On Thursday (Nov. 11), AEW President Tony Khan was asked various questions from the media ahead of this Saturday night’s (Nov. 13) Full Gear pay-per-view. Khan discusses his plans to elevate the women’s division, bringing Double or Nothing 2022 back to Las Vegas and more.
One question, in particular, had social media in a frenzy due to Khan’s response to AEW potentially doing an all-women’s event. NWA had Empowerr in August, and Impact had Knockout Knockdown in October, for reference. Ella Jay of SEScoops asked Khan, “The bar I think has been raised this year with a lot of all women’s shows and main events taking place, but does AEW have any plans or hopes to contribute maybe an all-women’s event of their own some time…” Jay was cut off by Khan, who seems to have been taken back by her opening statement.
“I am going to cut off your question right there because I do not think I get enough credit for what I did for the NWA show because a good number of the people who wrestled on the NWA show were wrestlers I sent and paid. So, I think I contributed because the highest-paid wrestlers on that show were the people I paid separately from what they already make in AEW to wrestle on that show. Moreover, I do not think they did an excellent job of telling people that, honestly, even though it was in the deal we did. I wish they told more people that because it was one of the points I made when we closed it, was I think it would be nice if you told people that I am paying the wrestlers coming because it is a big contribution from me…So I did pay the wrestlers for that show. It is kind of like when you pay for dinner, and nobody thanks you.”
As the media call progressed, more questions about the TBS championship tournament made Tony Khan feel extremely excited to share his plans to make the AEW women’s division his focal point next year. He followed up by praising Ruby Soho, Thunder Rosa, and more.
“I have been making a big effort this year to grow and improve our women’s division. We have added big free agents, and I am excited about what’s happening with the TBS tournament. Among the big free agents, we have added Thunder Rosa, who came from NWA, and Ruby Soho. With Ruby, she was imposing, and I had a great conversation with her a couple of days ago. She is in the TBS Championship tournament. She said that she loved this tournament. She loves all of the stories in it because if you look at it, there is a story being built with her and Kris Statlander.”
Khan continues to break down the growth in the women’s division and look at the TBS Championship and TNT Championship as sibling titles while acknowledging Dr. Britt Baker as a great AEW Women’s champion. “Britt Baker is a great champion and whoever wins the TBS championship. We have a number contender Tay Conti, who is in line to wrestle for the world title. I did the TBS championship bracket, okay, let us take the top five, and we had number 2345. Jade Cargill, Thunder Rosa, Nyla Rose, and Kris Statlander. I gave them what we would have in like the NFL, or in a sports tournament by taking the tops seeds and giving them a buy.”
Khan expressed that Tay Conti has improved in the ring the most in his eyes. “I always thought she was a great prospect. For years, I have admired her, and I was shocked that she was one of the people to hire. I was happy to snap her up very quickly.”
Less than a month into the new year, we hope to see a massive elevation in AEW’s women’s division.
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