Tony Khan addressed the media at the post-show press conference following AEW Revolution on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, addressing returns, injuries, stipulations, upcoming events, and the company’s future under the Warner Brothers-Paramount merger.
Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, Adam Copeland, and Christian Cage Return
Four major names returned at Revolution. Khan said Kenny Omega’s appearance was particularly meaningful given his recent health scare. “It was so great to have Kenny Omega come back today,” Khan said. “It was great to see Kenny back on his feet after what happened to him a few weeks ago.”
Khan said Will Ospreay’s return after the Continental Championship match was one of the night’s highlights. “I first met Will Ospreay right before we launched AEW. He wrestled PAC in London, and they had a 30-minute draw,” Khan said. “I didn’t know if Will Ospreay was ever going to come here. I always wanted him to, and I couldn’t imagine how much we would have missed him while he was gone. I’m so glad that he’s back.”
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage also returned during the show. Khan said the two appeared in the ring with the Young Bucks during the tag title match involving FTR.
MJF and Hangman Page Both “Hurt Badly”
Khan said both MJF and Hangman Adam Page were badly hurt after the Texas Death Match main event and called it the most insane fight he has ever seen in AEW. Khan said MJF was in rough shape backstage after the match.
“He was covered in blood from head to toe. He was not making a lot of sense, and he was livid and screaming,” Khan said. “I don’t think he was in good condition. I don’t think he would pass a medical exam to be stepping in the ring right now.”
Khan said one image from the match will stay with him permanently. “The memory of Hangman’s blood on the floor camera is something that I will probably never forget,” he said. “That is a lasting image in professional wrestling.”
We wish both MJF and Hangman Page speedy recoveries.
Hangman Page’s Title Ban Is a Verbal Contract
Khan confirmed that Page’s agreement to never challenge for the AEW World Championship again is a verbal contract, the same type of arrangement Cody Rhodes made before leaving the company in 2022.
“It’s the same thing with Cody. It was a gentleman’s handshake,” Khan said. “With both of them, they both came to me and said, ‘I want to put this at stake.’ And both of them, I told them, ‘That sounds f**king nuts, dude.’ And both of them really wanted to do it.”
When asked how the company would fill the void, Khan pointed to the depth of the roster. “We have so many people vying for that championship. There’ll be no shortage of challengers,” he said.
Ronda Rousey Appears, Storm vs. Shafir No Holds Barred Added to Wednesday
Ronda Rousey made her AEW debut at Revolution as Marina Shafir’s backup. Everyone was banned from ringside for the Storm vs. Shafir match, but after it ended, Rousey got involved and Shafir landed a sucker punch on Storm while the crowd was distracted.
Khan announced that Storm vs. Shafir in a no holds barred match has been added to Wednesday’s Dynamite in Fresno.
“Ronda Rousey is a huge star. We have a great relationship with her. She’s wrestled for me before in ROH. She’s always welcome here in AEW,” Khan said.
Khan also said Rousey has a fight coming up against Gina Carano and that she invited him to attend. “It sounds like we’re going to be there,” he said.
Wednesday’s Dynamite Card
Khan confirmed a stacked Dynamite for Wednesday in Fresno featuring at least two major stipulation matches: the unsanctioned Gabe Kidd vs. Darby Allin coffin match and the Toni Storm vs. Marina Shafir no holds barred match. Khan said Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong will also wrestle on the show but are banned from the coffin match, as are Clark Connors and David Finlay.
“I’m going to make sure Wednesday night is a very, very crazy, crazy show, and we will head out of California in style,” Khan said.
All In London Tickets on Sale This Week, Dynasty in Vancouver Next Month
Khan announced that tickets for AEW All In London at Wembley Stadium go on sale this week, with the pre-sale beginning first. AEW set the world record for the most tickets ever sold to a professional wrestling show at the first All In at Wembley with 81,000 tickets. This will be the third AEW event at the venue.
“After all these returns and all the excitement around tonight, I think we’ll have really great momentum,” Khan said. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, since 2024, to go back to Wembley in 2026.”
Khan also confirmed AEW Dynasty in Vancouver next month as the company’s next pay-per-view. When asked about the possibility of running SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles after selling out the Crypto.com Arena, Khan did not dismiss the idea. “I think it’s interesting. I don’t think that’s a crazy thought,” he said. “When you saw all the star power, it gets your brain firing off and makes you think.”
Wayne Brady Could Wrestle for AEW
Khan said he would love to book Wayne Brady in an AEW match after the television personality appeared at Revolution. “You want to see Wayne Brady choke a guy? Absolutely. I’d like to see that too,” Khan said. “If he wants to get in there and get after it, I think that’s great. I’d love to get Wayne in the ring.”
Warner Brothers-Paramount Merger
Khan said the timing of AEW’s momentum coincides perfectly with the Warner Brothers and Paramount merger. “It’s the perfect time to have this climb,” Khan said. “As we look to be on the verge of Warner Brothers and Paramount, it’s a great time to have all these great things happening.”
When asked about potential changes to the pay-per-view model under new ownership, Khan said he could not speak to specifics but was open to whatever David Ellison wants to do. “I have heard some of the exciting things he’s had to say about how this will open up more opportunities for both HBO Max and Paramount Plus,” Khan said. “If it leads to a situation where we have even more homes and more availability for the AEW TV and the AEW pay-per-views, I think that’s fantastic.”
Khan noted that DC Comics executives were in attendance at Revolution as part of the ongoing partnership between AEW and Warner Brothers.
Bandido Turned Down AEW in 2019
Khan told the story of the first time he met Bandido at a PWG show in 2019 before the first Dynamite. He revealed that AEW had made an offer to sign Bandido, but Bandido chose to stay loyal to Ring of Honor.
“We had through our office made an offer to Bandido to come. He’s a really loyal person, as I’ve learned now working with him,” Khan said. He told Bandido at the time that he hoped to work with him someday, and said the conversation left him with the impression it would eventually happen. “After that, I got the impression like, ‘Okay, I’m probably going to work with this guy someday,'” Khan said.
Khan praised Bandido’s decision to come out at Revolution in Super Dragon’s mask and gear as a tribute to the California independent scene. “PWG, I think it would be fair to say, is an independent promotion that has so much to do with starting a lot of the careers and getting a lot of people in AEW launched,” Khan said, citing Jack Perry, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, and Excalibur among those with PWG roots.
Khan called the finishing stretch of the Bandido vs. Andrade El Idolo match “one of the greatest things ever.”
AEW Dynamite airs Wednesday on TBS from Fresno, California.
