Tony Khan took questions from the media today during the AEW All Out media call. Here are some notes from the call.
- Tony Khan tells Jim Varsallone that he can’t comment on the CM Punk situation — including him being on AEW All Out. They’re still looking into it and are going to try to let fans know an update as soon as they can.
- Tony Khan says that Kenny Omega, Saraya and Swerve all had to miss AEW Dynamite this week.
- Tony Khan indicates there’s some discussion over where All Out and All In will live in the future, distribution wise. Asking about running back to back PPV weekends, Khan said he knew there would be obstacles. They are happy with what they have built in Chicago and for the Labor Day weekend. He did say it’s “interesting” where All Out could live platform-wise next year.
- Khan has been looking to get Athena more involved in things and especially likes her recent ROH feud with Billie Starkz. He says ROH is planning on having a Final Battle PPV this year. He is very happy about the roster of titleholders they have in ROH now.
- Tony Khan says Billie Starkz has been waiting to get cleared from an injury. If she does, he’s hoping that she and Athena can be added to AEW All Out Zero Hour.
- Khan said he wanted, and tried, to offer a bundle for All In & All Out and it was nothing that cable, satellite & streaming carriers were able to offer uniformly. It was something he has wanted to have offered since he was a kid, but they still can’t seem to figure it out.
- Tony Khan tells Samantha Shipman he would like NJPW and Stardom women involved in Wrestle Dream. He specifically mentions Mercedes Moné, and says she isn’t cleared but would love to have her do work with AEW. He isn’t sure she’ll be cleared for Wrestle Dream.
- Tony Khan says AEW All In was their most successful PPV in over a year, and hit top 3 already. It may hit top 2 when all is said and done.
- Tony Khan says he’s close with Tommy Dreamer, and Tommy tried to make some connections between Tony/AEW and Terry Funk, but it never ended up working out. Tony Khan says it’s one of his biggest life regrets that he never got to get to know Terry Funk. Says he’s a huge fan – he first saw him when he was 8 years old at Great American Bash 1989 on Glory Days. Rented the tape from Blockbuster video, and called every Blockbuster and video store in IL to find it.
- Tony Khan said that he achieved his academic goals when he was younger, specifically so his parents would take him to ECW shows.
- Tony Khan says that tonight, in the UK, they’ll be replaying All In all over ITV4 and ITVX. Pretty much everyone in the country with a television set or media capabilities can access the channels for free, and will be able to watch All In across all ITV channels.
- Tony Khan indicates they may look at a bigger set for next year’s All In, but the issue is, that may compromise how many seats they can sell. He feels the spectacle and production value of All In was up there with any other major wrestling event.
- Khan says talking to wrestlers outside AEW, there’s a new perception of the company after All In. Says they did more revenue than any Starrcade ever and sold more tickets than any WrestleMania ever.
- Khan thought about doing Omega vs. Takeshita at All In, but felt the trios match made a lot of sense due to the first All In. Omega was excited to do the singles match in Chicago. Said it’s the best of both worlds. Hopes fans will hear from Omega before Sunday. Says it’s a very important match to AEW. Kenny Omega has been telling Tony Khan about Takeshita for years.
- Tony Khan says that Jon Moxley and Orange Cassidy is a match that he’s thrilled to see at All Out. Says there’s a lot of discourse among fans – All In was the most successful, well receieved show they’ve ever done. Fans wanted this match on All In even, but you can’t please everyone. Says Stadium Stampede was one of the greatest things he’s put together with All In. To have the royal box have such chaos with the match, even right next to TK himself, guys bleeding in the royal box where he has so many memories with his family. Says his mom couldn’t believe it when he told her they were going to let them fight in the royal box at Wembley.
- Tony says he’s been saving Mox vs OC since January 2020.
- Tony Khan speaks very highly of Penta last night, says he or Rey Fenix would make great singles champions. Having people step up when situations arise, and watching them really deliver in a moment like last night’s Dynamite was spectacular.
- Tony Khan tells Ella Jay about futher aspirations to bring AEW to specific locations or venues in the future. Says the United Center, Wembley, the TIAA/now Everbank field, The Forum, Arthur Ashe, all of these are venues he has really special attatchments to and is thrilled that they got to run these venues. Laughs and says now he has to think of another venue he really wants to run. He’s hit all of his dream venues so far.
- Tony Khan says it is his goal to have at least part of a resolution on the CM Punk front before All Out. Says he doesn’t know if they’ll have a full resolution by then, but hopes they can at least have some answers by the time the show/scrum arrives. His goal is to let viewers know by Sunday if he’ll be involved.
- Tony Khan talks UK Tours with Stephanie Chase. Says he didn’t want to this time, because he wanted All In to be the very first AEW show in London. Says there was a great familiarity fans have had with AEW through the power of ITV and AEW+ on Fite. Said the first event ever really showed the impacts of that with over 81,000 paid fans – many of whom had never been to an AEW show before but were completely familiar with everyone on the card, their signature moves, their moments, and their stories. Says the PPV, even with the differences in time zones, worked really well, and it was massive success. As long as he can keep the focus on All In, next year, running extra shows is certainly a possibility.
- Tony Khan talks Ruby Soho and Mercedes Martinez with Women’s Wrestling Talk. Says Kris Stat has beaten Mercedes in their match, and while it was a great match, Mercedes was disappointed afterwards. Says Mercedes and Diamante came together to fight and get the win. Says she’s been great on ROH which is why he called her to come in on Collision. Says Mercedes approached Tony and wanted to work with Diamante. Says the match against Willow and Kris was great, and there’s potential for more coming out of All Out. Says whoever is the champion coming out of All Out will have a great list of challengers lined up to face them, and Mercedes Martinez could absolutely be a great challenger for the TBS Championship in the future.
- SRS asked Tony Khan about the rumors of CM Punk approaching him frustrated before AEW All In. Tony Khan feels like the card was really good and that Collision had been very good, and there were good Dynamites to lead into as well. He can’t comment on any incidents.
- The media call has concluded.
(Thanks to Sean Ross Sapp, Wrestling Observer, Amy Nemmity and Jon Alba, and DKBetiza on Reddit).
