Following a memorable stretch of back-to-back exhibits, AEW Dynamite will air its ultimate episode on TNT this Wednesday earlier than transferring full-time to TBS.
AEW proprietor Tony Khan has put the corporate in place to have much more success in 2022, particularly because the model continues to market itself because the premier vacation spot for pro wrestling. The previous two weeks of Dynamite have been significantly noteworthy, that includes a 60-minute world title draw between Hangman Web page and Bryan Danielson, in addition to the debut of Kyle O’Reilly. Previously an NXT staple, O’Reilly now rejoins Undisputed Period companions Adam Cole and Bobby Fish in AEW.
The final yr has yielded plenty of successes for AEW. Talking with Sports activities Illustrated, Khan mentioned the addition of O’Reilly, his philosophy in roster-building, and why the time-limit draw has been such an vital component for AEW.
Sports activities Illustrated: Kyle O’Reilly’s debut this previous Wednesday on Dynamite was a genuine shock, including to the fixed stage of unpredictability in AEW. As quickly as O’Reilly—who played a major position in NXT, particularly because the model competed face to face in opposition to Dynamite—grew to become a free agent, why was signing him a right away precedence?
Tony Khan: Kyle O’Reilly is a large addition for AEW. He’s an important, nice wrestler. And never solely did we get Kyle O’Reilly, we additionally received Bobby Fish and Adam Cole. These are big signings individually, however much more huge collectively. Adam Cole’s debut on the finish of All Out, that’s one of the vital moments ever in AEW, and now he’s surrounded by his former companions. To have Kyle O’Reilly debut and assist Adam Cole get the win over Orange Cassidy in an important wrestling match final week on Dynamite, that builds extra curiosity in AEW.
Kyle makes his debut within the ring this week, and it’s symbolic that it’s occurring on the ultimate Dynamite on TNT. A lot of our run on TNT was spent battling these guys—Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly. After we have been face to face, it was threatening to us each time they have been on digicam. Now we’ve added them to our crew in AEW, which is such a bonus. Having them right here is large. I wished Kyle to signal with AEW as quickly as he was a free agent.
This week on Dynamite will probably be particular. We’ll see Adam Cole make his first look at Every day’s Place, and so will CM Punk. Sting will probably be there. And on the forefront of all of it will probably be Cole and Bobby Fish teaming with Kyle O’Reilly, making his in-ring debut.
SI: You simply talked about such a group of stars. Can there ever be too much talent on the AEW roster?
TK: We’ve been increasing our programming over the previous yr, and I’d wish to at all times maintain AEW on the forefront of the followers’ minds as the house {of professional} wrestling. It’s the place the place you will note one of the best pro wrestlers, so the roster is consistently evolving.
There’s a ton of nice expertise on the planet of wrestling proper now, and I’m at all times in search of methods to make the present extra thrilling. I at all times wish to improve the roster. That’s what we did with Kyle O’Reilly, CM Punk, Adam Cole, Ruby Soho and Bryan Danielson. We even have Thunder Rosa beneath a full AEW contract. Christian Cage got here in as a free agent and wrestled at as excessive a stage as he ever has. Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo, we maintain including to our roster, increasing our programming and rising.
SI: Over the previous yr, you could have highlighted the life and profession of Brodie Lee. Primarily used as a tag-crew wrestler and somebody {that a}dded value to the center of the cardboard in WWE, you supplied him with an opportunity on high of the cardboard in AEW, the place he flourished. Do you have a favorite reminiscence of Brodie Lee?
TK: I’ve plenty of recollections of Brodie Lee that I actually cherish. At the start of the pandemic, the very first pandemic present was his debut in AEW. That was the primary time Brodie appeared. He had no followers ringside when he had his first match at Every day’s Place, so it was a wierd time. He grew to become such a frontrunner for us, and we actually received to know one another when there weren’t many different individuals round.
I ended up reaching out to Jon Moxley and saying it needs to be him and Brodie for the title at Double or Nothing. Mox liked the thought. We didn’t have a ton of time, just a few weeks, however we constructed to Mox and Brodie. We had a three-way name to speak concepts, and that was actually plenty of enjoyable. Then we made him TNT champion over the summer time, and it was an important run. However I’ll actually at all times do not forget that interval through the pandemic once we actually received to know one another.
SI: Over the previous few a long time, a time-limit draw had turn out to be obsolete or a groan-inducing end in pro wrestling. AEW has brought again that means to the attract a manner that has not been skilled since an period when Ric Aptitude was NWA champion. Extra just lately in AEW, we saw a 30-minute draw between Kenny Omega and Bryan Danielson on the “Grand Slam” version of Dynamite, and then a wide ranging 60-minute draw at the “Winter Is Coming” Dynamite, pitting Hangman Web page in opposition to Danielson. Was there a particular inspiration for these attracts? Or you might be just choosing to focus on your expertise in probably the most exceptional method possible?
TK: We’ve had some time-limit attracts in AEW, and it is very important observe that there have been nice rematches to these attracts. Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin [from June 2019] is a very robust instance of that, and naturally there was a title change later on between these two. Moxley and PAC wrestled to a draw on one of many first-ever Dynamites, then had an important match on the Jericho Cruise. That led to Mox difficult Jericho at Revolution, which led to a title change and an important title run. So the bottom line is the rematches and the curiosity that builds from these attracts.
SI: Following the draw, what led to the determination to carry the Danielson-Web page rematch on the Jan. 5 Dynamite?
TK: Web page and Bryan was actually particular. It was the primary 60-minute time-limit attract AEW, and one of many first I can ever bear in mind on a dwell pro wrestling present. There was Kerry Von Erich–Ric Aptitude in Hawai‘i [in 1985], however that didn’t air dwell. Nick Bockwinkel-Curt Hennig [in 1986] is one other good instance of a world title draw, however that additionally didn’t air dwell. I can’t consider one other instance of it inside the previous 30 years. It’s generated a lot curiosity within the rematch, which is able to kick off the period of AEW on TBS. It’s two wrestlers combating over who’s one of the best. What is best than that?
SI: The rise of Dr. Britt Baker is one other one of the important tales in AEW over the previous yr. What gave you your preliminary perception in Baker, who has thrived as champion?
TK: Typically you get to know an individual in actual life and also you see a component of their character they need to be presenting in wrestling. Kenny [Omega] thought Britt could be higher as a heel, and I agreed. She received plenty of nice teaching from individuals like Kenny, Cody and Chris Jericho, however she additionally dedicated to it. In the course of the Jericho Cruise, we talked about doing a promo the place she belittled Tony Schiavone for working at Starbucks. We thought that will generate plenty of warmth, and that was the beginning of it.
Not everybody gave Britt an opportunity at first as a heel when she was growing. I bear in mind all of the criticism she acquired, so it’s an vital lesson not to surrender on a younger, decided wrestler. She was clearly getting higher each week, and he or she stored getting higher and higher. She targeted on her character, and I made it a precedence to broaden her presence on the present. She discovered such nice chemistry with Reba, and it’s been actually enjoyable to see her develop into this position as a high champion and villain. Her wrestling in 2021 took an enormous step ahead, too. She had some nice, nice matches, and I’m actually wanting ahead to her match in opposition to Riho at Battle of the Belts, which a dwell particular we’re holding on TNT on Jan. 8.
Britt has nice matches when she’s defending the title. She had the nice match final month in opposition to Riho. The pay-per-view match in opposition to Tay Conti is one of the best match in Tay’s profession. Ruby Soho at “Grand Slam,” the title match in opposition to Hikaru Shida. And the “Lights Out” match in opposition to Thunder Rosa is likely one of the best in AEW.
SI: Cody Rhodes put the ending touches on his three-peat as TNT champion on the Ramweb page that aired on Christmas evening. We have watched Cody develop because the begin of his profession and mature into among the finest on the planet. He had the nice second in Boston on the Dynamite in October, when he was booed when he entered the ring, then cheered as he cut an outrageously good promo. What makes him such a important factor in AEW?
TK: Cody is vital on and off digicam. He’s an important individual backstage, however he’s additionally an incredible star on digicam. That was an important pro wrestling important occasion he had with Sammy Guevara on Christmas, with a really polarizing end result that received individuals speaking. It’s nice buzz going into this week.
Cody has the flexibility to generate that kind of buzz and have that caliber of nice matches. He’s additionally doing plenty of charitable work off digicam with our neighborhood outreach crew. He labored with WarnerMedia to turn out to be a outstanding a part of their exhibits, too, however his bread and butter remains to be pro wrestling.
SI: The long run of AEW is brilliant, and there may be nonstop alternative to develop your viewers and turn out to be the only destination for followers that search pro wrestling instead of sports entertainment. Looking forward at some of your key players, is there potential for Hook to be your rookie of the year in 2022?
TK: Hook could possibly be rookie of the yr in any yr. He has the advertising and marketing machine absolutely behind him. He’s had nice teaching from his father, Taz, who’s his mentor, and he’s realized from plenty of very clever pro wrestlers. It bodes rather well for him, and he’s going to be particular each time you see him on display screen. There may be a lot to stay up for in 2022, and Hook is a giant cause for that.
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Justin Barrasso may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
