All Elite Wrestling

[C.S.]

Have you all heard the hullabaloo about Tony Khan interrupting a female reporter, taking some of the credit for the NWA women's PPV, and talking about his money?

This article is a massive overreaction IMO, but you do get the relevant quotes, so you can decide for yourself.

https://www.cagesideseats.com/aew/2021/11/11/22777201/tony-khan-all-women-wrestling-shows-very-bad-answer-aew-money-nwa-empowerrr

Reporter: 

“The bar I think has been really 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...”

Tony Khan:

“I’m gonna cut off your question right there because I don’t 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 do think I contributed because the highest paid wrestlers on that show were actually the people I paid separately from what they already make in AEW to go wrestle on that show. And I don’t think they did a very good 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’m paying the wrestlers coming, because it is a big contribution from me...So I did pay the wrestlers for that show. It’s kind of like when you pay for a dinner and nobody thanks you.”

“So I have been and am trying to actively make big strides in women’s wrestling. And as far as a lot of the stuff that has been happening in the all women’s shows that have been happening in other places, I actually have made great contributions, including financial contributions, which I think they could have done a better job of telling people about, honestly.”

FWIW, Tony apologized privately to the reporter he interrupted.

 

[MoS]

That was a very defensive, arrogant answer by Khan. The reporter later clarified that she was just going to ask if AEW has plans for an all-women's PPV. Interrupting a woman asking question about women's wrestling and not letting her finish by talking about how he feels he doesn't get enough credit for building the women's division - because he paid for his wrestlers doing the NWA show - is a bad look. Like okay? So you paid them, do you want a medal for not being as actively awful as WWE? 

Thankfully he himself realized he didn't come across good and apologized. I am guessing how defensive and reactionary he can be in interviews versus how nice and professional he usually is, is a function of how much coke he has snorted that day.

[C.S.]

Just now, MoS said:

I am guessing how defensive and reactionary he can be in interviews versus how nice and professional he usually is, is a function of how much coke he has snorted that day.

I've seen a lot of coke mentions in reference to Tony Khan lately. Is there actually anything concrete to that, or are people just wildly, irresponsibly speculating? (I don't mean you, just in general.)

[sek69]

2 minutes ago, C.S. said:

I've seen a lot of coke mentions in reference to Tony Khan lately. Is there actually anything concrete to that, or are people just wildly, irresponsibly speculating? (I don't mean you, just in general.)

He absolutely has a love of drinking White Claws, there's been tons of tales of him having boatloads of it on hand. The coke stuff is probably just a "kidding but maybe not really" type thing about how he can juggle running a wrestling promotion, an NFL team, and a soccer team all at the same time. 

[joeg]

@MoS Khan frequently comes off as arrogant and defensive when hit with tough questions in interviews, I don't know why there isn't somebody telling him to not do interviews. 

@C.S. I think the coke/ stimulant speculation with Khan comes from the way he talks. When he gets excited about something (i.e. talking about Dibiase in Mid Sout) his speech speeds up and he sounds almost manic. Like somebody on coke or another stimulant.  When asked about something he doesn't want to answer, his tempo changes on a dime and he becomes hostile and petulant. Again like somebody on coke or other stimulants. I made a similar comment before just speculating based on his appearance on the Way of the Blade podcasts. 

[MoS]

The standard for wrestling promoters and bookers answering questions is so damn low, Khan appears good usually just by comparison. I don't know how he behaves in NFL press conferences though. But I mean our standard-bearer for decades was this person, so our standards are low: 

 

[Dav'oh]

“To out-do Vince McMahon, you have to out-coke Vince McMahon.” - Coach Tony, possibly.

[KawadaSmile]

3 hours ago, Dav'oh said:

“To out-do Vince McMahon, you have to out-coke Vince McMahon.” - Coach Tony, possibly.

That is a dangerous, dangerous mindset. 

[strobogo]

Tony needs to up his coke and steroid game if he wants to be a real player in this game.

 

Answer me this: Why isn't Tony doing 375lb squats at 3:30AM every morning? Fucking coward.

[NintendoLogic]

It does seem that balancing out the coke rages with roid rages is the key. When you only work with one half of the equation, you end up like Herb Abrams.

[sek69]

51 minutes ago, NintendoLogic said:

It does seem that balancing out the coke rages with roid rages is the key. When you only work with one half of the equation, you end up like Herb Abrams.

Say what you will, Herb went out like a champion.

[C.S.]

Fightful: Joey Janela Feels He Has To 'Step It Up' Before AEW Contract Expires

Quote

"That whole year was just like bad for everyone. It was bad for me. Just the year before I just signed AEW. I was on such a hot streak with these matches. Kenny, MOX, we did the Cracker Barrel match. Yeah, TV just started. I had a great match with Kenny on TV as well. Just a normal 10-minute match. Then, that November, my back kind of got jacked up and I wasn't feeling too good in the ring anymore, because I obviously killed myself at the start of AEW pretty bad.

"Then, the pandemic happened and then, you know, that was it. I was unmotivated. I'm not an athlete like these guys, I can't go out there without a crowd. I have to have a crowd. I have to have that adrenaline and so I was just like, alright. I kind of just, I hate to say it I was I kind of half-assed the whole year because it was like, I was unmotivated. I was depressed. I started to eat a lot. I got fatter and progressively worse, and I looked worse and worse. I've had some good matches during the pandemic. Yeah, it wasn't like pre-pandemic."

"I'm under a three-year deal. My contract's up in May, you know, I really have to step it up. I felt like I have in the last couple of months. You know, just having killer matches on Dark. Yeah. The arena's coming back, it really helped me. I feel like we got something right now with AEW, I'm crossing my fingers. I hope that things are going in an upward trajectory because, the whole pandemic was -- I know for everyone, was brutal. But for me, it was like it was the worst."

I sympathize with him about the pandemic, but he's the shits. I'd honestly be shocked if his contract got renewed.

IMO, let him go to Impact and rebuild himself there on someone else's dime.

[sek69]

Just now, C.S. said:

Fightful: Joey Janela Feels He Has To 'Step It Up' Before AEW Contract Expires

I sympathize with him about the pandemic, but he's the shits. I'd honestly be shocked if his contract gets renewed.

Yeah, unless he's playing some kind of important role behind the scenes I'm not aware of, that's not a name that would be on the "must renew" list if I'm TK. 

If he wants to stay on a per day deal like most of the folks on Dark, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Plus Joey's a smart guy and knows how to hustle,  he's not someone who'd starve without a contract. 

[Johnny Sorrow]

So this is weird. I just bought the ppv on Bleacher Report. The promo shot features a number of wrestlers head shots in a mural type pic. In the middle and largest are Danielson, Punk, and Omega. But Page is nowhere to be seen. I realize they can't feature everyone, but that seems bonkers.

[Jmare007]

3 hours ago, El-P said:

Now, we finally got Hangman as the champ, and he's really the first AEW original main-eventer. One thing great about AEW and their world title reigns is that they all have been very distinct. Jericho's was very different from Mox's, which was very different from Omega's. And as Jericho was the Terry Funk of sorts, with a heavy WWE background and Mox was the WWE outcast/rebel, Omega was the first former non-WWE main eventer getting to the position and now we got to the point of having a guy who has never been in the top spot before. The next step I guess will be one of the pillars, although at some points I could see either Danielson or Punk getting a title reign (although that doesn't seem needed). What will Hangman's reign be like ? Was the chase better than the catch ? There's plenty of heel they can line-up to build a strong reign, Miro, Andrade, Black, Cole, MJF. The dynamic is gonna change drastically and I'm pretty excited about it, although I won't lie, I'm gonna miss Omega & the Bucks on top, as the Elite's reign of terror in 2021 as been my favorite thing in pro-wrestling in decades (probably since 1997).

It seems they'll be heavily pushing Hangman's reign from the get go, which is good. Danielson puts him over first and going by Punk's post match demeanor and what he said in the presser, he might be wrestling Page after Dragon.

I think that's also an indication that the reign might not be very long (probably 3-4 months) but it will have a bunch of big matches that will establish Page as a big time player so once he loses it (to MJF? it would make sense), it wont feel deflating at all.

[El-P]

8 minutes ago, Jmare007 said:

It seems they'll be heavily pushing Hangman's reign from the get go, which is good. Danielson puts him over first and going by Punk's post match demeanor and what he said in the presser, he might be wrestling Page after Dragon.

I think that's also an indication that the reign might not be very long (probably 3-4 months) but it will have a bunch of big matches that will establish Page as a big time player so once he loses it (to MJF? it would make sense), it wont feel deflating at all.

A 1-2 punch of Danielson/Punk would indeed be pretty great for establishing Hangman. Omega will probably take some time off, as he's been working on a very banged up body for a while now and he's been killing it all year long. And when he comes back, Danielson II has to happen.

I agree with the idea Hangman's reign probably won't be a super long one like we've seen with Omega, it doesn't need to be. MJF would absolutely make sense to me too as the next guy getting the title and the first pillar to do it. Also, at some point, you know we'll get that Wardlow "Batista" turn and babyface push against his former boss, and he could be the first hoss worker to get the title (Miro & Keith Lee, if he signs and his health allows it, have a shot to). The one thing about the AEW title, is that it's not gonna be bounced around for the sake of it or because "you deserve it !", so the people getting it must be very meaningfull. 

[Jmare007]

Danielson vs Evil Uno has been announced for Dynamite. If Dragon is gonna go through the Dark Order, a match vs Silver would be dope. Asshole American Dragon is the best American Dragon.

[NintendoLogic]

If Omega wants to heal up, he should seek treatment from a real doctor and not a quack chiropractor.

[MoS]

Is there any such thing as a non-quack chiropractor. 

[C.S.]

Press release from the new champion!

 

[The Thread Killer]

tl;dr

[Timbo Slice]

13 minutes ago, The Thread Killer said:

tl;dr

Basically: “Cowboy Shit.”

[MoS]

20 minutes ago, The Thread Killer said:

tl;dr

He is studying the vegan diet to try and beat the man who was kind enough to inform us all that apples are actually tree semen 

[SteveJRogers]

10 hours ago, MoS said:

He is studying the vegan diet to try and beat the man who was kind enough to inform us all that apples are actually tree semen 

Ensuring BryD some more time to perfect the eventual Eco-Friendly version of the AEW Championship belt that is inevitable when he finally wins it!

[Migs]

On 11/12/2021 at 10:15 PM, sek69 said:

Yeah, unless he's playing some kind of important role behind the scenes I'm not aware of, that's not a name that would be on the "must renew" list if I'm TK. 

If he wants to stay on a per day deal like most of the folks on Dark, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Plus Joey's a smart guy and knows how to hustle,  he's not someone who'd starve without a contract. 

I like Janela a lot, but I think Janela played much better in the early phases of AEW when it was still essentially a super indy in arenas. He never quite translated once they got to TV, and he's very much been supplanted as the underdog darling by guys like Kingston. He seems like he'd ultimately be happier being the big fish indy guy (maybe with an Impact contract to supplement). I always make the Eddie Gilbert comparison with him, and that was also a guy who just fit much better on the fringes of wrestling than in the mainstream.