Tony Khan media scrum highlights: Khan discusses putting together All Out PPV card, how to sustain AEW’s momentum going forward, working with Punk and Moxley behind the scenes, building women’s division (w/Radican question)

The following are highlights from Tony Khan’s media scrum ahead of the Sept. 5 All Out PPV:

Tony opens the conference saying All Out is going to be the biggest PPV he’s ever done and it’s great to be back on the road again. He said he’s happy to be at the NOW Arena for Rampage and on Sunday for the PPV.

Radican question: You have leveraged so many great things on TV in the last 8-10 weeks with big matches, Dante Martin had a standout performance against the Young Bucks, you’re bringing in huge free agents like C.M. Punk and it sounds like more are on the way perhaps to debut at All Out this weekend and beyond. You’ve got Britt Baker on fire as a character on TV in the women’s division. Anna Jay returning on TV. You’re running venues that haven’t been run by pro wrestling companies traditionally by pro wrestling companies. With so many things going so well with the roster developing, the free agents, and most things clicking really well, how do you capitalize on that and sustain that momentum. Do you see anyone breaking out similar to Austin and Rock did in the late 90s and carrying AEW to new heights?

Tony Khan answer: Tony said he doesn’t want to compare wrestlers in current times to business in the past. Tony said right now wrestling is in a better place and two companies are in position to make more money than ever in the past. Tony said looking back it’s impressive to see what Eric Bischoff did in the past.

Tony said the way to keep their momentum to keep the momentum going is to keep ratings high and attendance figures high. Tony said he’s put his own money into videogames and development and he will regain the money on the back end and it will pay off. Tony says the videogame will be viable and Dynamite will be viable. Tony said he wasn’t making a lot of money when Dynamite started until after a few months and TNT saw big value in it. Tony said he has seen a return in his rights fees and mentions the addition of of Rampage and more rights fees. Tony mentions his PPV buys and he feels that All Out will be up from the last year.

Tony said he will continue to invest in the business and we will see great returns. Tony said he’s been a writer and a fan of wrestling. He says he wants people to come home wanting to watch AEW on TV or PPV. Tony said this is a lifestyle and he mentions he still has the NFL. Tony said he was visiting Jerry Jones in Dallas and they talked about AEW. Tony said he knows what its like to go to work to go to school and look forward to watching wrestling every day.

Tony said he’s talked to people and and how much it’s meant to them to watch AEW during the pandemic.

-Tony is asked about the stacked card for All Out and he is asked about picking the main event and talent being positioned and keeping them happy with their position on the card.

Tony says the great roster allows him to build the cards. He says the card was planned out ahead and there were some changes, but it was a lot time in the making. Tony says in many ways, it was the most challenging card, but it was easy to lay the card out and everyone he’s shown the card said man that’s really good. Tony said it’s a long process and this is a 24 hour job in addition to his responsibilities with the Jaguars and to Fullham.

Tony mentions C.M. Punk vs. Darby Allin wasn’t just a week or two of planning. He’s been talking to Punk for a year and a half and Darby has become a star. He talked about building up Darby vs. Sammy like Savage vs. Steamboat with Darby taking a skateboard to the throat and when he came back, he got really hot and that came about at the same time he was talking to Punk.

Tony talked about Christian Cage and his path to facing Omega on the show. He said he can’t wait for the Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros. Cage match. Tony mentions Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander and we will see more build on Dynamite.

-Tony is asked about Universal Studios in Orlando being home of the Dark tapings going forward and why that’s a good place for them to tape going forward. Tony said his live events director has had a good experience working there in the past. Tony said people need to look at the history of that building and where Dark stands. Tony said they aren’t running Dynamite and Rampage there. He said Elevation and Dark aren’t as big , but you will still see huge stars on those shows. Tony mentions all of the talent that were losing matches on Dark, but Tony saw something in them and signed them to contracts. Tony talks about WCWs history taping at Universal as well.

-Tony is asked if there will be trios titles. Tony said it would be great to add trios titles. He said he’s getting a lot of stuff in 3 hours between Dynamite and Rampage. He said he covers stories differently on Dynamite than on Rampage. He said Rampage is a more focused one hour show. Tony said he thinks he used to do more trios matches than he does now, but he’s not sure. Tony said it would make a lot of sense and it’s something he’s thought a lot about.

-Tony is asked about shows being held in Florida in October. He’s asked if any content for AEW and Rampage content will be taped on the Jericho Cruise. Tony is asked about the tapings in Universal Studios as well. Tony said when Dynamite and Rampage are live they can tape in the arenas. He said elevation will be taped before Dynamite and Dark will move to the studio most weeks. He said at times it will still be in the big arenas.

Tony said he tries to do his best at it because he’s in the chair for everything and producing segments backstage. He said it’s good for him to be able to tape at Universal Studios because he can give the talent his complete focus when they tape there.

Tony said they are taping Rampage and Dynamite live and The Jericho Cruise is on the same weekend. Tony mentions they are doing Rampage on Friday and Dynamite live on Saturday. Tony said he talked to Chris and he doesn’t plan on pulling people that are advertised for the cruise unless he absolutely has to. Tony said a long time ago people used to have comradery in wrestling. He says he has that with Chris.

-Tony is asked about AEW’s huge success is he ahead of their goals and targets when they started. Tony said he was hoping to make Dynamite a sustainable long term show to bring stability and revenue and they did that with less than four months on the air. Tony says they are doing their best ratings now and he’s projecting they will have their highest PPV numbers. Tony said he hopes the media has seen an uptick in interest as well with AEW’s success.

-Tony is asked if there are plans for AEW to bring weekly shows in 2022 and do they plan to visit international venues in 2022. Tony said he’s planning to do international work next year. Tony said he doesn’t want to put an exact timetable. Tony mentions it makes sense for AEW to come to Craven Cottage in the UK. He said he wants AEW to go out west next year.

-Tony is asked how close is AEW to having a full roster. Tony said there’s no such thing as a full roster. Tony said the roster is constantly changing just like in football and soccer. Tony said with wrestling he’s not hard capped like in soccer and football. There are no limits to how he can manage the roster. Tony said not every signing to help the roster has to be Punk. He mentions how he didn’t plan on signing 2.0, but they got their release and he paired them with Daniel Garcia and it worked.

-Tony is asked about the forbidden door. He is asked about his relationship with the promoters of other promotions. Tony was asked if AEW would like to come to Israel in the future. Tony says he’s not sure when they would tour there, but it’s an attractive place for wrestling.

Tony said he has different relationships with different promoters. He said they’re all unique just like with friends. Tony said he’s done a lot of favors and he hopes they pay off for AEW in the future.

-Tony is asked about his relationship with C.M. Punk and what it has been like to collaborate with Punk because he’s always been the type to say but what are we going to do next. Tony said they’re having a great time. He said he had a great time putting stuff together with Punk in the trailer last night and going out to dinner. Tony said he’s also had great talks with the EVPs, Moxley, Baker, and Orange Cassidy. Tony said he really enjoys sitting with Sting. He said Sting came in tentative. He said he took heat for it and now Sting is getting more involved and he’s gotten really comfortable. Tony said Sting is doing safe stuff and having the time of his life.

Tony says Punk was put in some bad situations previously in his career, but what Tony tells talent is that they can come to him if they don’t have like an idea. Talent doesn’t need creative control like they had in the past. Tony also mentions Jon Moxley got a bit of a bad wrap as being difficult when he came into AEW, but he’s been great to collaborate with. He mentions Moxley’s book is great as well.

Tony is asked how he is going to improve women’s wrestling. He said he’s done a lot and he mentions how he loaned out and paid AEW talent to be at the NWA Empower event this past weekend.

Tony said the Women’s Casino Battle Royale has been moved to the main card and Tony said with a more coherent roster, he expects a great match. Tony said the first Women’s Casino Battle Royale was really good, but his roster is better now and he expects it to be better this weekend. Tony said he was thrilled with the pop Anna Jay got last night on Dynamite.

Tony talks about the 10 Man Tag on the Buy In pre-show. He said there’s no shame in being on the pre-show. He said look at the match and you see Matt Hardy a legend and Jungle Boy and Orange Cassidy and others in that match. Tony said they were all excited to do it except Orange Cassidy, who doesn’t get excited about anything. Tony said the pre-show match is an advertisement for the PPV and in that regard it is important. Tony said when he was a kid he saw Stone Cold Steve Austin in a pre-show match.

Tony talks about the women’s division. He says Penelope Ford has gotten better. Nyla Rose is a force. Mentions Thunder Rosa and says Dr. Britt Baker is a great world champion and a headline star in any era. Tony says Riho will be in the Casino Battle Royale. He was going to save that for Rampage, but he has another surprise up his sleeve.

-Tony is asked about the TNT Championship and if mid-card titles are tough. Tony cuts the question off and said he looks at it like a top title and not a mid-card championship. Tony mentions guys like Cody Rhodes, Brody Lee, and Darby Allin have held the title.

Tony said none of the champions have been a stretch. Tony said the key to the belt is that it has been hot matches and issues and the champion has always been a star. Tony said protecting the title is a key thing and he will never allow that to happen. Tony said there’s a belt in wrestling that used to be protected and was important. It’s been battered around, retired, and brought back. He said he will never let that happen to the TNT Championship.