On Thursday, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) owner Tony Khan participated in a media call ahead of their massive pay-per-view, All Out. Last Word on Sports took part in the call and has notable notes from Khan regarding the PPV itself, working with CM Punk, Jon Moxley‘s upcoming book, and so much more. Here’s what Khan discussed during the AEW All Out media call Thursday.
AEW All Out Set to be Biggest PPV in Company History
— Before getting into it, Khan made the point that AEW All Out is going to be the biggest PPV in the history of the promotion. He cited that it is the best card that they have put together yet.
CM Punk vs. Darby Allin is a Year and a Half in the Making
— Stephanie Chase of Digital Spy asked Khan about how it’s been putting together such a major card and deciding what goes on All Out and what will be saved for the Arthur Ashe Stadium edition of Dynamite. Khan made the point that the card has been a long time in the making, noting that multiple matches have been planned for some time now. He adds that CM Punk versus Darby Allin was started a year and a half ago when Khan began to talk with Punk about a potential comeback. Khan sent praise towards Allin, saying that he managed to keep rising up the card even without fans, earning the spot to be facing Punk in what is Punk’s return match to professional wrestling.
Dark will be More like WCW Worldwide than TNA
— Garrett Martin of Paste Magazine asked Khan about Dark heading to Universal Studios to record shows moving forward. Khan made the point that he doesn’t view the show like TNA when they used to be there but rather WCW Worldwide. Stated that it will be a chance for wrestlers to get better while also allowing him to focus more on their stories now that the shows won’t be happening at the same time as episodes of Dynamite.
Trios Titles Have a Future
— Joe Lanza of Voices of Wrestling asked Khan about the possibility of the long-rumored Trios Titles being introduced. Khan said that they have been considered and will continue to be moving forward, adding that he thinks they would lead to some great matches. Finished the question by saying “I think it would really kick a–.”
Does AEW Have a Full Roster?
— Big Gold Belt Media asked if Khan believes they are nearing having a full roster. Khan went on record to say that he doesn’t believe there is such thing as a full roster. Comparing it to football and soccer, he notes that AEW isn’t stopped by salary cap or roster limits and they will make moves as they continue to evolve. Bringing in young talent like Daniel Garcia will continue if it makes sense.
“Every signing doesn’t have to be CM Punk or Jon Moxley.”
Working with CM Punk on a Creative Level
— PWInsider’s Mike Johnson asked Tony Khan about how working with CM Punk has been when it comes to a creative level. This question brought up a lot of thoughts for Khan, who would follow through by saying that he’s been having a great time working with Punk thus far. Makes the point that it reminds him of working with Sting when “The Icon” had come in. He acknowledged that it wasn’t always smooth at the start of Sting and that working through these stories for top talents will be about pacing moving forward. Went on record to say that Sting is in amazing shape and “having the time of his life.” Khan also added that he never wants a talent to feel uncomfortable with what they are doing, allowing open talks with the talents at all times. Cites Punk’s final year with WWE as a reason.
Jon Moxley’s Book, “MOX”
— When talking about Jon Moxley on the previous question, Khan made the point that Moxley’s upcoming book will be the best wrestling book in years. Continues by saying that it will read exactly as it is expected — that Moxley hand wrote it himself.
Elevating Women’s Wrestling
— Khan was very pleased about the upcoming Casino Battle Royale at All Out, stating that it has a lot more star power than the first did two years ago. He named Tay Conti, Red Velvet, and Thunder Rosa as those who have been major players for AEW as they establish themselves as top players in the division. Khan gave credit to Kenny Omega for having a great eye for talent, saying that their meetings have been good in trying to improve the division. He revealed that the returning Riho will be in the Casino Battle Royale and has a fun surprise planned as well.
TNT Championship is Not a Mid-Card Title
— Joe Rivera of Sporting News began to ask Khan about the TNT Championship being a mid-card title before being cut off by Khan. The AEW owner established that he does not view it as a mid-card title but instead a top title. Rivera then continued asking about how every champion has managed to elevate it in their own way. Khan made it known that Darby Allin could not have won the championship right off the bat but it was better when he became a red hot commodity to give him the title.
Cited that Brodie Lee and Miro had to work their way as well rather than getting handed the belt right when they debuted. Khan made it known that he wants to continuously protect the title, avoiding it ever being called a mid-card title. Hinted at the handling of the Intercontinental Championship as to why he wants to protect it, avoiding it falling down the same path as that belt has over the years.
Thank you for joining us and stay tuned to LWOS for more coverage for AEW All Out over the weekend.
More from LWOS Pro Wrestling
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TNT and AEW Dark: Elevation (Monday nights) and AEW: Dark (Tuesday nights) at 7 PM ET on YouTube.
