to impart some of his business advice.

You can listen to the full episode in the player embedded below:

Tony Khan On AEW’s Early Success & The Most Important Lesson He’s Learned So Far

Tony Khan is the latest guest on Renee Paquette’s Oral Sessions podcast. The discussion lasted about an hour and covered a wide range of topics. The following are the highlights:

Brodie Lee Tribute

Renee congratulated Tony for the Brodie Lee tribute shown on AEW Dynamite a few weeks ago. Tony said he’s so proud of everybody in the company for how they handled a very difficult situation. The entire AEW crew was told about Brodie Lee’s deteriorating condition several weeks before he passed away. TK was pleasantly surprised that there were no leaks about the situation and Brodie Lee’s family was able to be there for him without the world knowing he was sick. It was Shawn Spears’ idea to bring in Eric “Rowan” Redbeard for the tribute.

AEW’s Early Success

Tony Khan is proud, but not surprised, of AEW’s early success. He has learned a lot and is expecting a big year ahead. AEW hopes to have fans back in full capacity “sometime soon.” He feels that AEW has come up with a great solution for having a limited number of fans attending their shows. They’ve they’ve had great experiences with fans, who have said they feel safe at their “pods” at Daily’s Place. The concept behind their current seating configuration was inspired by drive-in movies. They can currently accommodate 1,080 fans if they open up the top balcony. If they don’t open the top area of Daily’s Place, they have 750 fans.

Additional TV, PPV Format

Tony Khan is very excited to add a third hour of television. That is the most important thing on the horizon for them. They are looking forward to having the ability to showcase the entire roster. This will NOT be a third hour of Dynamite. He is aware of the dangers of overexposure. The ‘third hour’ of weekly television will be on a Warner Media property, but will not air Wednesday nights. He loves their current format of four pay-per-view events per year, with special editions of AEW Dynamite airing throughout the year. He just spoke to TNT executives on the phone this week and they told him AEW is doing great.

Biggest Lesson Learned In 2020

2019 was a good year for AEW, but 2020 was even better. The biggest lesson Tony Khan learned last year was accountability. He is getting comfortable filtering out bad ideas. In 2019, there were a few ideas he didn’t love and had low expectations for, but still gave them the green light. Those wound up being poorly received by fans.

He has learned to trust his instincts and is not afraid to exercise his power to ‘veto’ ideas. AEW is now more organized and more logical, which has made for better programming.

AEW Talent

Tony Khan says Jon Moxley is his favorite person to collaborate with. He revealed that Moxley is currently writing a book. He’s read some early drafts and loves it.

Looking ahead over the next several years, he is looking at guys like Jon Moxley and MJF to be among the top stars in AEW. So many of the company’s main event wrestlers are early-to-mid 30’s and in their prime with a lot left in the tank. He believes AEW’s top guys will be on top for many years to come. He is excited about younger stars of AEW, such as MJF, Jungle Boy, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara, Ricky Stars, Private Party and Top Flight. In the women’s division, Khan touted Anna Jay, Tay Conti and Britt Baker. Thunder Rosa is awesome, although she is not full-time with AEW.

You can listen to the full episode in the player embedded below:

Tony Schiavone Recalls Negotiations With WWE Prior To Joining AEW

Tony Schiavone has enjoyed a career resurgence since he joined All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The legendary broadcaster was away from pro wrestling for nearly two decades following the demise of WCW in 2001. Longtime fans have called him “the voice of their childhood.” He now reaches a new generation of wrestling fans every week on AEW Dynamite.

Schiavone co-hosts the ‘What Happened When’ podcast with Conrad Thompson and the AEW Unrestricted podcast with referee Aubrey Edwards. On this week’s Unrestricted, Schiavone was in the ‘hot seat.’ He spoke about what he knew about Sting joining AEW, Kenny Omega hijacking the AEW Championship, working through the pandemic and much more.

The most interesting part of the discussion focused on Tony Schiavone’s path to AEW. Prior to joining the company, he negotiated with not just Tony Khan but also WWE. Believe it or not, Khan encouraged him to sign with WWE if they offered him enough money.

Tony Schiavone’s Road to AEW

Schiavone says Bruce Prichard reached out to him in 2019 and informed him that Vince McMahon wanted to hire him at WWE. Schivaone was interested and asked what the position would be. Prichard said it would probably be a producer role and they’d be in touch. He told Conrad Thompson that he was in talks with WWE and got a text message from Cody Rhodes “two minutes later.”

Cody told him, “I don’t want you to work for WWE” and set up a call between Schiavone and AEW President Tony Khan.

“Tony called me, we talked for over an hour and said he was going to have me come to Jacksonville,” said Schiavone. “During this time, WWE kept talking to me and I never told WWE that Tony Khan had an interest, I was just listening. They called and said, ‘We don’t have our ducks in a row yet, we’ll be back in touch.'”

Schiavone continued speaking with Bruce Prichard, who told him that Vince McMahon wants him to end his career with WWE. He received a call from someone in WWE’s HR department, who asked how much money he was interested in. He threw out a big number and was told they would be in touch.

“Meanwhile, I met with Tony Khan. It was an all-day meeting at the stadium and I knew immediately that I wanted to work there. My wife also told me, ‘If you take a job at WWE, I’ll divorce your ass.’ I didn’t play two sides against the middle, I was just waiting to hear.”

Khan made Schiavone a “phenomenal” offer, but he still owed WWE courtesy of making an offer as well. Khan told Schiavone, “If they offer you $1 million, take it!” He replied, “Don’t worry, I will.”

Schiavone’s wife Lois urged him not to work for WWE, no matter what they offered him. WWE said they would be in touch with him after SummerSlam. He received a phone call from WWE the day after SummerSlam 2019. They informed him, “Thank you for your interest Mr. Schiavone, we have nothing for you.” He replied, “You guys contacted me!” He called Tony Khan that day and said, “I’m in.”

You can listen to this week’s AEW Unrestricted at iTunes and other podcast platforms.

Tony Khan Calls Don Callis A Parasite, Omega, Gallows & Anderson Are Bullet Club For Life

AEW President Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone returned to Impact on AXS TV this week with another sponsored ad spot. Khan said they are continuing the holiday spirit of helping the less fortunate by funding Impact with the paid ad.

Schiavone ran down the card for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite. It will be the first night of a 2-week special, New Year’s Smash.

Tony Khan then denied Don Callis’ claim that he was partially responsible for the formation of AEW. Khan said that he was the man responsible for AEW’s funding, resources, television relationships, booking, hiring talent and more.

Khan told Callis, “You do nothing for the wrestling business. You’re a parasite on this business.” The Tony’s will be back on Impact next week with another ad, and he’ll pay for the air time with a $100 bill his grandmother sent him for Christmas. Tony Schiavone’s reaction to this line was priceless.

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Watch Tony Khan & Tony Schiavone’s latest paid advertisement from this week’s Impact Wrestling in the player embedded below:

Bullet Club for Life

Kenny Omega, Don Callis and The Good Brothers also appeared on Impact on AXS TV. They hyped their upcoming match at Hard to Kill on January 16th.

Omega, Gallows and Anderson addressed their opponents, Impact World Champion Rich Swan and the Motor City Machine Guns. Omega said those guys are teammates for now, but they’re not family like Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers.

The gang said they are Bullet Club for life. Watch the promo below:

Tony Khan & Tony Schiavone Return To Impact With Another Paid Ad

AEW President Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone of the What Happened When podcast returned to Impact Wrestling with another paid advertisement this week.

Both Tony’s took shots at Impact and ‘public access’ channel AXS TV. Khan is glad to purchase time during Impact and addressed the Kenny Omega and Don Callis situation. He welcomed both men to Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite on TNT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4f4yE15IA8

Impact Wrestling executives Scott D’Amore and Don Callis reacted to the ad spot. D’Amore and Khan exchanged trash talk. ‘The Invisible Hand’ thanked Khan for generating revenue for Impact.

Jim Cornette Slams Tony Khan For Not Signing CM Punk

Jim Cornette can’t understand why AEW President Tony Khan has not made a strong play to sign CM Punk.

CM Punk spoke to Renee Paquette last week on the Oral Sessions podcast. Punk discussed what would take to bring him back to wrestling. These elements would essentially boil down to: a lot of money and an intriguing storyline. Punk emphasized that it was less about the money and more about wanting an exciting storyline to be involved with.

Cornette asks how on earth AEW has not scooped up the former WWE Champion. He said Punk is at the perfect level of stardom: he hasn’t been buried on television and he’s not a dinosaur from 25 years ago.

Jim Cornette on CM Punk

“It wasn’t a revelatory statement” Jim Cornette began on The Experience, discussing what CM Punk said on the podcast. “Nor a big shocking occurrence. He said he would basically, boiling it down, he would take a sh*tload of money and something new that he was interested in doing as well.”

Jim Cornette would then lambast AEW owner Tony Khan for not getting CM Punk under contract. “The son of a billionaire with a national cable television show just got in the wrestling business. He made a bunch of indie guys that never had it and never will as happy as school girls with shiny new vibrators. But he can’t get CM Punk!? He can’t make CM Punk happy!? Nobody can think of an idea that CM Punk would be interested in, that would intrigue him enough to get involved in this!?”

Credentials

Cornette would finish by stating Punk’s credentials and why he believes he is the biggest free agent right now. “If there’s a fish out there that has the Goldilocks and the Three Bears combination; not too hot, not too cold, just right in-between? [as in] They’ve been on TV recently and not been beaten into powder or been portrayed in a negative light that we are now trying to take the guy and make him into a top star?

“Or is he the icon from 30 years ago that they bring back and make all the current guys look bad? Because even though the icon can’t get in the ring and can’t go anymore he’s still more over as a bigger star than the rest of their roster? CM Punk doesn’t fit any of them. He’s the right combination. He was a huge star in the biggest company in the world just several years ago, not 30.”

Do you agree with Jim Cornette? Do you think that CM Punk could make a huge impact in AEW? Let us know in the comments

Tony Khan Appearance Rumored For Tonight’s Impact Wrestling

AEW World Champion Kenny Omega and Don Callis will appear on tonight’s episode Impact Wrestling TV. According to a HeelByNature, AEW President Tony Khan is also scheduled to make a cameo on the broadcast.

Khan and AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone are expected to appear on the show in a “paid advertisement.” This sounds similar in format to when the NWO would run promo spots during WCW programming.

Longtime fans remember the black and white segments that began with a voiceover stating, “The following announcement has been paid for by the New World Order.”

Impact Wrestling Preview

In addition to the Kenny Omega & AEW involvement, the following matches are announced for tonight’s Impact Wrestling:

  • Cody Deaner vs Eric Young
  • Brian Myers vs TJP
  • Josh Alexander vs Chris Sabin
  • Knockouts Tag Team Title Tournament (1st Round)
    Taya Valkyrie & Rosemary vs Deonna Purrazzo & Kimber Lee

If you don’t have access to AXS TV, you can watch for free at the Impact Wrestling Twitch Channel starting at 8PM (Eastern). Melissa Santos hosts during commercial breaks. Note that a replay of the show is not available on Twitch after it has aired, however.

AEW Dynamite Preview

AEW has announced the following matches for tomorrow night’s show:

  • Dynamite Diamond Ring Match
    Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs Orange Cassidy
  • The Young Bucks vs The Hybrid2
  • FTR vs The Varsity Blondes
  • Lance Archer and The Lucha Bros. vs. Eddie Kingston, The Butcher & The Blade
  • Dustin Rhodes vs 10
  • Abadon vs TBA

Additionally, Sting will appear in a speaking segment and the Inner Circle will decide if they should disband.

Jim Ross Doubles Down on AEW Retirement Comments

AEW commentator and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently discussed his retirement plans on the Grilling Jr podcast. JR had made it clear recently that AEW will likely be his ‘last gig’ in professional wrestling.

Jim Ross doubled down on those comments on his podcast this week. “I got a lot of comments online about a remark where I mentioned that; as far as I’m concerned? At this point in my life? AEW is my last gig, and I met that.”

Jim Ross on Tony Khan

JR would then compare working for All Elite Wrestling to WWE, saying that not everything is solely based on the owner’s whim. “I love working for Tony Khan, he’s a whole different ballgame. People just don’t understand, that the culture of WWE? It is what it is. It is all Vince [McMahon] related and oriented. When you get on the Vince’s good list? It’s a wonderful thing. If you’re not? It’s not so great.”

“Tony Khan’s about the same every time you see him” Jim Ross continued. “And he’s still a fan. He still loves the business, he loves talking about the business, telling stories and asking questions. He has an innate knowledge of things that went on before he was even born. So it’s really a fun experience.”

JR would finish by once again saying that this will indeed be his last job in pro wrestling. “I think at my age? I need to be realistic. As long as my work holds up to acceptable levels, hopefully better than that, but at least acceptable levels? I don’t see any reason to go anywhere else.”

Can you see Jim Ross ever returning to WWE or NJPW? Let us know in the comments

Tony Khan: AEW Is Talking With “Big Names That Nobody Knows About”

AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on The Wade Keller Pro Wrestling podcast. The All Elite Wrestling owner discussed a number of topics during his time on the show; including issues during the pandemic and the AEW roster growing over the past year.

“I would say, 10 out of the top 10 issues are related to the pandemic” Tony Khan began on the show. “So, I’d have to really go pretty deep to find a big problem that was not related to the pandemic!”

Tony Khan on AEW Roster

Khan would also discuss how the growth of the AEW roster has really surprised him. The AEW head would state that he wasn’t even conscious of the amount of great talent on the independent scene after AEW began.

“I’ve been really pleasantly surprised how many great wrestlers we’ve added since we started. We had a great group when we started, then we did a big pay per view right off the bat with Double or Nothing in MGM Grand.”

“We did great, great shows over that first summer when we launched Dynamite” Tony Khan would continue. “We launched Dynamite with a really great roster. And we’ve added so many people in the year since.”

Tony Khan
Tony Khan

Khan would finish by teasing that there are still some ‘big’ names out in the ether that AEW are negotiating with. “There’s people still debuting on Dynamite and there’s people that are working their way up our roster on Dark that I’m really excited about. Then there’s big names that nobody knows about that I’m talking to. So, I’ve got a lot of aces up my sleeve.”

Who do you think will come to AEW that is a ‘big’ name? Could Tony Khan be ‘letting us down’ again? Let us know in the comments

Details On Structure Of AEW Talent Contracts

AEW has a large number of wrestlers under contract these days ranging from various notable top stars such as Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley to lower-tiered stars who work on the undercard. 

As expected, All Elite Wrestling has different contracts in place depending on the level of activity of wrestlers.  Dave Meltzer broke down these different contracts in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer.

For wrestlers who work Dark tapings, they are signed to per date deals. An exception to this rule was Benjamin Carter, who is now under contract with WWE. It was noted that the majority of wrestlers who appear on AEW television has “one deal or another.”

Wrestlers who AEW publicly announces to signing with the promotion are given weekly guarantees. On Thursday, AEW announced that Jade Cargill had signed a multi-year deal and she would be included in this category. 

‘Newcomers’ in AEW are making more than WWE NXT contracts as that’s the general rule, but if these same stars were on WWE main roster they would be making more in the sports entertainment company. 

During his recent appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Cody Rhodes discussed AEW having different tiers of talent contracts and joked that the the top tier is the ‘Jericho level.’

Jim Cornette Talks FTR vs The Young Bucks from AEW Full Gear

Tony Khan Teases “Aces Up The Sleeve” For AEW In The Weeks Ahead

AEW President Tony Khan says wrestling fans have some big surprises in store in the weeks ahead

Khan teased that Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite would see the balance of power in wrestling shift. The show saw the debut of Jade Cargill, a a tease that Shaq is headed to AEW and the return of PAC, who has been out of action for several months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some fans questioned if the “balance of power” shift was excessive hype. However, Tony Khan assured fans that there are some incredible moments still to come before the end of the year. He then noted that he has some “aces up the sleeve” that fans are sure to enjoy.

A New Chapter

Following the end of this week’s AEW Dynamite, Khan took to Twitter to thank fans who tuned in and reflect on PAC’s return. He noted how the episode “opened a new chapter” for the promotion. Khan then promised how “indelible moments” are still ahead for Dynamite in the coming months.

Before PAC’s hiatus, forced due to travel limitations because of the coronavirus pandemic, he had debuted a stable with Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix, known as Death Triangle.

Following his time away from the promotion, however, the Lucha Bros eventually aligned themselves with Eddie Kingston and his ‘Family.’

Second AEW Show On TNT Will Not Launch Until 2021

Tony Khan did an interview with TSN to talk about a wide range of topics involving AEW. During the discussion, AEW’s President provided an update on the status of a third AEW show, which will be the second series to air on TNT.

It’s been well documented that Dynamite isn’t getting a third hour, but rather aside from Dynamite and Dark, which airs on YouTube, AEW will be having a new program arrive on TNT. 

For the longest time, the belief was that the new show would air in 2020. However, Khan noted that the show is set to arrive on TNT in the coming months.

“It’s going to launch in 2021,” Khan said of the new show. “We’ve worked it out with TNT. It’s 100 per cent going to launch in 2021. I don’t have the exact date yet, but I would look out for it soon and it’s right around the corner.”

Khan continued by noting that he hopes to see growth for the promotion 2021 after a successful 2019 and 2020. 

 If the pay-per-views come in higher in 2021 than in 2020, that would be incredible and I’d like to see us hit new highs for Dynamite.”

Hoping to build upon the momentum AEW has built in 2020, Khan is confident that the company will continue to grow next year. Once again, he teased that AEW has some aces up their sleeve to help achieve this goal.

“I think we’ve got some big matches and some big surprises ahead where it’s going to be really possible to do that,” Khan said.

Other topics discussed include Le Dinner Debonair, the possibility of working with NJPW and wanting AEW to serve as a “hub” for other promotions. Check out the full interview here.

Tony Khan: “The Balance of Power in Wrestling Will Shift Tonight” at AEW Dynamite

Multiple AEW Video Games Are In The Works, Per Tony Khan

AEW President Tony Khan discussed the highly-anticipated AEW video game during the Full Gear virtual media scrum following Saturday’s pay-per-view.

Khan confessed he can’t say too much about what AEW has lined up. He noted, however, that multiple games are in the works.

“We’re making multiple games. We’re working on more than one game in AEW games and we’re going to cater to multiple platforms. We’re going to cater to different kinds of games and different interests,” Khan said. “I think we’ll put a title out, a console game that’s best in class for a console game. We’re really excited about it.”

He also shared how future AEW shows could “impact our video game plans.” Tony Khan then noted how the promotion intends to release something for fans that “[…] love putting wrestling cards up together and love to be in the position that I am which is the general manager of AEW.”

AEW recently announced it will be hosting an AEW Games Special Event. It is speculated that news about a planned console release will be made alongside a suspected mobile game that will allow fans to assume the role of a General Manager.

The promotion recently filed trademarks for the terms “All Elite Wrestling: General Manager” and “Elite GM.” Coupled with Tony Khan’s statement, it seems the announcement of an AEW General Manager game is only a matter of time.

AEW Games Special Event takes place on Tuesday, November 10th at 6/5C. Fans can tune in on AEWGames’ YouTube channel and follow updates via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Tony Khan On AEW’s Women’s Division, Nyla Rose/Vickie Guerrero Storyline

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan has addressed fan criticism regarding AEW’s women’s division. During AEW’s Full Gear virtual media scrum, he explained how he understood the feedback he’s been seeing. He also acknowledged the confusion revolving around the dynamic between Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero.

“I understand what people are saying about the division. I should have probably done better to put some of Nyla’s story when she said she wasn’t going to wrestle again hand Vickie said she was going to wrestle again until they got the title shot,” Khan explained.

Khan noted that he should have further developed the Rose/Guerrero story on Dynamite to reach AEW’s wider audience. He confessed he forgets that only about “half the audience” tunes in for Dark each week.

“I should have used that on Dynamite more. I watch Dark very closely and work on Dark very closely and book Dark, so I’m obviously watching Dark, but I forget sometimes that there’s about half the audience watches Dark for us, typically.”

Tony Khan explained how Vickie Guerrero’s schedule had several conflicting dates in it. This meant she wasn’t available at all times, making it challenging to book her and Rose to further their story as Khan would have liked.

“[…] the time in the real world, Vickie was not able to come those weeks, not because she was sick, but because it was a conflict that she always had,” Khan said. “So I gave her that time off and I probably should have made it clear… There’s a lot to putting the shows together.”

Nyla Rose recently competed for the AEW Women’s Championship at Full Gear. She lost to Hikaru Shida.

Tony Khan on Eddie Kingston: “He’d Be a Great AEW Champion”

AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. Khan would discuss a number of topics on the show involving the Full Gear PPV this weekend. Full Gear takes place tonight (Saturday 7th November) and is available to purchase on FITE TV (for international viewers). And B/R Live in the United States.

One of the topics discussed was the AEW Championship match between Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. This will be Kingston’s first AEW PPV Main Event; the independent veteran joined the company just a few short months ago.

Tony Khan on Eddie Kingston

Tony Khan would describe how Kingston managed to push himself to this incredible opportunity. “It’s a testament to how hard he’s worked. and it’s also a testament to what a great job he’s done since he’s been here” Khan began on Busted Open.

“He’s been a top TV performer on Dynamite” Tony Khan continued. “He was great at All Out, he got to the end of the Battle Royale. I’ve really tried to push him really strong on TV. I think anybody who follows independent wrestling? Loves Eddie Kingston for the most part.”

Khan would then praise Kingston massively, saying how the tenured veteran would be a great representative as the company Champion. “He’s got huge huge international fan base. I think Eddie Kingston would be a great champion…[although] Moxley has been a great champion.”

Tony Khan would finish by discussing the build to the match. Both men have similar independent career CVs, having worked for the likes of CZW and ICW. “The story that we told [with Moxley and Kingston]? The personal history between the two guys? It’s so strong.”

Do you think that Eddie Kingston has a real shot of beating Jon Moxley at Full Gear? Was Tony Khan just hyping the match incredibly well? Let us know your thoughts in the comments

Tony Khan
Tony Khan

Tony Khan Reveals AEW Full Gear Match He’s “Personally Invested In” as a Fan

AEW President Tony Khan recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. Khan would discuss a number of topics on the show involving the Full Gear PPV this weekend. Full Gear takes place on Saturday 7th November and is available to purchase on FITE TV (for international viewers). And B/R Live in the United States.

Tony Khan was asked on the show what match he was most looking forward to on the PPV itself. The AEW President would reveal that the match he is “personally invested” in? Kenny Omega vs Hangman Adam Page.

Tony Khan on Omega vs Page

“Probably Kenny Omega and Hangman Page” Khan began on the show. “With the build? We’ve put so much story into it, but they are also just two of the best wrestlers in the world. They’ve been one of the best tag teams in AEW.”

“They’ve gone back years” Tony Khan would continue. “[Even] before there was an AEW, or before I knew I would get into the wrestling business even! They just work together. The team of Kenny and Hangman was something new and something actually that I wanted to do for Dynamite.”

Tony Khan would then reveal why he wanted to have the team together on AEW programming. “For the early episodes [of Dynamite], to have another great team within The Elite. Because you had at the time The Young Bucks and you had Cody. and then you had Hangman and Kenny, and with Hangman and Kenny I thought, ‘you know there’s a great chance for them to have some great matches and maybe we can tell this great story down the line.'”

“The more they did together? The more I think this made sense” Khan continued. “Like everyone else? I am personally invested in Kenny versus Hangman Page. From having seen them be the greatest tag team and having worked with them? I think that as individuals they can both be the AEW Champion.”

Do you think that Kenny Omega vs Hangman Page could be best the best bout at Full Gear? Do you think that this will lead to a Kenny or Page facing Jon Moxley OR Eddie Kingston down the line? Let us know in the comments

Tony Khan
Tony Khan.

Tony Khan: Le Dinner Debonair Was ‘Sports-Oriented’ and ‘Realistic’

All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan has opened up about the recent Le Dinner Debonair segment featuring MJF and Inner Circle leader Chris Jericho.

Acknowledging the reaction to the unique musical number during an interview with PWInsider, Khan admitted he predicted it would be a “polarizing segment.”

When asked if he wanted to continue exploring unconventional vignetters or wanted to skew closer to a more grounded style, Khan shared how he believed the musical segment aligned with AEW’s sports-oriented values.

“I thought it was pretty logical, man. I think that segment is sports-oriented. Like when I watch the ESPYs or when I watch…you watch music videos, it’s not unusual to see a big athlete in a musical number, and the key thing to me was that it wasn’t done in an unrealistic context because the idea that we ended up settling on to me was a very realistic idea.”

Le Dinner Debonair Was “Very On Brand”

Tony Khan argued how Jericho and MJF are two of the “biggest showboats in wrestling,” who love to sing their own praises. To him, their egomania would justify their “hammy performance together.” He added how the entire piece’s ambiance was “very on brand” for the two wrestlers.

Khan explained how it was key that Jericho and MJF acknowledged the camera and broke the fourth wall. He stressed how looking and singing into the camera was all about connecting with and entertaining the fans.

“Clearly they were doing it for themselves as these characters but it was very much for the benefit of the fans. So it’s like to me, in their minds it was for the benefit of the fans,” Khan said. “So to me, it’s very much…it’s still a realistic segment. I don’t think it’s…people talk about a sports-based feel but I’ve seen athletes do tons of musical numbers and you know, the Super Bowl Shuffle? Was the Super Bowl Shuffle not real sports? Because that’s about as real sports as I can remember.”

He argued how that era represented a time when sports felt very real. Khan noted that, if fans were to take an honest approach to Le Dinner Debonair, they should juxtapose the segment with all the times they’ve seen athletes singing and dancing in music videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grzbDJdiwLo