Steve Carrier on December 12, 2023
AEW President Tony Khan participated in a media briefing to discuss the upcoming ROH Final Battle Royal pay-per-view event happening this Friday, December 15, 2022. Below are the key highlights from the discussion.
When asked about the potential of the ROH Tag Team Titles being declared vacant due to injuries suffered by MJF and Adam Cole, Khan acknowledged the possibility but refrained from making a commitment.
Khan was questioned about the prospect of a joint venture involving AEW and ROH. He responded positively, mentioning a productive discussion with Warner Bros. Discovery. Khan also emphasized the high demand for ROH’s media rights, highlighting the value of both ROH’s and AEW’s extensive libraries. Khan expressed satisfaction with the acquisition of ROH and its library, considering it a highly advantageous deal.
Regarding previous rumors of The CW’s interest in ROH’s media rights and whether he prefers to negotiate AEW and ROH separately or as a package deal, Khan stressed the value of owning both libraries and pay-per-view events. He praised the quality of ROH’s past events under his ownership, lauding the talent within ROH and its crossover with AEW. Khan revealed that CW executive Dennis Miller had attended an AEW show at the LA Forum, although the timing wasn’t ideal. Khan remained confident that ROH would continue to provide significant value moving forward. He also discussed memorable ROH matches, including the Briscoes vs. FTR trilogy.
When asked about the ongoing Athena and Billie Starkz storyline, along with Lexi Nair’s involvement, Khan expressed enthusiasm for the process and shared that he has been in regular contact with Athena and Starkz since the Forbidden Door opened. He praised the collaboration with all parties involved.
Despite recent developments such as Eddie Kingston and Samoa Joe relinquishing their titles and the Young Bucks and Hangman Page losing the six-man tag titles, Khan affirmed that his vision for ROH as a non-developmental brand remains unchanged. He anticipated a strong world champion emerging from the Continental Classic, set to be the holder of the new Triple Crown Championship. He also highlighted Athena as the ROH Women’s Champion.
Khan was also asked about Athena’s potential appearances on other wrestling shows beyond ROH. He commended Athena’s contributions and described her as an anchor for ROH. Khan recognized Billie Starkz’s nine-match winning streak and suggested that the winner of their match could be a valuable addition to AEW television while continuing their roles in ROH.
The topic of Samoa Joe forfeiting the title instead of losing it was raised. Khan acknowledged that it had been a discussion point. He spoke highly of Joe’s tenure as champion and noted that having a champion who can consistently make appearances on ROH television will be beneficial. Khan also mentioned that Joe had achieved all his objectives as champion and had set a new goal of capturing the AEW World Championship at Worlds End.
Inquired about the creative process behind Final Battle, Khan delved into the intricacies of several matches. He particularly highlighted Jay Briscoe and the upcoming six-man tag match dedicated to honoring him at Final Battle. Khan expressed his belief that the event on Friday promises to be a fantastic show.
When questioned about his assessment of Ethan Page’s performance in ROH, Khan had high praise for him. Khan commented that Page has been doing an exceptional job and described him as a valuable addition to the promotion. He also mentioned Page’s notable match with Kenny Omega on AEW Collision. Khan recounted how Page had expressed a desire to work in ROH whenever he wasn’t booked for AEW, highlighting Page’s commitment.
Khan also discussed the intense rivalry between Ethan Page and Tony Nese, emphasizing that their matchup at Final Battle promises to be a heated showdown.
When inquired about the current number of HonorClub subscriptions and the possibility of ROH events returning to pay-per-view, Khan provided some insights. He mentioned that Final Battle had been highly successful in driving HonorClub subscriptions and highlighted the strong ticket sales for both the Continental Classic and Worlds End events. Khan also pointed out that they had seen significant revenue returns for ROH pay-per-views, marking them as the highest-grossing pay-per-views since he acquired the company. He emphasized that any decision to revert to the pay-per-view model for ROH would be based on the success they’ve experienced, but he did not disclose the latest subscriber count.
Regarding the ROH Tag Team Champions, MJF and Adam Cole, appearing on HonorClub, Khan reiterated that they haven’t been able to make appearances due to Adam Cole’s injury, as mentioned earlier in the call.
When asked about the ROH Pure Rules division and the potential return of rankings, Khan expressed his deep respect for Wheeler Yuta, who has achieved the status of a multi-time Pure Champion. He also highlighted Yuta’s work with Daniel Garcia and the influence of Katsuyori Shibata in elevating the division’s profile.
When questioned about New Japan Pro Wrestling creating a Global Championship and the possibility of it being defended in AEW or ROH, as well as its potential impact on the Triple Crown Championship, Khan expressed his openness to having the Global Championship defended in his companies.
In response to the final question regarding the identity of the sixth competitor in the match to crown the new ROH TV Champion, Khan teased the audience by saying to stay tuned. He mentioned that there are a few more days and one more ROH on HonorClub show before Final Battle.
The call concluded with plugs for Final Battle and upcoming ROH television shows.
December 12, 2023 3:35 pm
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