AEW held a media scrum immediately following this evening’s Full Gear pay-per-view from New Jersey. Highlights, including the full scrum on video, can be found below.
-Someone tries to ask Khan a question but MJF busts in and basically cuts a promo telling everyone that they are in the MJF era.
-Khan says that preliminary buy rates for Full Gear look good so far coming off the Zero Hour pre-show. Says he isn’t sure exactly what the number is but he’s happy.
-Khan reiterates that Full Gear featured a lot of homegrown talent taking on talent who established themselves elsewhere.
-The Acclaimed are the first act to be interviewed. Caster says they are the best tag team in the world. When asked about what their victory tonight means for them personally Bowens says that it’s always special to be able to perform for the passionate AEW fanbase, and that it means even more since it’s close to where he grew up. Caster adds that the Acclaimed have been moving numbers and merchandise since their act got hot.
-Saraya is out next. She is asked about how often fans can expect to see her in the ring. She says that she is feeling great and has had extensive conversations with doctors and MRI specialists assuring that she could go so expect her to wrestle again. Saraya later discusses her ring rust, but credits Britt Baker for being an excellent first partner to have back, even claiming that Baker carried her for a good portion of the feud. She later admits that this match was the most nervous she had ever been in her entire career. When asked about performing as Saraya rather than Paige she says that it feels good to perform as herself, and is grateful to Tony Khan for allowing her to keep it.
-New AEW interim women’s champion Jamie Hayter is out next. She is asked about what winning the title means for her career. Hayter states that wrestling is hard and the belt is validation, even going as far as to say that if her career ended tomorrow she would be satisfied with how everything went. A different reporter asks her thoughts on still being considered an “Interim” champion. Khan cuts in and says that he is still evaluating the situation and is hopeful that Thunder Rosa will be back soon.
-Jungle Boy is next. First question is whether his gear was inspired by Shawn Michaels. He says it was, and that it was from the Heartbreak Kid’s Hell in a Cell Classic against the Undertaker, which he reveals is Luchasaurus’ favorite match. Someone else asks about his feud with Christian. Jungle Boy confirms that he still plans on facing Christian whenever he is healed, but that he is done with Luchasaurus. Later Jungle Boy is asked if he will ever go just by Jack Perry. He says that he used Jungle Boy on the indies because of his family’s name, but that he’s happy for it to be working its way into programming naturally. He doesn’t mind still using Jungle Boy as a nickname.
-Tony Khan is now taking questions. Begins by saying that AEW has had a great year on pay-per-view, especially with the added in Forbidden Door show in partnership with NJPW. In response to a different question Khan says he is still hoping to get more people on pay-per-view cards, perhaps ones that have not been featured as much. Someone asks Khan for an update on Adam Cole and Adam Page. Khan says that Cole and Page are doing well, but does specify that each man’s concussion is drastically different than the other. His hope is that they both will be back “soon.” Khan talks more business and touts AEW’s success this quarter, and once again praises his relationship with WB Discovery. When asked about returning to Canada Khan says that Montreal is definitely on the table, where he credits the city for being rich with wrestling history and having some big wrestling gates. When asked about ROH Khan just promotes Final Battle on December 10, then hypes Jericho against Ishii on this Wednesday’s Dynamite. Khan is asked about AEW talents going to NJPW for WrestleKingdom. He says that he hopes to have some involved, but admits that it will be a challenge because AEW is running a Dynamite in Seattle that same night so the big stars will most likely remain in the states. Khan is again asked about Colt Cabana being used in the recent match against Chris Jericho, and whether CM Punk had Cabana demoted. Khan confirms that he DID NOT demote Cabana, and that Cabana was chosen as Jericho’s opponent because he is a great wrestler. Khan is asked about using the Kansas theme for The Elite. Say he loved it, and that it will “likely” be used again.