Tony Khan has revealed that plans for the creation of AEW had been in motion since before the 2018 All In event.

The inaugural All In event held on September 1, 2018, is widely considered to be the precursor of All Elite Wrestling. The success of the event is what many believe led to Tony Khan deciding to start his own promotion.

The exact timeline of events, however, has been a matter of debate recently. Multiple different accounts of the sequence in which the key people were made aware of the project and brought into the fold has been shared online.

During a recent interview on, The Rich Eisen Show, Tony Khan was asked about the belief that All In led to the formation of his company. The AEW President explained that the narrative is not true and he had first shared the idea with former TNT President Kevin Riley months before All In:

“I had started working about five months before that in April of that year I guess so you know I guess it would be like four and a half months earlier with a friend of mine who was the president of TBS and TNT Kevin Riley.

I ran into him at a party and brought up to him that I thought it would make a lot of sense to bring pro wrestling back to TBS and TNT and he was interested. Then I started working on it and well before like almost two months before All In I was actually talking to the Young Bucks.”

• Ex-ROH Owner Cary Silkin: Tony Khan Does Not Treat The Promotion Well

Tony Khan’s Timeline of AEW

Tony Khan later revealed the date of his first serious discussion with Mattew Jackson and his wife Dana Massie, which in turn led to him making acquaintances of the rest of The Elite and Chris Jericho:

“On July 3 which would be almost two months before the show I had a really long call with Matt and his wife Dana and we had a really nice talk. That led to me starting to talk to the Young Bucks.

Then I started having conversations with Chris Jericho through his agent. Not long after that right around the same time and actually I think I might have like within a week or so give or take had a dinner then and followed up on that.

So I was talking to Chris Jericho and the Young Bucks and then through the Young Bucks also to Cody Rhodes and Hangman and a number of other great wrestlers. Kenny Omega was going to be available from New Japan not long after that. So I was actually before All In.”

The AEW executive also mentioned how he was in attendance for the 2018 All In event, though according to Khan, he was there only as a spectator.

SEScoops had originally broke the story of a new wrestling promotion backed by the Khan family being in the works in late 2018. The company officially launched at the start of 2019.

All-Elite Wrestling and Warner Bros. Discovery have an agreement in principle to keep AEW on Turner networks for the next several years.

According to sources in the television industry, AEW and WBD’s deal would add AEW content to the MAX streaming platform, including pay-per-views. It’s unknown how much AEW would earn moving PPVs to streaming.

Two sources emphasized the deal was an agreement in principle only and on paper, but could change as both sides get closer to signing off, but there is an agreement on paper.

An official announcement of an extension could happen within the next several weeks. Garrett Gonzalez and Dave Meltzer corroborated the report on Saturday’s Wrestling Observer Radio.

Exact numbers on the deal weren’t available but were said to be on “the middle to high side” of what the two groups were negotiating.

AEW’s exclusive negotiation window with WBD ended on July 21.

Dalton Castle will not be wrestling at Death Before Dishonor next week and will not be wrestling for quite some time.

Tony Khan announced on social media that Castle will not compete at the upcoming ROH PPV, stating that the former ROH World Champion was injured during his match on AEW Collision against Roderick Strong. What’s even worse is ‘The Peacock’ won’t be strutting in the squared circle for the remainder of 2024.

Dalton quote-posted Tony Khan, stating he’ll “See y’all baby chickens in 2025.”

Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer claims that Castle was knocked out during his match with Strong after being connected with a flying knee. There was a clear edit in the broadcast of Collision as Castle didn’t kick out, who was out for several minutes after the spot. Up until this unfortunate injury, Castle has been a regular presence on Collision programming.

RELATED: Report: Ring of Honor To Have More Care Put Into It Going Forward

Currently on the card for Death Before Dishonor is Diamante taking on Leyla Hirsch in a Texas Deathmatch, Billie Starkz defending her ROH Women’s TV Championship against Red Velvet, Athena putting her ROH Women’s World Championship on the line against Queen Aminata and Mark Briscoe putting his ROH World Title up against the aforementioned Strong.

We at SEScoops want to wish Dalton Castle a healthy and speedy recovery.

RELATED: Ex-ROH Owner Cary Silkin: Tony Khan Does Not Treat The Promotion Well

Ring of Honor founder Cary Silkin has spoken against Tony Khan’s handling of the promotion which he believes falls well below expectations.

On the Madison Square Garden podcast, Silkin shared his thoughts on Khan’s handling of the promotion that Silkin and others founded in 2022.

“Ring of Honor of that era tried to show some respect to professional wrestling. Sure we had some wacky stuff. Sure we had the the flippy dippy do was coming into fashion. The flippy dippy do was going on with Édouard Carpentier too…Ring of Honor, there was some good pro wrestling going on in that segment of it. Right now, Ring of Honor it’s like no one cares at all. I don’t care how much money Tony Khan has. It’s not being treated very well.”

Tony Khan and Ring of Honor

Khan announced in March 2022 that he had purchased ROH, mere months after the promotion went on an indefinite hiatus following the Final Battle pay-per-view. In April, ROH held its first event of the Khan era as Supercard of Honor XV saw Johnathan Gresham become the Undisputed ROH World Champion.

Unlike AEW Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, Ring of Honor does not have a presence on syndicated television. Instead, it was announced in late 2022 that ROH shows would air on the relaunched Honor Club streaming platform.

Criticism Of Khan’s ROH

While Khan is to credit for allowing ROH to not finish for good in 2021, many feel that his handling of the promotion has been sub-par. On an episode of his K100 podcast, Konnan said in November 2023 that Khan was not appealing to a wider fanbase outside of “hardcore marks” who were always going to watch ROH anyway. Eric Bischoff said on his Strictly Business podcast in 2022 that buying ROH was a bad investment for Khan and that the company was “insignificant” in the eyes of the vast majority of fans.

AEW President Tony Khan would love the chance to host his brand of pro wrestling in the Hammerstein Ballroom, which he believes would make a lot of sense.

Speaking to SportsGrid, Khan was asked if AEW would be interested in hosting an event that for years was synonymous with Extreme Championship Wrestling.

“I think that’s a very interesting idea. I’ve never been to the Hammerstein Ballroom. I’d love to do it. I’ve seen great shows there. I think it’s a great venue. I’ve never been. We also have these amazing relationships around New York. For the right event, on the right night, it could make a lot of sense. I’d imagine it would sell out very quickly because it’s not the biggest room, but it is a fascinating setup and a cool looking room. It has great acoustics and is a lot of fun from everything I’ve seen on television. I’d love to check it out in person. It’s a great idea. The Hammerstein Ballroom could be a cool venue sometimes. I haven’t thought much about it, but it’s an awesome idea.”

The Hammerstein Ballroom

The Ballroom was opened in 1906 and renovated in 1997 and has become synonymous with professional wrestling. ECW held several events at the venue including the company’s final two pay-per-views, Massacre on 34th Street in December 2000 and Guilty as Charged in January 2001. When WWE revived ECW, the 2006 and 2006 One Night Stand events were held at the Ballroom.

RVD Explains What Made Iconic John Cena Match Special

The venue has also played host to events from Ring of Honor, including Death Before Dishonor 2008 and 2011, as well as most Final Battle events. In 2014 and 2017, ROH teamed with New Japan for their ‘War Of The Worlds’ event inside the famous arena. More recently, GCW hosted its The Wrld On GCW event in January 2022, and the event set a record attendance for the Hammerstein Ballroom.

AEW and ECW

Khan’s idea of running a show making sense rings true given that AEW has often been compared to ECW. With its more envelope-pushing levels of violence, AEW has proven to be quite the alternative to WWE, just as ECW was to the WWF before and during the Attitude Era. It remains to be seen whether AEW will enter the Ballroom, but if so, expect a raucous New York crowd should that event take place.

Bully Ray Says AEW Reminds Him Of ECW

Blood & Guts is one of the most dangerous stipulation matches in professional wrestling. It’s AEW’s take on War Games, the double-cage, anything-goes team warfare match originated by the late ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes in the 1980’s.

AEW introduced Blood & Guts in 2021, and has run the match each year ever since on a special-themed edition of AEW Dynamite. The match returns this year on Wednesday, July 24 from Nashville, TN. AEW Blood & Guts 2024 will feature Team Elite against Team AEW.

The first four Blood & Guts matches have featured only men, but is there a specific reason for this? Tony Khan appeared on the Battleground Podcast this week and said there’s no policy preventing a Women’s Blood & Guts match. In fact, he thinks it’s a great under as long as there’s a good story to support it.

“At some point, it would be great to have a women’s Blood & Guts match,” said Khan. “I think you need a lot of people [involved with] the story, and a lot of healthy people,” Khan said. “We have a great roster that we’re building up, and I think our women’s roster is stronger than it’s ever been right now today and I’m really excited about that. So, if we ever get to the point where we’ve got enough people tied together and the story makes sense, I think it would be great.”

5th Time’s A Charm?

There has never been a Women’s Blood and Guts match. Blood & Guts 2024 will feature two teams of male competitors, just like the first three.

• The inaugural Blood & Guts match (The Inner Circle vs. The Pinnacle) took place on May 5, 2021, after being delayed from its original March 2020 date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The second Blood & Guts match (Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Eddie Kingston, Santana, and Ortiz) occurred in June 2022.
• The third and most recent Blood & Guts match (The Golden Elite vs. Blackpool Combat Club, Konosuke Takeshita, and Pac) was held on July 19, 2023, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Several women on the AEW roster have expressed interest in participating, including Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue. WWE regularly features women’s Money in the Bank and WarGames matches. As we saw at the conclusion of this week’s AEW Dynamite, they’re not exactly preventing the women from getting as bloody and violent as the men. The question of a Women’s Blood & Guts match is about when it will happen, not if it will happen.

Tony Khan has confirmed that the third Forbidden Door PPV from the UBS Arena in New York was a huge success for the company.

The AEW president took part in the post Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum where he talked about things such as the upcoming Wrestle Dynasty PPV from Tokyo Dome which will be a joint show hosted by AEW, NJPW, and CMLL.

During the press conference, Khan also touted the success of the latest AEW PPV. He confirmed that the show drew a million-dollar gate for the third consecutive time:

“What a huge success this PPV has been. This is our third Forbidden Door, what a great partnership. Tonight was not only a great PPV, also a great live event here. Like we said over 11,000 fans here at UBS arena paid and over a million dollars live gate, really really, special. Third straight year with over 11,000 fans and over a million-dollar live gate, which is pretty cool too.”

• Watch: What Happened With Will Ospreay After Forbidden Door 2024 Went Off Air

Tony Khan On Super Heavyweight Championship

One interesting question Tony Khan was asked during the scrum was the potential of adding a ‘meaty super heavyweight championship’ after the match between Samoa Joe and Jeff Cobb at the PPV.

The AEW official mentioned how we’ve seen a lot of ‘meat moments’ in AEW and fans can chant ‘meat’ whenever they want to. On the potential of a title exclusive for the big men, Khan said that such matches are always exciting:

“There are a lot of championships in wrestling, but certainly any time we can get the big men fighting, I love it. Even if we’re not ready for a championship, those matches are exciting and we’ve seen people get engaged when those big guys start fighting and they love chanting ‘meat,'”

Apart from this, Tony Khan also discussed the upcoming Brodie Lee tribute shoes and more. You can check out the full Forbidden Door 2024 media scrum below:

Tony Khan has a lot of optimism when it comes to AEW’s future, both in television and in ever-changing streaming world.

Speaking to Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of The Wrestling Observer, the AEW President shared his enthusiasm in the possibility of AEW PPVs finding itself under the umbrella of the new Venu Sports venture. Venu Sports is the forthcoming sports streaming service that will showcase Fox, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery possibily teaming up for a super channel. Khan called it a “really exciting opportunity.”

“I think (Venu Sports) could be something we could be part of and it’s a really interesting conversation. That’s a whole new conversation and that’s a new world.”

Right now, Khan and AEW have found a PPV home on Triller TV with Forbidden Door airing on the service Sunday evening. Triller also is hosting the older PPVs of AEW, something that has been in great demand for fans.

RELATED: Tony Khan Notes Networks Would Kill For AEW TV Numbers

Tony Khan Praises WBD CEO David Zaslav

While Tony Khan states he’s excited for the future with AEW and WBD, he reaffirms the relationship he has with WBD CEO David Zaslav. Khan even goes as far as to say Zaslav shows as much support for pro wrestling as Ted Turner once did with WCW.

“I don’t think that Warner Bros has had such a hands-on boss who has overseen a studio like this since Ted Turner was here at TNT and TBS like we have with David (Zaslav). There is a supreme commander at the top of Warner Bros Discovery and he loves AEW and I have a great relationship with him and I think it’s going to go a long way towards really keeping something that is very important to me alive, which is wrestling on TBS, TNT.”

Before the summer, there was an initial report that the first offered deal between WBD and AEW left Khan disappointed, but the aforementioned Observer gave its own report refuting that.

RELATED: Tony Khan Accused Of Booking AEW Television On The Fly

Tony Khan is confident in the television future of AEW, whatever that future may be, and he hopes it continues with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Khan sat down for an interview with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer and went into detail regarding his thoughts on that future. The AEW President said that the company is going to get a great deal and there are still discussion matters still on the table between the two parties. Despite the record-low number AEW accrued two Wednesdays ago on AEW Dynamite, Khan remains confident in the statistics AEW has done over the course of their deal with Turner.

“We need to keep doing what we’re doing because the numbers we have are numbers people in TV would kill to have. And I really need to focus on doing good shows for AEW and not about what the competition is doing, I think in this case our competition going out ahead of us and getting good media rights deals was a positive for us and actually good for us because we have very good historical comps, and these comps are very favorable for us. So that’s one thing I’ve done, a ton of market research and retain top analysts and data scientists and looking at this stuff.”

RELATED: Tony Khan Says He Greatly Respects Shane McMahon: “Always Welcome in AEW”

Thankfully, AEW rebounded with their numbers for the go-home episode of Dynamite ahead of Forbidden Door, getting an audience of 680,000, but it was still Dynamite‘s third-worst numbers so far in 2024.

The key demographic for Dynamite was also boosted up 37.5% from the previous week’s record-low getting a 0.22 P18-49 rating.

The fallout from AEW Forbidden Door will be featured at AEW Beach Break 3, showcasing a match between Will Ospreay and Daniel Garcia. The card will also have Jeff Jarrett competing in the Owen Hart Cup against a Wild Card entrant.

Khan has officially welcomed the possibility of McMahon joining AEW.

Conrad Thompson had the internet buzzing after he shared that he heard that Shane McMahon had communicated with someone from All Elite Wrestling. McMahon has been off WWE TV since he suffered a torn quadricep injury in an impromptu match against The Miz at WrestleMania 39 on April 2. Many fans believe it will be for WWE if Shane-o-Mac returns to TV. However, it seems WWE’s competition would welcome him with open arms. 

Justin Barrasso recently spoke with AEW President Tony Khan for SI and asked about the possibility of Shane ‘o Mac becoming All Elite. Khan said he’s never met the man, but would welcome him any time.

“I heard the rumor he might be interested,” said Khan. “I’ve never met Shane, but we have a lot of mutual friends.”

“I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”

It’s unclear if McMahon really has an interest in joining AEW. That said, the possibility has fans wondering how the WWE veteran would fit in another wrestling company. The AEW President also touched on other topics related to the company, including an update on their TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Tony Khan Remains Optimistic About New Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery

The clock is starting to run out on AEW’s current deal with WBD. It’s expected that their current TV deal will expire in the fall. Despite AEW not reaching a new agreement, Khan has remained optimistic about the company’s future. 

In the interview, Khan shared a minor update, stating that he has recently spoken with the WBD staff. 

 “We’re having great discussions with Warner Bros. Discovery,” said Khan. He continued, “I have a great relationship with (WBD CEO) Mr. David Zaslav. We’re fortunate to work with him and his team. It’s a really strong relationship, and I had just a great discussion with their leadership team this week.”

It seems AEW’s future with WBD is still in limbo. Hopefully, both sides can reach a new deal, or Khan can find his company a new home before the fall.

All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling collaborative pay-per-view event is fast approaching with an exciting card. AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door will occur at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, on June 30.

 So far, the card has eight matches announced, including five championships set to be defended. One of the matchups that the PPV has been built towards is AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defending her title against Mina Shirakawa. 

The feud has been building for several months, with both competing over the attention of Mariah May. The matchup would become official when Storm and Shirakawa signed their contracts on the June 19 episode of AEW Dynamite. Both superstars are expected to be at their best, as they hope to walk away as the AEW Women’s Champion and have May at their side. 

Related: Mariah May, Toni Storm Storyline Inspired By ‘All About Eve’?

Tony Khan On Storyline Between Toni Storm, Mina Shirakawa & Mariah May

AEW President Tony Khan spoke with Bleacher Report’s Doc-Chris Muller to give his insight on the storyline heading into the women’s title match. Khan praised all three superstars for how they have generated intrigue from fans, particularly the growth of Storm and May in AEW. 

“…It’s a storyline that I put together based on things Toni Storm has done since becoming ‘Timeless,’ and the integration of Mariah May, and it’s a fascinating dynamic between Toni and Mariah, and I think it’s some of the most captivating on AEW television week in and week out and it’s been fascinating to watch Mariah progress since she came in,” said Khan. 

Khan spoke highly of May and how she embraced her character of idolizing Storm since joining AEW. He also credited RJ City for helping him craft the storyline and believes Shirakawa could be a regular on the AEW roster. 

“…Mina has become a major part of AEW in recent weeks and I think she’s somebody that can be here on a regular basis. Somebody that can represent us as the AEW Women’s World Champion and Mina has a lot of history with Mariah, and Toni has a ton of history now with Mariah that has been built in this past year, and I felt like this dynamic would work so well, and everybody’s been great,” said Khan.

Related: Tony Khan On Shane McMahon’s AEW Interest: ‘I’ve Never Met Or Spoke With Him’

Tony Khan Previews Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa At AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

The AEW President praised all three performers and believes the women’s title match could be great. He didn’t share who he thought would be victorious but hinted that the storyline could conclude at the PPV. 

“…All three of them, Toni, Mariah, and Mina, are fantastic wrestlers, and it’s going to pay off at Forbidden Door in a fantastic match when Toni Storm fights Mina Shirakawa for the AEW Women’s World Championship and also possibly for the respect and affection of Mariah May, and I cannot wait for the match,” said Khan.

Khan added that he loved working with them to create the storyline and how well everyone has performed. It seems likely that Storm will retain her championship, but fans will be interested to see if the results will make May choose who she’d rather be with. Fans must tune in at AEW x NJPW to know how the storyline will unfold. 

Related: Mercedes Mone Confronts Stephanie Vaquer Ahead of Forbidden Door Showdown

Several names took part in creating the blueprint for the Casino Gauntlet match that went down on the 5/29 episode of AEW Dynamite, but one significant name was a catalyst, as expected.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Khan was instrumental in laying out the main event match for AEW Dynamite, which happened to be the fallout show for this past weekend’s Double Or Nothing. 

Internally, Khan was listed as a coach on the match and had help from QT Marshall, Colt Cabana and Serpentico at laying out the match. AEW has been very happy with the reception as it will be Will Ospreay challenging Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship at Forbidden Door.

• Will Ospreay Pitches Scott D’Amore To Run ROH

Some surprise names were implemented into the bout including Mistico, Shota Umino, Lio Rush and Hechicero. The other competitors were PAC, Claudio Castagnoli, Orange Cassidy and Jay White.

Ospreay happened to also be the winner of the first Casino Gauntlet, a match that actually earned him the right to face Roderick Strong for the AEW International Championship at Double or Nothing, who Ospreay ended up defeating.

Many were speculating that Strickland and Ospreay would first go head-to-head later this year at ALL IN at Wembley Stadium, but fans will get at least an early sample of that fight next month when Forbidden Door takes place in Long Island.

This news of Tony Khan laying out the fight comes not long after the AEW President was accused of booking AEW television last minute by Bryan Alvarez.

Other matches that went down on the 5/29 AEW Dynamite was Jon Moxley in another IWGP World Title Eliminator Match against Rocky Romero, Mercedes Mone took on Skye Blue and Swerve Strickland faced Killswitch.

Tony Khan is clearly passionate about the “one true sport” of professional wrestling, but has his booking method been to AEW’s detriment?

F4WOnline‘s Bryan Alvarez was chatting with users on the website’s forum and stated that Tony Khan has been making last-minute decisions when it comes to finalizing shows, including AEW Double Or Nothing this past Memorial Day weekend.

“Tony switched the script on [AEW Double or Nothing] multiple times during the afternoon. Most people, not just the wrestlers, have no idea what they’re doing until the day of the show, and sometimes not until an hour or so before the show. People are flown to towns and given nothing to do, others are begged the day before the show to please get to the town so they can do something last-minute.”

There may have been an example of this on Wednesday as Saraya was set to go one-on-one with Mariah May, marking her first singles match since her absence, but that bout was removed and rescheduled for next week’s episode of Dynamite. In between those changes Saraya took to social media to briefly post “About to really start speaking my mind,” before deleting her comment.

This, and I just realized shes’s since deleted it. https://t.co/SFl1tWel6K pic.twitter.com/fvkE7WbmMb

— Danny (@dajosc11) May 30, 2024

• Tony Khan On Potentially Expanding Dynamite To Three Hours: “I’ve Tasted Blood”

On the recent AEW Double or Nothing media call Tony Khan was asked by Alvarez’s co-hort in Dave Meltzer if there’s anything he’d like to change over the course of AEW”s five years to which Khan credited himself as a wrestling historian and would like to learn from the mistakes of pro wrestling’s past. Khan potentially booking weekly television last minute is falling in line of the footsteps of Vince McMahon, also to his product’s detriment, would book WWE RAW and SmackDown at the very last minute.

However, Khan making last-minute changes appears to not be a recent occurance.  For what it’s worth, during ALL OUT 2023 weekend, I overheard two AEW talents talking about how they were uncertain of their status for that night’s episode of AEW Collision (the one before CM Punk was terminated), with one prominent name making it known “That’s AEW.”

H/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

AEW has had to shift its programming around recently due to the NBA and NHL playoffs. While it has created some problems for President Tony Khan, the schedule shift has also led to some unique opportunities such as having two of their weekly shows running one after another.

With 2024 being the year of media rights renewal for the promotion, there has been chatter about potential big changes for AEW. With the recent success of these three-hour blocks, the possibility of either Dynamite or Collision seeing a permanent expansion has certainly been a point of discussion.

Khan recently had an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri. During the talk, he was asked about the potential of Dynamite adding another hour in the future. Tony referenced Raw expanding to three hours back in 2012 and noted how it can be challenging to keep things interesting throughout a longer show:

“That’s a really challenging question. It’s been interesting to do the three-hour block when it’s been Dynamite and Rampage. You wanna keep Dynamite as strong as possible. Look at the history of what’s happened with a two-hour wrestling show when that show has expanded to three hours.”

I Want More: Tony Khan

Tony Khan however also discussed the business side of things and what it would mean for AEW financially to add another hour to their most profitable show. 

Khan mentioned how three hours of continuous programming allows them to follow up on things on the same night. They debated the idea of containing the five hours of weekly AEW programming to two nights instead of three with Tony Khan saying that he definitely wants to do at least 5 hours a week:

“It’s interesting right now the most we get per hour for any of our TV shows is Dynamite. So in some ways you can say that would be a really lucrative opportunity. I think it’s a very interesting conversation to have about how many nights a week you allocate the programming. Is 5 hours the best? Should we do 6? I mean I definitely wanna do at least 5 now. I’ve tasted blood and I want more. So I could easily be sold on doing more than 5 hours of programming.”

The AEW President has been doing media rounds recently and discussing some interesting topics. He also recently commented on the possibility of Becky Lynch joining AEW amid reports of her current WWE deal coming to an end. You can check out what Tony Khan had to say here.

AEW President Tony Khan has a lot of respect for WWE Superstar Becky Lynch but isn’t ready to discuss bringing her to the All-Elite promotion just yet. 

Lynch’s contract with WWE is set to expire within a matter of days and while talks are ongoing, a deal is not expected to be reached. On this week’s Raw, Lynch unsuccessfully challenged WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan in the show’s main event. Lynch was visibly emotional after the show as she waved to the fans, which some have taken as a sign that ‘The Man’ is leaving WWE.

Watch: Becky Lynch Waves Goodbye to WWE Fans After Raw

Tony Khan on Becky Lynch

With Lynch’s time with WWE coming to an end, many fans are naturally hopeful that she will join AEW and its blossoming women’s division. The All-Elite promotion is already home to notable ex-Superstars including ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm, Saraya, and Mercedes Mone. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Tony Khan was asked about possibly bringing WWE talent on board. 

“I don’t want to try to tamper and do those things. I try to keep it classy and I really have a reputation for honesty and I really want to be a fair businessman. The wrestling business is a really cutthroat business.”

When Lynch’s name was brought up, Khan again brought up tampering and isn’t going to discuss signing somebody who for now remains under a WWE contract. With that said, the AEW President agreed with Eisen’s co-host TJ that Lynch is a “great star.”

Becky Lynch’s Future

Lynch has been telling those in WWE that she does not plan on joining AEW imminently. The former Women’s Champion is expected to take a break from wrestling for the time being. Despite this, WWE sources are confident a new deal will be reached when the time is right. Whatever comes next, fans will remain intrigued to see what the highly popular WWE Superstar does next. 

People at AEW are firing back at the report made by an entertainment website earlier today stating that Tony Khan was disappointed at the initial offer made to him by Warner Bros Discovery.

According to AEW sources close to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, Khan was not upset by WBD’s first offer, but negotiations are still ongoing between the two parties. The report regarding Khan’s supposed mentality on the matter came from Matthew Belloni of The Puck, who noted that WBD’s exclusivity window with AEW is closing in July. He also added that Khan and Warner Bros are “playing nice” with one another as negotiations continue.

• Next Themed AEW Dynamite Will Promote WBD Property

Meltzer added into his report that Belloni previously had WWE CEO Nick Khan on his podcast and that the two are supposedly longtime friends.

There is concern that WBD CEO David Zaslav may bungle the AEW deal for WBD as the executive has been heavily criticized for likely losing the rights deal for the NBA.

Just last month, Zaslav sent a memo to Warner Bros Discovery executives to look for cost-cutting measures after ending 2023 in debt. However, there could be some great viability in locking AEW in a new deal considering that live television is a hot commodity during this always changing era of the streaming service.

On the latest media call with Tony Khan ahead of Double or Nothing, the AEW President expressed a desire to ink a new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, but there might be a high-demand for the AEW package in the open market.

Coming off a successful Double or Nothing pay-per-view, AEW will look to capitalize on Sunday night’s momentum with it’s next edition of AEW Dynamite on Wednesday. However, this week’s episode of Dynamite will not just be any old episode, as it’ll be a House of Dragon-themed episode. 

For those who don’t know,  House of Dragon is an HBO series that serves as a prequel to its famous Game of Thrones series. As the House of Dragon is set to begin it’s second season on June 16th, AEW and WBD are taking the opportunity to promote the show on AEW’s flagship program. 

In a statement on X, AEW President Tony Khan commented on the upcoming episode, announcing the main event of the episode, which will feature AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland taking on The Patriarchy’s Killswitch. 

TOMORROW#AEWDynamite
Los Angeles
8pm ET/7pm CT @TBSNetwork

Presented by HBO's @HouseofDragon@thekiaforum is Whose House?

AEW World Champion @swerveconfident vs @luchasaurus

After Swerve retained the World Title at #AEWDoN, Killswitch aims for payback in LA on TBS, TOMORROW!… pic.twitter.com/8d7pZtd9iq

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) May 28, 2024

This is not the first time All Elite Wrestling has held a Game of Thrones-themed edition of Dynamite. Since 2020, the promotion has held a “Winter is Coming” special of Dynamite every December. The phrase is synonymous with the HBO series and has been the backdrop of several memorable matches and moments in AEW history. 

One moment that stands out is the AEW debut of The Icon Sting in 2020, marking the legend’s return to TNT after nearly 20 years.

As noted, this week’s main event will pit Swerve Strickland against the heavy of Christian Cage’s Patriarchy faction, Killswitch. Cage was unsuccessful in dethroning Strickland in their intense World Heavyweight Championship match in Las Vegas. 

Are AEW and WBD a marriage made to be? Or a Red Wedding? 

Khan had subtly mentioned that a House of Dragon-themed episode of Dynamite was in the works during the Double or Nothing Media Scrum, following questions from the media regarding AEW’s ongoing TV rights negotiations with Warner Brothers Discovery. 

When speaking publicly, Tony Khan has only been incredibly positive when discussing his relationship with WBD, citing that AEW enjoys working with them and would like to continue the partnership. 

Early Tuesday, reports emerged from Matthew Belloni of Puck News that Khan was “unhappy” with the initial offers produced by WBD. While later reports from both WrestleNomics and Wrestling Observer stated that this wasn’t the case, they each confirmed that no deal had yet been reached.  

While a deal between WBD and AEW seems to be the best-case scenario for all parties involved, if WWE’s recent media rights deals have taught us anything, it’s that truly anything can happen in this space. 

Arn Anderson will be leaving AEW and is grateful for his time and opportunity with the company.

Speaking on a live version of The ARN Show, The Enforcer revealed that his AEW contract is expiring on May 31 and he’ll be making his leave from the company. Arn expressed his extreme gratitude for Tony Khan, calling him a wonderful human being and noting how much of an impact the AEW President has made on the wrestling industry, giving talent a different place to go and work.

Anderson addressed his future in wrestling, stating that he believes in the talent and ability of his son Brock Anderson, who is no longer with AEW, and wants to spend his remaining years in wrestling helping him develop into a star.

• Arn Anderson Getting Inducted Into The National Wrestling Hall Of Fame

Anderson wanted to thank everyone he worked with in AEW, naming Khan, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn for all the work that they’ve done.

The Enforcer was indeed a force for AEW as one of the notable legends early on under the AEW banner. Anderson first debuted at ALL OUT 2019 when he delivered a spinebuster to Shawn Spears in his grudge match against Cody Rhodes

From then on, Anderson was a key component to Rhodes’ act in the company as he was apart of The Nightmare Family and would accompany Cody to the ring as a coach. For a very brief time, Anderson was an ally to Wardlow during one of his runs as TNT Champion.

“Thank you and see you down the road,” Anderson said. Arn will still stay busy with his Brock, but will also continue doing his series on The Four Horsemen Network.

Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming to secure AEW programming but is Tony Khan picking up with CEO David Zaslav is laying down?

Matthew Belloni of the entertainment website Puck News is hearing that the exclusive rights window between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery is closing despite the latter wanting to keep five hours of AEW programming on their television product.

However, Belloni is reporting that AEW President Tony Khan is currently disappointed with the current offer on the table from WBD and that Khan is awre of the leverage AEW has since Zaslav lost the NBA rights for Turner Sports.

On the recent media call before Double Or Nothing, Khan praised executives as WBD and remained optimistic about the two parties coming together on a deal.

Belloni notes that both sides are “playing nice” with one another for the time being, and plays both sides of the coin when it comes to AEW’s value to other networks or being a viable suitor due to WWE’s relationship with several media properties.

• Tony Khan Wants Bryan Danielson To Stay In AEW Forever

Whether a savvy move or not, Zaslav’s low offer to AEW makes sense considering the report that he issued an order for all departments in WBD to look at cost-cutting measures moving further into 2024.

AEW inked their first deal with WBD back in 2020, and the company has made sure to create a lot of synergy between their product and the other properties that WBD has had to offer including Game Of Thrones, Mad Max, and the aforementioned NBA. 

Tony Khan has been thinking about adding yet another championship to the AEW line up though it may not be what fans are expecting.

The AEW President took part in the post-Double or Nothing media scrum to discuss the event. He was asked about the potential of adding a tag team or a trios title to the women’s division.

Khan claimed that they have talked a lot about potential championship additions to AEW. He explained that they are currently trying to build the company’s Women’s Division back to its previous strength. Tony specifically gave the example of the 2021 All Out PPV which featured a 21 Women Battle Royal as well as a singles match between Britt Baker and Kris Statlander.

It Would Set AEW Apart: Tony Khan

Speaking about a potential tag belt for Women, Tony Khan revealed that he actually has interest in introducing mixed tag titles for competitors:

“Those are both very interesting championships, I also think something different we could do here, that I have had interest in, would be mixed tag team championships. I think we have a lot people that are lined and said yes and nodded really quickly when I said that because a lot of people would be interested in that too. That’s different than what other major promotions have, and I think it would set AEW apart. So I’m also interested in mixed tag team championships.”

Tony Khan also commented on the return of MJF to AEW and his announcement to stick around the promotion. He said that seeing the Salt of The Earth return on the 5-year anniversary of AEW was a great moment for fans.

Apart from Khan, The media scrum featured names such as the new TBS Champion Mercedes Mone who claimed that joining AEW actually saved her life.

You can check out the full Double or Nothing 2024 press conference below:

The final countdown is on for Bryan Danielson’s full-time wrestling career. The All Elite Wrestling superstar plans to work as a part-time talent later this year to spend more time with his family. Although he is committed to finishing his run as a full-time wrestler, fans are curious if he’ll stick around with AEW when the deal is up for renewal. However, it seems AEW President Tony Khan fully intends to re-sign Danielson to keep him with the company. 

In an interview with CBS Sports, Khan shared that he wants to keep ‘The American Dragon’ in the company forever. 

CBS Sport’ Shakiel Mahjouri transcribed the following quotes. 

“I would like Bryan to stay, in a perfect world, forever here in whatever capacity he’d stay with us in,” Khan said. He continued, “I’d hope that Bryan would finish his wrestling career here. I would do anything to make that happen. I want Bryan to stay with us wrestling as long as possible. I know that he’s talked about an exit from full-time wrestling, which is what he’s been doing this year whenever he’s been healthy.” 

The AEW President continued the interview by praising Danielson’s career in the company and sharing his commitment to keeping him long-term. 

“…I think Bryan Danielson fits on AEW like a glove. As long as he will consider wrestling with us, that door is always open. I would bend over backwards for him and do anything for Bryan Danielson.”

Khan’s public declaration of wanting to re-sign Danielson should reassure AEW fans, as the beloved superstar’s contract is set to expire soon. 

 When Does Bryan Danielson Contract Expire? 

Danielson has shared openly that his current deal will end ahead of AEW All In on August 25. Despite his contract expiring beforehand, ‘The American Dragon’ wants to compete at the event and AEW WrestleDream on October 12. 

Although a new agreement hasn’t been signed, Khan hopes Danielson will stay with AEW.

“…I don’t know whether he’ll be wrestling full-time after that, but I really hope Bryan will stay with me here in the office forever… I talk to Bryan pretty much every day whenever I can. So I hope that will continue for the rest of our lives,” said Khan

It’s unclear if Danielson will consider testing free agency after he finishes his commitment. For now, he is focused on making the most out of the current AEW run and wrestling matches that fans won’t forget. 

The Young Bucks felt great dropping Tony Khan on his head.

The AEW EVPs have completely changed the perception about them in many ways since returning to AEW Programming after a short hiatus in January this year. The duo that have always been criticized for focusing on moves, have been doing some of the best character work of their careers.

The decision for them to be the team to wrestle Sting in his retirement match at Revolution was originally criticized by many fans. Not only did the brothers deliver the performance of a lifetime in this bout, but they have also taken the heat from it to become one of the hottest acts in the business.

One defining moment that helped them reach this status was when Matthew and Nicholas Jackson attacked their boss and AEW President Tony Khan during the April 24 episode of Dynamite. They beat Khan up with the help of Jack Perry and then laid him out using the ‘Tony Khan driver’

The AEW stars spoke to Sports Illustrated about this moment and said that it felt ‘dangerous and rebellious.’ Matthew Jackson claimed that he knew they had done the right thing when his phone lit up afterwards:

“The locker room gasped when it went down. Afterward, my phone lit up like a Christmas tree. It was probably the most feedback I’ve ever received for anything I’ve ever done, so I know it worked.”

The AEW EVP declared that it was something he had wanted to do since they first met with the Jacksonville Jaguars Executive:

“It was personally great for me, because I had fantasized many times about dropping Tony Khan on his head ever since I met him. I can remember many times watching him talk during production meetings, and my mind would wander to beating the hell out of him,”

We Kept An Eye On Him: Young Bucks

The Young Bucks also talked about the return of Jack Perry on AEW TV. The 26-year-old had been absent from AEW programming since his infamous All In scuffle with CM Punk in August last year.

When Perry first surfaced back on the wrestling scene in January, it was for NJPW and not AEW. Per the Bucks, they had been keeping an eye on the young star since then and giving him advice:

“We kept an eye on him the entire time he was gone and helped him navigate the situation–a familiar one that we had also gone through. We also talked him down a few times. We gave him advice on how to succeed in Japan.”

Jack Perry became the fourth member to join the new Elite after Kazuchika Okada when he returned to AEW in April. Speaking about taking the former Jungle Boy into their group, Bucks said that they had empathy for the young star for being treated unfairly:

“Jack unfairly ate crap for a very long time. So we had a lot of empathy for him, and we were very excited to help launch his comeback.”

The Elite have been running the company to their liking in recent weeks after adding both Okada and Perry to the group. Their dominance, however, will be challenged by Team AEW consisting of Bryan Danielson, FTR, and Darby Allin at the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV on May 26 when they meet in an Anarchy in the Arena match.

A challenge has been made for AEW President Tony Khan to step inside the ring at the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV next month.

The AEW owner announced on Twitter earlier this week that Konosuke Takeshita will be facing Jon Moxley in an IWGP World Title Eliminator match at the Double or Nothing PPV on May 26. If Takeshita wins this match, he will earn the right to challenge for the title currently held by Mox.

NJPW star EVIL who is set to challenge Moxley for the belt at the Dominion event on June 9 has taken an exception to this announcement. While speaking to Tokyo Sports, he questioned Tony Khan’s authority to make the bout concerning the NJPW title.

Tony Khan Challenged For Forbidden Door Showdown

The Japanese star claimed that he is the ‘highest authority’ of New Japan and suggested a ‘presidential showdown’ between the two at the upcoming PPV:

“You’re doing whatever you want, and I’m not going to stand by and watch. Don’t act like you’re an equal to me, the president of an organization that’s not that big. My company and your company are not of the same caliber. You don’t seem to know your place, so I’ll give you a lesson. You can stand in front of me (at Forbidden Door). Next time you won’t be wearing a corset. You and I are on different levels,”

EVIL is not the first NJPW star to speak against the treatment of the IWGP Title by AEW Authorities in recent times. Yota Tsuji had previously questioned NJPW management’s decision to put the belt on Moxley in the first place.

The Third Annual Forbidden Door jointly hosted by AEW and NJPW will be held on June 30 from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

Considering the recent remarks from NJPW talent, it appears that there will be some bitter competition between the two rosters this time around instead of the friendly warfare we have seen in the past.

The quotes in the article have been translated through Google Translate

Tony Khan continues to embrace the “challenger brand” identity of AEW and think that’s conveyed in his roster interviews.

The AEW President spoke with Rich Ucchino on Cincy 360, and Khan continued to praise his company for exciting matches, but also the ability for his stars to speak behind the microphone. Khan also made reference that unlike WWE, their promos can lead towards organic cadence.

“In AEW, I think people really feel a connection with the wrestlers. We don’t script the interviews here. People go out, they’re talking about, maybe they got bullet points and key pieces of information they’re trying to get out, but it feels like you’re hearing a real person talk, which isn’t always the way it feels with some of the competition’s interviews. I think that’s one major difference.

• Tony Khan: ‘AEW Is Where The Best Wrestle. That’s Not Me’

Khan goes on to state that while the AEW athleticism is top-tier, he puts over the personalities of the roster too, something that he believes is conveyed through their unscripted promos.

“I think our biggest strength is the quality of athletes and the charisma of our biggest stars. Some of the biggest names in wrestling are in AEW, and there’s a reason why these big free agents want to come here to AEW. It’s because this is where the best wrestle.”

Khan is hoping that charisma comes out at AEW Double Or Nothing when Team AEW aims to battle The Elite in an Anarchy In Arena match in Las Vegas. On Wednesday’s Dynamite, Eddie Kingston, FTR and Bryan Danielson stepped up to challenge The Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry.

Please h/t to WrestleZone for the transcription.

Tony Khan may have taken steps towards being an on-screen presence for AEW but don’t expect the 40-year-old billionaire to lace up a pair of wrestling boots. 

With Khan becoming more of a presence on programming in recent years, it’s not hard to see why some have speculated on a potential match for the AEW President. When asked about this possibility on Cincy 360 however, Khan explained why headlock and suplexes aren’t in his future.

“AEW is where the best wrestle, and we mean that…in this case, I’m not the best person to pay those people back.”

Khan also pointed out that things hardly went his way the last time he was in an AEW ring as he was the victim of an attack by The Elite. 

“After what happened to me last time, I don’t think I’d be making a smart move trying that [having a match].”

The AEW President hasn’t been seen on TV since the attack by the Elite in April 2024. This marked Khan’s first time getting physical as part of an AEW storyline and he took a piledriver from the Young Bucks. The faction attacked Kenny Omega the following week. 

Wrestling Bosses

While Khan doesn’t plan on having a match, there are some names from wrestling’s corporate side who would step into the ring. Perhaps the most obvious example is Vince McMahon who competed a total 63 times between August 1998 and April 2022. Shane and Stephanie McMahon would also establish themselves as business people in WWE before they stepped into the ring.