AEW President Tony Khan asserts that the legendary Bullet Club faction has been a fundamental part of AEW’s identity since the company’s inception. Speaking on The Bone 107.7, Khan highlighted how many cornerstone AEW wrestlers—including Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks—originated from Bullet Club, solidifying the faction’s lasting impact on AEW’s development. Khan emphasized that this connection continues through current talent such as Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors, ensuring the Bullet Club’s influence endures within the promotion.
Khan said,
The Bullet Club has a phenomenal and very rich history of some of the greatest wrestlers that I’ve ever seen. It’s a very rich history that is closely tied to AEW’s own legacy.
Ricochet Highlights AEW’s Collaborative Creative Environment
Ricochet, a prominent AEW performer, praised the promotion’s commitment to creative freedom and teamwork in a recent Forbes interview. He explained that unlike other wrestling experiences, AEW stands out for encouraging wrestlers to contribute their own ideas and collaborate with the creative team. Even when initial concepts face skepticism, testing them on television often changes opinions, fostering a culture that attracts talent.
Discussing the atmosphere at AEW, Ricochet remarked,
Yeah, absolutely. Lucha Underground was great, and even my time in NXT was great. Obviously, overseas is always great, and the indies are always great. But here in AEW, it’s like all of that in one professional setting. I feel like the collaborative part of it is one of the best reasons I can find for why I like it here. If you’ve got an idea or something, you absolutely are heard. Sometimes they 100% use your idea. Sometimes you work together to get something that both parties like. Sometimes they say no and still do what they want. Either way, I think the collaborative part really is the thing that draws a lot of the talent to AEW.
He further illustrated how this collaboration plays out:
I mean, a couple, without giving away any secrets. But yeah, I think one major one is the scissors spot. I think that, with Swerve Strickland, the way different parties saw it going, you know, the way I saw it, I think me and Swerve were kind of on the same wavelength as far as this went. The way we saw it going was a very specific way. So you go and you plead your case, you talk to them, and you tell them why. I think they actually enjoyed it. And even after the show, we were told, at first we didn’t really understand it, but once we saw it happen in real life and we saw what you guys did, we said,
“Oh, we get why they wanted to do it this way.
You know, maybe at first we didn’t get it, but now we saw it. So, good job.
It really is cool to know that your idea actually worked. That’s always cool.”
Addressing Concerns Over AEW’s Championship Titles
Ricochet also defended the number of championships in AEW by explaining that the depth of the roster justifies multiple titles, as many wrestlers are capable of holding a championship at any time. He described AEW’s wrestlers as “prizefighters” determined to compete for meaningful rewards, with each title representing a significant achievement.
He elaborated,
Yeah, I think especially when you have a roster as deep as AEW, it’s like everybody could be champion at any point in time. You know what I mean? That’s men, women, that’s everybody across the board. You honor everything. At the end of the day, say what you want, we’re all prizefighters. We’re fighting for a prize. You’re fighting for something. So I think adding another prize to the pot is only good for the fighters, giving them something to fight for. Especially when you have so many guys from the bottom to the top, everybody is so good. I do understand what people are saying, but at the same time, when the roster is that deep and everybody could be champion at any time, I think it’s okay. But there absolutely is pressure with a new title, being the inaugural champion, to make it mean something and to make its legacy mean something, especially with the pool of other championships that are out there to be fought for.
Ricochet also discussed his role as the first holder of a new championship, highlighting the responsibility to build its prestige both within and outside AEW programming. He explained,
That’s what I think I’m doing best. I think I’m representing this great. I think I’m traveling the entire world, putting everybody on notice, and letting them know that not only will this be defended on AEW television, but it will be defended in your hometown as well. I think that gives people outside of AEW an opportunity. It gives them something to fight for, something to really reach for. So if you think you know, step up. The thing is, anybody on your show could win. I just wrestled Starboy Charlie. When they say it’s slim to none, he still had a chance. He still had a chance. I think that’s something that makes this different. And then, yeah, just the fact that it’s me. I think I have enough history to know that I’ve been an inaugural champion for multiple other companies, multiple other times. I’ve shown that I can be the one to make a first-ever championship mean something big.
Ongoing Reflections Amid AEW’s Expanding Talent Landscape
The experiences shared by Tony Khan and Ricochet underline AEW’s evolution as a wrestling promotion deeply rooted in both tradition and innovation. The link to Bullet Club cements the company’s legacy, while the creative freedom and roster depth create an environment fostering growth and competition. This combination positions AEW as a compelling alternative in the wrestling world, appealing to fans and wrestlers who seek meaningful storytelling and championship prestige.
With the continued presence of key figures like Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Gabe Kidd, and Clark Connors, AEW is likely to maintain its momentum. Meanwhile, Ricochet’s insights into collaboration and championship value suggest that AEW’s internal culture will remain a dynamic space where ideas are tested and successes celebrated, making the future of the company both exciting and uncertain in the best way possible.
