All Elite Wrestling - Everything We Know So Far

By Gary Cassidy
Modified Jan 09, 2019 19:00 IST
AEW is starting to take shape!
AEW is starting to take shape!

At the turn of the year, The Elite shocked the wrestling world officially confirmed new promotion AEW, with Cody Rhodes, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Hangman Page, and Brandi Rhodes signing instantly to the promotion they'll build after the success of ALL IN, and a slew of other stars joining ever since.

The Elite also confirmed AEW's first ever show, Double or Nothing, hinting that we'd receive more information about the event and the promotion at a rally in Jacksonville on 8th of January - coincidentally just down the road from where WWE SmackDown was airing from that evening!

Well, the rally has come and gone, sending the world of professional wrestling into a complete frenzy in between, and AEW is finally starting to take shape!

So, what do you need to know about All Elite Wrestling? Well, we've got you covered.

#1 It's the brainchild of Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks - and the only place to see them from now on

The Bucks and Cody have taken the world by storm
The Bucks and Cody have taken the world by storm

So, the first point is an obvious one, but it's a great starting point.

Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, along with Brandi Rhodes and Adam 'Hangman' Page have taken the world of wrestling outwith WWE by storm over the past year and change, and with the 10,000 capacity sell-out extravaganza that was ALL IN, began to completely change the way "other" professional wrestling was viewed.

What can we expect from AEW? Well, ALL IN is a great teaser for the promotion.

Well, what better way to get a promotion off the ground than become the biggest stars on the planet out with WWE, then start your own promotion and exclusively sign to it. They've cut off the supply and overwhelmingly increased demand - so if you want to see any of those five names this year, AEW is the only place to do it.

#2 The roster is slowly building - but it's already stacked!

TPAC (FKA Neville) and Chris Jericho will be in AEW
TPAC (FKA Neville) and Chris Jericho will be in AEW

So, you can't have a wrestling promotion with only five talents... Actually, if anyone could, Cody, The Bucks, Page and Brandi may be able to do it - but AEW already has so much more to offer!

Last night's rally shocked the world when both PAC (Formerly WWE's Neville) and Chris Jericho made it known that they'd signed with AEW. Other stars include MJF, Joey Janela, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Scorpio Sky, CIMA, Hawk, El-Lindamen, Takehiro Yamamura, Penelope Ford and Britt Baker.

Now, while most of these stars won't be on exclusive deals, the prospect of seeing any of them compete with the likes of Cody, Page and the Young Bucks is tantalizing enough, but also seeing them in this new environment should be a huge selling point!

For more on the roster, click here.

#3 Billy Gunn will be producing matches

One understated moment of the rally may have been the signing of Gunn!
One understated moment of the rally may have been the signing of Gunn!

During the rally, so much happened that you'd be forgiven for not noticing how much of a big deal the introduction of Billy Gunn was.

The New Age Outlaw is the only named backstage producer so far in AEW, and it may have, deliberately or not, just placed him in direct competition with his former tag team partner Road Dogg - who holds the same role within WWE.

The role of Gunn isn't the only backstage role we know, though, with Cody Rhodes taking on the role of Executive Vice President alongside Nick and Matt Jackson. The trio signed sive year deals.

Brandi Rhodes has taken on a role as Chief Brand Officer - the same role Stephanie McMahon has in WWE. BJ Whitmer of ROH will also be working behind the scenes.

#4 The Khans are behind the promotion

Tony and Shad Khan will play huge roles
Tony and Shad Khan will play huge roles

The Khans, Shad and Tony, recently released a statement to confirm their roles within the promotion. Shad Khan is lead investor, supporter and backer, promising something "new and authentic" in his statement.

Shad Khan also confirmed that his son, Tony, will take on the leadership role, but not exclusively - also remaining in his current roles with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Premier League football team Fulham.

As important, I am the father – the proud father – of Tony Khan, who will serve in a leadership role at AEW during the 2019 launch and in the years ahead. Tony will assemble a great team to take AEW over the top, for the benefit of everyone who loves the wrestling industry, while continuing to serve in his current capacities with the Jaguars and Fulham.

So, who is Tony Khan? Well, we know about his involvement with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Premier League football team Fulham, but his statement may endear him to the wrestling community.

Wrestling fans are a community unlike most others. I’ve been a part of this community since I was seven years old, and I can tell you that wresting fans see the world every day through a special lens. We see wrestling in Hollywood films and TV shows, we see elements of wrestling in the presentation of sports and in the marketing of grandiose star athletes, and we certainly see wrestling in politics.

Tony Khan states that the objective of AEW is to "connect our community closer than ever before through All Elite Wrestling" after "a new family has formed, bonded by love and respect for wresting but armed with a vision and resources that have never before been available to the wrestling community."

AEW will launch with a roster of the top wrestlers in the world. While they’ll clash in what will be some of the most intense and fast-paced contests ever sanctioned in the squared circle, they’ll also share a common goal: to make this the true golden age, to make this the greatest time ever to be a wrestling fan. Likewise, as a business, by treating our wrestlers with respect and warmth, we also seek to make this the golden age for the performers themselves.

Tony Khan's message to the wrestling community?

I urge everyone who believes in what we’re doing, or wants to believe in dreams coming true, to support AEW by spreading the word and passing the wrestling bug onto someone else.
My message:
Get in on the ground floor with AEW today and help lead our movement to grow the wrestling community and ensure that the voices of the wrestling fans, their creative minds and their remarkable ideas, will always be heard.

#5 Wins and losses will matter

Will we have more of these moments?
Will we have more of these moments?

Following on from Tony Khan's statement, one of the most notable parts of the rally yesterday was when Cody Rhodes outlined that that wins and losses will matter “more than ever before” - addressing a heavy criticism of WWE's booking where fans have complained of 50/50 booking in recent years.

Will it involve a ranking system? Maybe not, but it looks like booking will be a big thing in All Elite Wrestling, and it definitely seems like it'll add a lot more suspense to encounters and make for more magic moments like Cody's very own win at ALL IN!

Rhodes also stated that "fans can cheer who they want" - hinting that faces and heels may be determined by fans in the promotion, or that they may completely blur the lines of characters.

While it may seem like an obvious point, this is one that may have just gone under the radar - but it's a very important one, too, and says a lot about how AEW will treat their performers going forward.

#6 Equality and care

Injured? AEW has you covered
Injured? AEW has you covered

Following on from the last point about the treatment of performers, while this one may not mean a lot to the fans who only pay attention to what they see in the ring, it is a huge step going forward.

Not only will wins and losses matter, but AEW is promoting itself as the promotion of equality. Matt Jackson said that everyone is welcome - no matter their gender, race, or religious views. All they need to be is ‘elite’.

A sentiment echoed by Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes at the rally who said that male and female talent will be paid equally and that AEW will be going after the top female talent in the world.

Tony Khan has also hinted that full-time wrestlers will be covered by health insurance, saying healthcare for AEW is something they hope to iron out soon. The hope is for employees to gain full-time employment with their company - adding that talent "will have favourable schedules, and I don’t wanna run down guys with too many dates or too much time on the road”

#7 The first event is Double or Nothing!

The sequel to ALL IN
The sequel to ALL IN

Well, ALL IN 2 would have been predictable and nonsensical, wouldn't it?

Double Or Nothing is the catchy name for the second Rhodes and Bucks venture - and the first official AEW show that we know of. It takes place on May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with the follow-up pencilled in for Jacksonville.

As for the second event in Jacksonville, no further details are known aside from that a large portion of the gate will go towards benefiting victims of gun violence. Starrcast II is scheduled for the same weekend as Double or Nothing, but not yet confirmed.

This could all change, of course, as anything could be announced for before or after Double or Nothing. One thing is for sure, though, stories are already being built with PAC interrupting Hangman Page during the rally regarding the not yet confirmed AEW Championship - could this be the first match announced for the show?

#8 AEW isn't alone

Rhodes paved to China
Rhodes paved to China

Well, a deal with NJPW may be up in the air thus far, with the recent murmurings suggesting that NJPW will continue to work with ROH and thus not work with AEW - but Dave Meltzer has recently speculated that Kenny Omega's future may change this. Omega's been rumoured to have finished up with NJPW and be headed to either WWE or AEW. What will happen? Only time will tell.

No NJPW doesn't mean no working relationships though, as a partnership with OWE in China has already been confirmed - and that may just be the start!

AEW wrestlers may very well be performing in China soon, which will undoubtedly give the brand global exposure, and one team already confirmed to cross over are the Stronghearts from OWE, who have been confirmed for AEW.

The group is headed by CIMA who some may have seen at last years PWG Battle of Los Angeles tournament and boasts members such as Dezmond Xavier, Duan Yingnan, El Lindaman, Gao Jingjia, Takehiro Yamamura, T-Hawk, Zachary Wentz, Seiki Yoshioka.

#9 TV deal?

Chris Jericho at the AEW Rally
Chris Jericho at the AEW Rally

While there's no real news on a TV deal yet, speculation is that more than one offer is on the table. Interestingly enough, HBO Vice were filming at the rally, with @dougEwrestling confirming on Twitter than they will air a special about the promotion.

Dave Meltzer confirmed that there’s no television deal for AEW yet, but there are “multiple offers out there” - so only time will tell.

You can bet that Double Or Nothing will either be available to stream or via pay-per-view somehow, but as for the prospect of a weekly show, there's no word yet as to whether that will come to fruition. With the hype around the promotion, you'd have to think it won't be far off.

This one is worth watching, though - pardon the pun - so stay tuned with Sportskeeda for more information regarding a broadcasting deal!

What do you think about All Elite Wrestling so far? Let us know in the comments.

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