In a recent interview with Insider, AEW President Tony Khan discussed expanding the promotion’s reach and roster outside the pro wrestling industry. He said,
“I always love when people come up to Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander and talk about how they saw them on an episode of “Floor Is Lava” on Netflix. And you have Chris Jericho being in a bunch of movies. And a number of wrestlers have done music — Brody King is a musician, Darby Allin has worked with a number of musicians. We’ve brought hip-hop stars like Rick Ross into AEW. The biggest celebrity crossover has to be when we brought Shaq in. If I were a kid today seeing someone like him do AEW, that would have gotten me into wrestling. I really am focused on getting AEW stars involved in projects outside of wrestling as much as possible. Darby Allin is actually talking to me about climbing Mount Everest.”
In a recent interview with amNYmetro, Willow Nightingale discussed her breakout NJPW match with Mercedes Moné and her future ambitions in AEW.
The former NJPW Strong Women’s Champion also declared that she will capture the AEW Women’s World Title sooner or later.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On her NJPW Strong tournament win: “I wasn’t just representing Willow anymore, I was representing AEW, in this case, against obviously an amazing competitor, somebody who I consider to be one of the most prolific women wrestlers. It was a big flipping of a switch in terms of my career, I think it was a big launching pad for me. In a personal realm, it also was this big moment of like, wow, you can really do this.”
On a potential rematch with Moné: “She did get injured in that match, so there is always going to be that little chip on my shoulder, and the little asterisk where people are like ‘Oh, but Mercedes got hurt.’ I’d like to just have the most competitive match that we could, you know, barring any kind of confusion out from left field, and just have a nice match and see where that brings us.”
On her hopes to challenge for the AEW Women’s title belt: “I had an opportunity to wrestle Toni Storm when she was the champion at Forbidden Door in Toronto earlier this year. I didn’t walk away the champion, but I do feel like that was kind of at a turning point where people started seeing me more and more of a legitimate contender for that championship. So, in the next few weeks, in the coming months, I hope to continue to prove that I’m a worthy competitor for that and a legitimate contender for that and walk away with that championship.”
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AEW President Tony Khan is looking to expand the reach and roster of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) outside of the pro wrestling industry. In a recent interview with Insider, Khan expressed his excitement about AEW stars being involved in projects beyond wrestling.
Khan highlighted the success of AEW stars appearing on popular shows like “Floor Is Lava” on Netflix. He mentioned how fans approach Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander, recognizing them from their appearances on the show. Khan also pointed out that Chris Jericho has been involved in several movies, and various wrestlers have ventured into music, such as Brody King and Darby Allin collaborating with musicians. AEW has even brought in hip-hop stars like Rick Ross for special appearances. Khan believes that these crossovers with different forms of entertainment can attract new fans to professional wrestling.
One of the most significant celebrity crossovers for AEW was when they brought in NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal to compete in a match. Khan emphasized that if he were a kid today witnessing someone like Shaq participating in AEW, it would have piqued his interest in wrestling. This experience has motivated Khan to focus on getting AEW stars involved in projects outside of wrestling as much as possible.
Khan revealed that Darby Allin, one of AEW’s rising stars, is even considering climbing Mount Everest. This demonstrates the diverse interests and ambitions of AEW talent.
In another interview with amNYmetro, Willow Nightingale, a prominent female wrestler, discussed her breakout match with Mercedes Moné in NJPW (New Japan Pro-Wrestling) and her aspirations in AEW. Nightingale, who previously held the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship, expressed how this match was a turning point in her career and a significant opportunity to represent AEW.
Nightingale also mentioned her desire for a potential rematch with Moné, acknowledging that Moné got injured during their previous encounter. She hopes to have a competitive match with Moné and prove herself as a legitimate contender.
Furthermore, Nightingale expressed her hopes of challenging for the AEW Women’s World Title. She referred to a previous match against Toni Storm, the then-champion, as a pivotal moment where people started recognizing her as a legitimate contender. Nightingale aims to continue proving herself in the coming months and ultimately walk away with the championship.
As AEW continues to grow and gain recognition in the wrestling industry, the promotion’s focus on expanding its reach beyond wrestling is an exciting development. By involving AEW stars in projects outside of wrestling, the promotion can attract new fans and showcase the diverse talents and interests of its roster.
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