AEW president and CEO Tony Khan isn’t shying away from the history that two current WWE world champions had in his promotion. The company is set to release a new book, “This Book Is All Elite: The Inside Story of All Elite Wrestling.” Current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and newly minted WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk are acknowledged in the book.
Speaking to Newsweek Sports, Khan discussed the importance of ensuring that AEW’s history is showcased, even if former stars of the company, such as Rhodes and Punk, are featured.
“Yeah, I really think it’s important when we’re looking back at the history of AEW as a wrestling promotion to talk about a lot of the top wrestlers that we feature, and we’ve got to prominently feature people who were here from the beginning, and especially people who are here right now,” Khan said. “But it’s very important to look back at our history, and some of the great wrestlers who were here in years past may not be here today, but they made great contributions.
“So, for our new AEW book and also in the tributes when we had our six-year anniversary just this past month and other anniversary and tribute shows, I try to include those wrestlers and other wrestlers from the past in AEW, those who aren’t able to be at the shows but people that made great contributions to AEW as a wrestling promotion.”
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First-Ever AEW Women’s Blood & Guts Match
As for the current AEW roster, Khan is proud of the growth of his women’s division. History will be made during the Nov. 12 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” as the first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match will take place. Kris Statlander will team with “Timeless” Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, Willow Nightingale, Harley Cameron, and Queen Aminata to take on Mercedes Mone, Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne, and Triangle of Madness.
Khan explained why now is the right time for the women to take center stage in the Blood & Guts match.
“Well, that’s a great question,” Khan said. “I think we have a great field for this Blood & Guts,” Khan said. “I’m really excited about it. There are so many great women wrestling in AEW right now, and there are such intense rivalries. In this match, there are a myriad of intense, violent rivalries that are going to converge in Blood & Guts. We’re going to see 12 of the top female wrestlers in AEW, and I think 12 of the top women in the world.”
Big Injury Changes Plans
Penelope Ford was factored into Khan’s plans for both Blood & Guts and the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship tournament before suffering an injury. Khan emphasized what Ford means to the women’s division and how her injury forced a change.
“It’s a huge part of wrestling, unfortunately,” Khan said. “Pro wrestling is a hard-hitting sport where the competitors are prone to being seriously injured in the ring, and that has happened here. I’ve definitely made changes to accommodate those injuries, in this case, Penelope Ford, who was a huge part of this match and a huge part of the women’s division from the very beginning of AEW. Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford were very involved in the build towards this Blood & Guts match, so I’ve had to make changes because a lot of their rivalries and a lot of the intense action leading up to this Blood & Guts match involved Penelope Ford.”
New AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship
During the Sept. 24 episode of “AEW Dynamite,” Khan and Renee Paquette unveiled the AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship. The AEW boss initially wanted to introduce the title sooner, but injuries forced a delay.
“It’s a very exciting thing for AEW that we’ve launched our first-ever women’s world tag team championship tournament,” Khan said. “Of course, we had a major injury before the tournament kicked off with one of the featured wrestlers, but the division overall is healthier than it has been in a long time. A lot of top stars have come back from major injuries. The women’s division is on fire right now.”
Jon Moxley’s Crucial Role in AEW
Along with the women’s version of the match, the men will also be involved in their own Blood & Guts showdown. Jon Moxley will be one of the participants, teaming with his Death Riders faction to take on Darby Allin, Roderick Strong, and The Conglomeration.
Khan praised Moxley for his recent AEW World Championship run and what he’s meant to the company since his promotional debut back in 2019.
“Jon Moxley’s one of the greatest stars ever in AEW,” Khan said. “I have so much respect for Jon Moxley as one of the great wrestlers, in my personal opinion, of modern times. Jon Moxley is a huge part of AEW, and he’s going to be a big part of this Blood & Guts match next week. For Jon Moxley to win the world championship last year was a great thing for AEW. Jon Moxley as the world champion did so many great things for AEW in and out of the ring.”
Samoa Joe’s Stunning Heel Turn
Following his loss to “Hangman” Adam Page at “WrestleDream,” Samoa Joe pretended to embrace the reigning AEW World Champion. Ultimately, Joe delivered a clothesline to Page, which solidified his heel turn. Khan believes Joe is one of the “greatest stars in and out of the ring,” but he feels “The Samoan Submission Machine’s” change in character is something AEW fans have been asking for.
“We’ve seen Samoa Joe take a dark turn,” Khan said. “His personality has shifted, and we’re seeing a Samoa Joe that many fans have wanted to see in AEW. A Samoa Joe who is a cold-hearted assassin, a Samoa Joe who takes no prisoners, and a Samoa Joe that is the most competitive. Now, he’s led his trio, The Opps, to the top of the profession, where they’re undefeated as a trio and they’re the world trios champions, and ‘Hangman’ Page is really stepping up to one of the most impressive challengers anybody could put in front of their champion.”
“Hangman” Page Dupes Joe
The special “Fright Night” edition of “Dynamite” saw Page pretend to dress up in commentator Tony Schiavone’s Halloween costume. This allowed Page to smash a glass bottle over Joe’s head. Khan is quite happy with how the segment was executed.
“The big reveal that ‘Hangman’ Page was in the Tony Schiavone costume and they fooled Samoa Joe, which is a very difficult thing to do, for ‘Hangman’ Page to get the best of Samoa Joe, I thought that was a really fun, memorable way to end ‘Fright Night Dynamite.'”
Are The Young Bucks Better Than Ever?
In storyline, The Young Bucks have been down on their luck financially. In the ring, Khan believes Matt and Nick Jackson have had perhaps the best in-ring year of their careers.
“We’re very fortunate to have a lot of great stars in their prime right now,” Khan said. “You asked me about The Young Bucks, and certainly that includes The Young Bucks, who I think are doing some of the best wrestling in their careers in 2025. They’ve come back with an edge and come back with a passion for wrestling that is very evident in their matches.”
What Can Fans Expect for Blood & Guts and Full Gear 2025?
The two aforementioned Blood & Guts matches will take place just 10 days prior to the “Full Gear 2025” pay-per-view, which will be held on Nov. 22. Khan believes fans are in for a night of violence when AEW heads to the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.
“I think that Blood & Guts is going to be an excellent TV show,” Khan said. “We always try to deliver great events on Wednesday night, and I can assure you that Blood & Guts is going to be a very special telecast. It’s going to be a great evening. It’s going to be a hard-hitting night. It’ll be very violent, and it’ll be such an entertaining way to spend a Wednesday night.”
As for “Full Gear,” which will feature the AEW World Championship rematch between Page and Joe, Khan thinks it will cap off a stacked November for his professional wrestling promotion.
“Full Gear, I think, is our most consistent event,” Khan said. “It is always an excellent show. You can always count on Full Gear to be a great event and a tremendous way to spend a night of wrestling. So, whether you’re there live in person in Newark or whether you’re watching with us on pay-per-view, however you watch it, I promise you’re going to see a great PPV with Full Gear. I think it’s going to be a big November for AEW.”
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