Category: AEW

Tony Khan Addresses Report Of AEW EVPs Losing Power

Last week a report came out on the AEW EVPs (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes) having their creative powers “essentially completely taken away” and everything was now running through AEW President Tony Khan.

Yesterday, Dave Meltzer reported the roles of the EVPs hadn’t changed since December of 2019. Even with Khan taking on more control of booking, there wasn’t a recent loss of power for the EVPs.

Khan spoke with PWInsider this week and was asked for clarification on where things are when it comes to creative in AEW. Khan reiterated things haven’t changed recently, but he did take on more control to make sure shows were more organized.

“Yeah, I saw those reports this week and I thought that was pretty disingenuous stuff from some of the internet wrestling writers because nothing has changed in recent months and really, the structure changed for me at the end of 2019 and it was because of me,” Khan said. “I felt like I needed to take over and be more accountable as the CEO and as the Booker. I was the final say, but there were probably too many different people with input on segments and this show wasn’t as organized at the end of 2019 as I thought it could be.

“So for the past two years, we’ve been a lot more organized and I’ve written every show by hand, which allows me to know which segments are where and I think the shows have gotten significantly better. The fans have enjoyed them more. They’ve performed better in terms of the ratings and it’s been a good change for us, but I saw somebody reporting that recently in the news and it’s not because — we talked about this, like over a year and a half ago we talked about this, and I went on the record. I talked to you about it and Dave Meltzer, this week in The Observer, even wrote a pretty good account of it that nothing has really changed.”

Khan continued that it was actually his 2020 New Year’s resolution to take on putting the shows together and avoiding content he wasn’t in favor of airing.

“This is all stuff that came into effect at the beginning of 2020,” Khan recalled. “I had said my New Year’s resolution, myself, [was that] I was going to get very organized or I told myself if there’s something I didn’t feel good about, I wasn’t going to do it and that I was going to create much more of the work product myself, that I was going to lay out the matches, the stories and format everything into a nice package, myself, and I’ve been doing it for over a year and a half with the collaboration and help of a lot of great people, including the people I started with.

“I think the biggest difference has been instead of five people getting in a room and putting a format together, I get in a room and put a format together. I also get very amused when people refer to QT [Marshall], like the guy on the creative team. He’s effectively my assistant and he’s great. He works his ass off. He’ll show up in my room whenever I need him, and I sometimes will call him up at one in the morning to come up and I want to reorganize the show or make card changes, or I’m putting stuff together for Elevation or Dark or whatever I need. He’s usually there for me, but I’m very hands on with this stuff and it’s been that way for a long time. So I thought it was really disingenuous.”

With the signing of stars like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole, Khan believed their additions have obviously made a difference in the AEW product. Khan also said he has just gotten better at the job over the past couple years, allowing him to put together better quality shows.

“Somebody talked about it this week, like it was news and then people acted like there’d been some change, but there’s been no change,” Khan stated. “I’ve been in that position for a long time. And I think we’ve had our shows, in my opinion, have gotten stronger, recently. And there are a number of things you can attribute that to.

“One of the things I think you can attribute it to is the great star power that come in, and we’re getting a lot of great wrestlers who bring tons of great attributes, including their experience, their great ideas, and trying to integrate those things.  Then me — myself personally — I think I gotten better and more organized over the last couple years at doing this job and have learned a lot in the past two years.”

AEW Dynamite celebrates its two-year anniversary tonight at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 10/6/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite: Second Anniversary episode airs on TNT at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

* The Elite (AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, Adam Cole and The Young Bucks) vs. Bryan Danielson, Christian Cage, and Jurassic Express

* Hikaru Shida vs. Serena Deeb

* Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Bobby Fish (AEW TNT Championship)

* Jon Moxley vs. PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo vs. Lance Archer vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Matt Hardy vs. “The Joker” (Casino Ladder Match – Winner receives future AEW World Championship shot)

News On Report Of AEW EVPs Reportedly Losing Creative Power

Last week, it was reported that the AEW EVPs have lost creative power, and Tony Khan has been completely taken over that role. The report stated that Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Cody Rhodes were “EVPs in name only in 2021.”

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that the roles of higher ups in AEW have remained unchanged since December of 2019. AEW President Tony Khan took more control of booking since then, but no one in AEW has lost any creative power. Khan recently said in an interview that AEW has grown stronger the more he takes on.

Khan is in charge of booking the matches and segments and tells talent what they’re involved in and where their direction is going, including the AEW EVPs and other top stars like Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, CM Punk and Bryan Danielson. However, those top stars are still allowed input into their angles and matches, and their allowed their own creative input in their promos as well.

While Khan, as head booker, decides who wins and loses matches, talent have the creative input to fill out the details of Khan’s vision. Meltzer used the example from the last episode of Rampage where Khan can tell Danielson and Matt Jackson to go out there for a 15-16 minute match, and it’s up to Danielson and Jackson to do what they want.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Former NXT Star Bobby Fish Set To Make AEW Debut On Next Week’s Dynamite

Shortly after winning the TNT Championship on AEW Dynamite, Sammy Guevara revealed that former NXT star Bobby Fish would be his first challenger.

Bobby Fish’s first match since parting ways with WWE back in August will take place on the October 6 edition of AEW Dynamite.

In case you missed it, Sammy Guevara defeated Miro for the TNT Championship in the main event of this week’s AEW Dynamite. The show went off the air as Guevara was celebrating with his friends in the ring as confetti rained down from the sky, but Guevara made an announcement later in the night while being interviewed by Tony Schiavone backstage in a segment that aired dung the commercial break of the premiere episode of Cody and Brandi Rhodes’ reality show Rhodes To The Top.

Guevara revealed that former WWE NXT Superstar Bobby Fish had already challenged Guevara for his newly won title and that he had accepted Fish’s challenge, confirming that Fish would be making his AEW debut next week in the process.

After Guevara had broken the news of Fish’s imminent AEW debut, Dan Lambert and Men Of The Year (Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky) confronted Guevara and demanded title shots of their own. The altercation almost got physical but the parties were pulled apart as the segment ended.

https://twitter.com/theBobbyFish/status/1443395314740875267

As you might recall, Bobby Fish was released by WWE along with several of his now-former NXT colleagues on August 7. Fish signed with WWE in 2017 and became a founding member of The Undisputed Era alongside Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly. Fish would go on to hold the NXT Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions. The 44-year-old began wrestling in 2002 and was trained by legendary WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race.

Source: The Sportster

Bray Wyatt Isn’t Joining AEW, Likely To Sign With Impact Wrestling [Report]

A new report suggests that Bray Wyatt won’t end up signing with AEW, and that Impact Wrestling is the likely landing spot.

Bray Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) didn’t end up debuting for AEW during this week’s episode of Dynamite, and a new report suggests that he won’t sign with the company at all.

On Wrestling Observer Live (h/t WrestlingNews.co), Bryan Alvarez said the following:

“As far as the former Bray Wyatt goes, I mentioned weeks ago that I do not believe that the former Bray Wyatt is going to AEW. If you asked me, this is not confirmed because nothing is confirmed until somebody signs somewhere. The impression I have is it is more likely that he is going to Impact Wrestling. But here’s the deal, anything is possible.”

Alvarez noted that AEW dropped hints about both Bryan Danielson and CM Punk debuting with the promotion, but they haven’t done so with Wyatt.

This week’s edition of Dynamite took place in Rochester, New York — the hometown of the late Brodie Lee. The show was dedicated to Lee, who tragically passed away on Dec. 26 last year from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He and Wyatt were close friends. having worked together in The Wyatt Family stable during their time in WWE, where the former performed as “Luke Harper.”

It was previously reported that Wyatt may waive his 90-day non-compete clause with WWE, and that he would possibly debut for AEW at the Rochester show. Wyatt was released from his WWE contract on July 31.

Braun Strowman, another former Wyatt Family member, was released from his WWE contract on June 2. It is widely assumed that he will end up in Impact Wrestling, and his 90-day non-compete clause with WWE is long expired. Could we see Wyatt and Strowman reunite together in AEW? Only time will tell, but those would surely be two marquee additions for the company.

Lio Rush Returns To AEW, Debuts New Gimmick

Former WWE Superstar Lio Rush appeared on an AEW show for the first time since June and brought a new money man gimmick with him.

Lio Rush returned to AEW following a four-month absence via a pretaped vignette that aired on this week’s edition of AEW Dynamite.

In the video, Rush informed viewers that he was a businessman who makes a lot of money for himself and the companies to whom he lends guidance. Footage of yachts, fancy cars, and expensive jewelry was spliced into the video.

AEW later confirmed that Rush had signed a contract with the company and was officially All Elite.

https://twitter.com/AllElitePod/status/1443384773511163904

As you might recall, Lio Rush made his AEW debut during the Casino Battle Royale at Double Or Nothing on May 30th. Rush was under contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling, but AEW president Tony Khan claimed there was a “handshake deal” in place between all parties prior to the event. In a stroke of terrible luck, Rush sustained a shoulder injury in the Casino Battle Royale and subsequently announced that he would be stepping away from the world of professional wrestling. Rush’s intended hiatus never actually came to fruition, and the 26-year-old returned to New Japan just a few weeks after Double Or Nothing.

Rush began wrestling in 2014 and made a name for himself as an exciting high flyer. After a stint on the independent scene, Rush signed for WWE in August of 2017. He initially reported for duty at NXT but was soon moved to the Cruiserweight division where he competed on 205 Live. Rush was then moved to the main roster and was used predominantly as the mouthpiece of Bobby Lashley. He moved back to NXT and had a run as Cruiserweight champion, but in April of 2020, Rush was released from his WWE contract as part of budget cuts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Rush also appeared briefly in MLW.

On its surface, Rush’s new gimmick doesn’t appear particularly original, but we’ve seen how good he can be on the mic, so there’s a good chance that he’ll be able to make it work.

Source: The Sportster

AEW Dynamite Preview 9/29/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite episode airs on TNT at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York.

* Miro (c) vs. Sammy Guevara (AEW TNT Championship)

* Cody Rhodes and Lee Johnson vs. Matt Sydal and Dante Martin

* Jungle Boy vs. Adam Cole

* Anna Jay and Tay Conti vs. The Bunny and Penelope Ford

AEW Rampage Grand Slam Preview

Tonight’s AEW Rampage Grand Slam airs on TNT from Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. The show will be a special two-hour event.

* CM Punk vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

* Christian Cage & Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) vs. Adam Cole & The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)

* Men Of The Year (Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky) vs. Chris Jericho & Jake Hager

* Santana & Ortiz & Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo & Rey Fenix) vs. Hardy Family Office (Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, The Butcher & The Blade)

* Penelope Ford vs. Anna Jay

* Lights Out Tag Team Match: Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley vs. Lance Archer & Minoru Suzuki

AEW Dynamite Moving To TBS In January, Rampage Will Remain On TNT

AEW has set a date for Dynamite’s previously announced switch from TNT to TBS. Meanwhile, the company confirmed that Rampage is staying on TNT.

AEW Dynamite’s previously announced move to TNT’s fellow WarnerMedia network TBS will officially take place on January 5, 2022. AEW announced the date of the switch on Thursday, September 23 — the day after the company’s historic Grand Slam event in New York City’s prestigious Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The company also revealed that Dynamite’s sister show Rampage will remain on TNT instead of moving to TBS as was initially planned. “Rampage” has aired weekly on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT since its debut on TNT on Aug. 13.

The move to TBS could potentially help Dynamite reach a wider audience, as the channel is available in more homes than TNT. That being said, the move was largely necessitated by TNT’s recent deal with the NHL.

“Both TBS and TNT have an incredibly storied past with wrestling so for us being able to put more AEW onto TBS was a natural fit,” Brett Weitz, General Manager, TBS, TNT and truTV, confirmed during a press call when the switch was first announced. “For me, being able to program these networks as a portfolio gives me the latitude to put them where it makes most sense for the consumer. Did the NHL have anything to do with it? Sure. The NBA had something to do with it… we felt TBS had an opportunity to be the best platform for expansion,” he added.

Regardless of the reasoning, having its two main shows spread out over two networks is unlikely to be anything other than beneficial to AEW.

In case you missed it, AEW will reportedly add a second women’s division championship called “The TBS Championship” in the near future. An exact date for the new title’s introduction is yet to be revealed, but it’s safe to assume that it will be up for grabs on the debut edition of Dynamite on TBS, or very shortly thereafter if not.

Source: The Sportster

AEW Will Reportedly Add A Second Women’s Title In The Near Future

AEW is gearing up to add a second women’s title which will apparently be known as the TBS Championship.

AEW is reportedly going to add another women’s title to the mix coming up and it will be called the TBS Championship.

AEW’s star continues to rise in the middle of what might be the biggest week in its short history. Grand Slam week’s Dynamite is in the books and the show closed with a Women’s Title match between defending champion Britt Baker and new signing Ruby Soho. The champ won and continues to move AEW’s women’s division forward.

That division will likely be built upon with new signings as AEW continues to move forward, but also a new title. Andrew Zarian revealed via Denise Salcedo’s podcast that a new women’s championship is in the works, but didn’t reveal when it will be unveiled. The belt will be called the TBS Title, much like the men’s secondary belt was dubbed the TNT Championship.

https://twitter.com/_denisesalcedo/status/1440902556620767233

Some fans might worry AEW is going the same way as WWE when it comes to adding more titles. However, it could also be argued that adding another title will help the women’s division continue to grow. One of the issues WWE faces is having nothing for a growing women’s roster other than a feud over the title, which is normally reserved for two wrestlers at a time.

As AEW continues to add more women to its ranks, it will need more for those wrestlers to do. While building feuds that don’t require a title at all will also be necessary, and is something WWE needs to improve upon too, adding another title into the mix will give at least two more female performers an angle to build alongside whatever the AEW Women’s Champion is doing at the time.

When the TBS Title is officially added to AEW’s collection of belts, it will bring its championship collection up to a total of five.

Source: The Sportster