During today’s AEW WrestleDream media call, AEW President Tony Khan addressed a range of topics, including the return of Swerve Strickland, the current status of Andrade El Idolo, recent updates regarding Nielsen’s new television ratings methodology, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the media call below:
On Nielsen’s new ratings methodology: “It’s going to be an interesting thing to look at. I’m very excited about what we did last night, I thought it was a tremendous show. We had Collision back in its normal time slot and saw a great lift this week. I do think AEW, if you look at where we started this year and ended last year, how we’ve been doing, I think AEW is having, overall, a very good year. If you look at where wrestling companies ended up last year and the first few months of this year, AEW is having some of the best results of anybody. On TV, when it comes to this methodology, I’ll be interested in seeing what it means. Being part of the NFL, we’re very cognizant in changes in media and rating methodology. I’m going to keep an eye on it. It’s a new system and it’s interesting to see the differences and try to learn from that. That’s what business and enterprise is all about. Adapting to the environment. AEW has done well in adapting. It could be a lot of positives and it’s important to take the time to learn.”
On Swerve Strickland’s return: “I definitely think Swerve will be back long before Kota Ibushi. Swerve was dealing with a serious injury, but not a long-term outlook. Swerve will hopefully come back relatively soon. It’s not the kind of situation where you expect him to be out for a year or more. With Swerve, it’s a shorter timetable. I can’t say exactly when because I’m not a doctor and I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but based on the conversations I’ve had, even today, I think he’s on a good pace and Swerve (will be back) sooner rather than later.”
On a possible AEW training center: “Yeah. Yeah, I am interested in it and it’s something I talked about. I was kind of surprised to see the report because I’m still interested in that and I would say, it’s one of those things where you read something and there’s a lot of truth to it, but then, when you’re around the situation sometimes and you see something reported, sometimes, you say, well, okay, that’s part of the story but not the whole story. Obviously, it’s a different relationship with FTR and Adam Copeland than it was earlier this year… If FTR and Adam Copeland can rebuild their relationship, that is something I’m very interested in is having that facility… I do think that is something that there is interest in, and do think in the long term, the big picture, because we’re all gonna be doing this for a long time… I really believe that Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler; FTR, and Cope and Christian, all those guys, are people that I want in AEW for a long time and I hope that Adam Copeland and FTR can rebuild that relationship because I am interested in that and I think they would be absolutely fantastic mentors and they are fantastic mentors to people… I would love to have those guys reunite and be able to rekindle that project we did talk about, which is a real idea about having FTR and Copeland with an AEW-affiliated training school, and working with them and having that project be in their hometown in Asheville, North Carolina.”
On men’s and women’s Blood & Guts matches: “There are some rivalries in the AEW men’s locker room that are really bubbling, and getting very interesting, and I know there are forces clamoring to participate in the Blood & Guts match, but I also know that the women’s locker room is the most intense and the most competitive scene that we’ve ever had in AEW’s women’s wrestling and we are absolutely, I believe, heading towards where both the women wrestlers and the men’s wrestlers will be settling issues in Blood & Guts and without committing exactly who and when and where and what, I think we are building towards those things…”
On Andrade El Idolo’s AEW status: “Well, I would echo sentiments I had said at AEW Worlds End 2023, when Andrade initially left a few years ago. And I would say that I have a ton of respect for Andre El Idolo. I think he’s an amazing wrestler, and I think that when he left in 2023, it was on a very high note. Just to reiterate everything I said at his departure a few years ago. I still feel that way, and I think Andrade is a great wrestler. And I’m excited to see what’s next for him. I would leave it at that. Yeah, I would just echo the sentiments again when Andre had initially left in 2023. I have a ton of respect for him, and I’m saying as much as I can say about it, but I appreciate you asking. I am excited to see what’s next for him. Again, this is somebody that I think is just an incredible wrestler. I really enjoyed working with him in the past, and I’m excited to see what’s next for him.”
On avoiding a Kris Statlander vs. Toni Storm match until the time was right: “We’ve got another great former World Champion, ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm, taking on the AEW World Champion Kris Statlander. That is the first time they’ve ever wrestled one-on-one, and it is by design. That has always been a match that I knew would be a major match on a major event, and when the time was right, it would be one of the biggest matches I think we could put on and I’m really excited for it. I think they’ve been doing fantastic work in the promos.”
(h/t – Fightful)
