AEW (All Elite Wrestling) is a new pro wrestling organization that is set to provide wrestling fans all over the world with original special events and, after announcing a landmark TV deal, we now know that the company will start broadcasting weekly television programming later in the year.
This upstart group has serious financial clout, boasts top tier talent, and has managed to break Las Vegas records before the bell has even rung on their inaugural pay-per-view, “Double or Nothing.”
Here, Muscle & Fitness has you covered with some insight into AEW, its roster of superstars, upcoming television shows, and overall direction as we hook you up with 10 things you need to know.
AEW is available May 25 via online streaming service BleacherReportLive.com, or as a traditional pay-per-view in the United States. In the United Kingdom, ITV Box Office will broadcast the show live. Internationally, the show can be accessed through FITE.tv. For more information, visit www.allelitewrestling.com
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AEW Has Already Broken a Pro Wrestling Record in Las Vegas
When Cody Rhodes teamed with fellow wrestlers, the Young Bucks, to promote the All In event in 2018, wrestling critics felt the show was doomed to failure. On the contrary, it became the first pro wrestling show in the United States, besides WWE or WCW, to sell more than 10,000 tickets in 25 years.
With the announcement that Cody and crew were now involved with setting up a new promotion to be knows as All Elite Wrestling, a follow up super-card, aptly titled ‘Double or Nothing’ was set for May 25 in an even larger arena: the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Once again, records were shattered.
Officially, Double or Nothing sold out the MGM Grand in four minutes, shifting almost 12,000 tickets and crashing box office websites that struggled to cope with demand. Fans from the United States and nine other countries are expected to attend what has become the first-ever same-day sellout for any pro wrestling event in Vegas.
• Tickets purchased from all 50 states domestically(plus Puerto Rico / D.C)
• 9 countries. Canada, UK, Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Panama, Austria
• 1st same day sellout for pro-wrestling in Vegas ever!
All Elite Wrestling’s President and CEO is Tony Khan (@tonyrkhan), a noted Sports Executive and the son of billionaire businessman Shahid Khan. The Khan family’s portfolio of sports teams includes the Jacksonville Jaguars in the United States and Fulham Football Club in England. The Khans are highly experienced when it comes to sports franchising and have professional links with television companies all around the world.
Tony Khan is a passionate, lifelong, wrestling fan and understands that both time and proper financial investment are needed to enter the competitive world of pro wrestling. Such was evident during a press conference on January 8, where some major talent signings were announced. The big press event was made even more memorable for its liberal use of pricey pyrotechnics.
AEW has been welcomed with open arms by wrestling fans that like the direction that this new group appears to be headed towards.
From interviews given by Tony Khan and Cody Rhodes (who in addition to wrestling for AEW is also an executive vice president along with The Young Bucks), it appears their events are set to have a more authentic, sports-related feel. AEW’s format is expected to include more stats and a point system where wins and losses count significantly toward a competitor’s title opportunities.
Rhodes also commented that transparency is important when talking to fans, so that they can trust the product. Additionally, it is thought that there will be fewer scripted promos, allowing wrestlers more freedom to explore their own characters.
All Elite Wrestling has stated that gender will not be a determining factor in match pay and that all wrestlers will be financially compensated using the same metrics. AEW has already proven to be an inclusive league and made history back in February as the first wrestling company to sign a transgender wrestler, Nyla Rose.
LGBT representation is still evolving in the predominantly testosterone-fueled environment of pro wrestling, and so AEW should be applauded for helping the industry as a whole become more progressive.
“As we look ahead to Las Vegas, let’s take this opportunity to make it clear that AEW is totally inclusive. We fully support and celebrate all of our athletes, and all of our fans, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, gender, religion or ethnicity. Period,” tweeted AEW’s Chief Brand Officer, Brandi Rhodes.
Perhaps the biggest announcement from the company’s initial press launch on January 8 was the shocking appearance of Chris Jericho, one of the biggest wrestling stars of all time, both in WWE and around the globe.
Aside from Jericho’s countless successes in WWE, he is known for constantly evolving his wrestling persona, and through his recent matches for New Japan Pro Wrestling, he has shown that he’s still one of the best performers on the planet.
The lead singer of Fozzy was officially signed to AEW’s roster after inking a three-year contract, and will provide a huge boost in name power for Double or Nothing on May 25. The signing also promoted widespread hope that a rematch with his NJPW rival, Kenny Omega, could be booked for Double or Nothing.
AEW proved themselves as a serious wrestling enterprise when they became linked with the signing of pro wrestling’s hottest free agent: Kenny Omega.
While casual wrestling fans in the United States may be unfamiliar with the Canadian superstar’s work since he’s spent the last several years banging heads in Japan, that is about to change in a big way.
Omega was named Sports illustrated’s Wrestler of the Year in 2017, and he’s the first and only non-Japanese grappler to win NJPW’s premier tournament known as the G1 Climax.
Following his superlative confrontation with Chris Jericho, and rumors of a move back to the West, Omega was scouted by all the major promotions, but finally chose a new wrestling home when he signed a four-year contract with All Elite Wrestling. This sets the stage for that much-anticipated rematch, this time on U.S. soil, as Omega will take on Jericho once again at Double or Nothing.
In addition to the aforementioned major names, such as Cody and Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Chris Jericho, and Kenny Omega, AEW is steadily building a strong hand where its talent roster is concerned. In April, Dustin Rhodes (the artist formerly known as WWE’s Goldust) announced he was not only joining his brother in AEW, but would also be wrestling him on May 25.
Surprisingly, Dustin is one of very few signings that plied their trade back in the Attitude Era and it appears AEW is making good on its promise to also focus heavily on building up and coming talent. There are approximately 60 wrestlers signed to AEW’s roster, and younger stars, such as Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Jimmy Havoc, Kylie Rae, Bea Priestly, and Brian Pillman Jr. are eager to use the big stage to make an unforgettable impact at Double or Nothing.
AEW has Announced International Broadcast Partners
Television exposure is critical to AEW’s future success, so when the group announced the signing of pro wrestling’s most famous commentator, Jim Ross, momentum started to build in their favor. In fact, All Elite Wrestling has seriously delivered on its promises to strike up a television deal, and numerous announcements have been made around the world ahead of Double or Nothing on May 25.
The event will be available via online streaming service BleacherReportLive.com, or as a traditional pay-per-view in the United States. In the United Kingdom, ITV Box Office will broadcast the show live. There will also be a pre-show titled The Buy-In. Internationally, the show can be accessed live through FITE.tv
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Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty
They Brought Turner Back into the Wrestling Business
AEW has revealed a new partnership with Turner that will see a weekly pro wrestling show airing later this year on TNT Drama.
Long-time wrestling aficionados will recall that TNT was the home of WCW Monday NITRO, a live show that ran head-to-head with WWE’s Monday Night RAW and beat Vince McMahon’s promotion for 83 straight weeks in the late ’90s.
AEW have filed for trademarks associated with the name Tuesday Night Dynamite and with WWE SmackDown Live! moving to Friday nights on Fox, another head-to-head wrestling war is a long way off. But the re-emergence of Turner and TNT on the pro wrestling television landscape has provided fuel for thought.
With an inclusive mentality and serious business progress being made, All Elite Wrestling appears to be putting all the pieces together as they head to Sin City on Saturday night, but critics are likely to hold the group to serious account if their first official pay-per-view coems up short. With the eyes of the world expecting that much hyped “breath of fresh air,” AEW must tread a fine line and deliver something original while avoiding the alienation of existing wrestling fans. They seem to have the drive, capital, business acumen, and faith that they can become a major force in pro wrestling, and they will roll the dice on May 25.
