Tony Khan, President and CEO of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), revealed a new policy aimed at enhancing the credibility of championship matches during a post-show media scrum following the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event. The policy mandates that match contracts must be announced at least one week prior to their execution.
This decision reflects Khan’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of AEW’s championship contests and strengthening the connection between the promotion and its fanbase.
Khan Emphasizes Audience Trust and Championship Integrity
During the discussion, Khan stressed the importance of listening to fans and fostering transparency. He stated,
“Here’s what I think. I think that I want AEW to be different. And I’ve been listening to the feedback and the voice of the fans, and I think people want the championships and the sport of wrestling to have integrity. We’re having our best year in the history of AEW, and I think a lot of it is [that] we’re willing to listen to the fans, that we care about the sport, and we want the fans to believe what we’re doing.”
—Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
Khan’s approach focuses on promoting championship matches with full transparency, ensuring that fans receive proper advance notice to build anticipation and trust.
Plans to Avoid Overused Stipulations and Ensure Proper Promotion
Khan also addressed concerns related to match stipulations, clarifying AEW’s strategy to maintain originality while respecting the sport’s dignity. He explained,
“I think it’s really important that when we have a contract execution and the integrity of the championship, that we can maintain the dignity of the sport. I also think it’s very, very important to promote championship matches. I don’t want to have a big-ticket championship match that we’re not able to advertise. And also, I don’t really want to necessarily utilize a stipulation here that’s being utilized in other places. I’m not trying to duplicate what other people are doing.”
—Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
This reflects Khan’s intent to distinguish AEW’s product by focusing on authenticity and effective marketing rather than relying on repetitive gimmicks common elsewhere.
Official One-Week Notice to Enhance Promotion and Media Relations
To implement this vision, Khan confirmed that contract executions will require a minimum one-week notice before being presented to the audience. He added,
“That’s why going forward, I want to set the tone that from now on I think the right thing to do is, all contract executions should be on at least a week’s notice so we can properly promote the matches. So that we can properly give the fans notice and have the integrity of a championship match. I think it’s for the best for us, I think it’s for the best for our media partners and the integrity of the championships, if that makes sense.”
—Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
This move aims to benefit AEW’s fans, media partners, and champions by ensuring the legitimacy and visibility of title matches within professional wrestling.
Future Impact of AEW’s Championship Policy
By instituting this guideline, Tony Khan reinforces AEW’s dedication to championship prestige and fan engagement. The policy sets a clear standard for the presentation of high-profile matches, potentially shaping how the promotion schedules and publicizes major events going forward.
This approach may also influence broader industry practices by emphasizing integrity and thoughtful promotion as central to the sport’s evolution.
