Tony Khan Reflects On Successful AEW Rampage Debut, Expects ‘The First Dance’ To Be A Historic Event
Image Credit: IMPACT Wrestling
The “Rampage Era” is officially underway in All Elite Wrestling, as the company debuted its newest show on Friday night.
The first episode of AEW Rampage was an unforgettable night, as the show crowned a new IMPACT World Champion and delivered an emotional moment when Fuego Del Sol received a contract. In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, company president Tony Khan reflected on the premiere of Rampage and expressed his excitement about the show. He emphasized his belief that the company hit a “home run” and produced an excellent hour of wrestling television.
“This was one of the biggest nights in the history of the company, and it was a great show,” said Khan.“We went in with a tremendous card of three championship matches and a plan to deliver the best one-hour wrestling TV show anyone’s seen in a very long time. We needed to hit a home run, and we did. Everyone across the board, including production and staff, did a tremendous job.”
Khan stated that right now is the “perfect time” to get the show up and running, and he wanted to deliver the hottest premiere possible. With the buzz that surrounded the show both heading into it and coming out of it, it’s fair to say that AEW met these goals.
Of course, the attention now turns to August 20, when “The First Dance,” a special episode of AEW Rampage, is expected to absolutely electrify the wrestling world. This expectation is strongly linked to the rumored arrival of CM Punk, and fans have already been speculating about the former WWE Champion’s for several weeks. When asked, Khan continued to play coy about Punk’s potential arrival.
“Next week’s Rampage is ‘The First Dance’, and I think everyone knows what to expect—and everyone is very excited,” said Khan. “We built a foundation here for what you’re going to see next week. This was a huge premiere, and there is tons of anticipation for next week in Chicago.”
The genuine buzz surrounding Rampage, and AEW itself, continues to build, as the company continues to gain momentum, both with the moves it has made andthe ones it is rumored to make. In the interview, Khan teased that the next several weeks will be even more exciting for the company, starting with next Friday’s “historic” show.
“[Rampage] belongs to the wrestling fans,” said Khan. “Now is the time for more AEW on TNT and TBS. There is only more excitement to come in the weeks ahead. I’ve looked forward to this day for so long, and this was a great debut for Rampage. It’s a totally different format for us, and next week will be a very atypical episode of Rampage.
“I’m so excited for what is ahead next week. We’re going to give people very special wrestling television. ‘The First Dance’ is going to be a one-time, historic wrestling television event.”
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