Since its inception, AEW has planted its flag as a promotion where fans can find exceptional in-ring wrestling. That was inside knowledge for Day 1 fans, for those who trickled in over time, and for those who followed the likes of Bryan Danielson or Jon Moxley on their moves over from WWE.
In 2024, absent a tagline that truly represented what the brand was trying to accomplish, AEW CEO Tony Khan contemplated how to position the promotion’s identity.
“I was looking for something that expresses the belief of AEW, and to explain why AEW is such a unique company and why wrestling fans should watch AEW. I thought of the phrase, ‘AEW is where the best wrestle,’” Khan tells Uncrowned.
“I think that it’s very true and encompasses what we’re trying to do here. I think that in 2025, the AEW fans are very happy with AEW shows and I believe the perception of the fans is that [tagline] is an accurate statement. AEW is where the best wrestle.”
A little over a year later, AEW is flying.
The promotion in 2025 is riding arguably its best run of television and pay-per-views in recent memory, embodying that vision of putting on an exceptional in-ring wrestling product. About six years into its existence, Khan recognizes the high bar needed to consistently impress the audience.
“It’s gotta be something very special to engage the fans, to keep them interested,” Khan says.
“That’s why AEW’s been able to grow the audience this year. We grew the cable audience from Q4 while we also built our simulcast as we started streaming [on HBO Max]. We also grew our cable audience in Q2. We’ve seen it continue to grow on Wednesdays on TBS for ‘Dynamite,’ and on Saturdays for ‘Collision’ on TNT. I think it has built up like a snowball gaining momentum.”
That momentum comes on the heels of Khan’s well-established relationships with the likes of CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre) and NJPW (New Japan Pro-Wrestling), solidifying a global vision for AEW’s growth. Cross-branded cards throughout AEW’s history like Forbidden Door with NJPW — and more recently June’s Grand Slam Mexico event from Arena Mexico with CMLL — have provided positive momentum for all involved.
“We’ve been able to bring in top wrestlers from all over the world through our unparalleled partnerships. Working with great promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling and CMLL — that are the dominant promotions of record in their home markets — allows us to go and introduce our wrestlers in these markets and also utilize the top international stars,” Khan says.
“We’ve been able to build the best roster of wrestlers from all over the world because our shows have been consistently great. I think 2025 has been the best year of AEW yet — the TV and the pay-per-views have been tremendous.”
Khan confirmed AEW is interested in continuing to grow its partnership with CMLL and would like to run Grand Slam Mexico from Arena Mexico again.
“The first AEW show ever in Arena Mexico was a massive success. A great partnership between AEW and CMLL, who own and operate Arena Mexico. It means so much for them to invite AEW to Arena Mexico and collaborate with AEW,” Khan says.
“The show was fantastic and it was a testament to the spirit of the wrestling fans all over the world, and in particular the live fans in Mexico. It galvanized the AEW viewership, leading to the biggest viewership of any AEW event in a very long time. I think that the CMLL fans were so kind to embrace AEW and our wrestlers with open arms. Absolutely, the door is open for AEW to return to Mexico. I think all of us want AEW back in Arena Mexico.”
AEW’s blend of top-tier in-ring wrestling and running venues with either a unique tilt or some historic significance has created a product with a passionate base. AEW will continue that trend when it returns to London’s O2 Arena in August in collaboration with NJPW for Forbidden Door 2025.
“Each year Forbidden Door has emanated from an iconic wrestling venue in one of the greatest wrestling cities in the world, and this year will be the biggest one yet,” Khan says.
“It’s one of the biggest gates in the history of AEW already, and it’s going to be a massive event collaborating with our friends and partners at New Japan Pro Wrestling.”
The promotion will also emanate from the historic 2300 Arena in Philadelphia in the fall for the first time later this year, a venue that holds a special place in Khan’s heart.
“I went there when I was very young, when I was 13 years old, to Philadelphia from Illinois, traveling with my father to go see wrestling there,” he says. “It was the first time I’d ever been to a wrestling show outside of my hometown, Champaign, Illinois. And it opened my eyes and it was the first time I was able to meet a lot of my online tape creator friends in person.
“Back in 1996, it wasn’t like everybody was meeting up with their online friends all the time, especially now when you’re 13 years old. But I had a vast array of tape-trading buddies, and it was the first time I ever actually got to meet any of them. And now, nearly 30 years later, they’re AEW fans, which is really cool. And it’ll be the first time we’ve been able to bring AEW to the 2300 Arena. I’m looking forward to that.”
While AEW expects to return to London’s Wembley Stadium next year for its premier annual event, All In, Khan spoke about the “great potential for huge events all across North America” as well as the “untapped venues and markets” the promotion hasn’t run yet. In his mind, there are endless opportunities for AEW’s continued expansion.
More immediately, though, AEW has its collective eyes on All In: Texas, which takes place this Saturday, July 12, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The stadium plays host to the biggest North American show AEW has ever put on — and the first time AEW’s flagship event takes place in the United States.
“It’s the biggest AEW show we’ve ever attempted in America,” Khan says. “It’s going to be our biggest crowd we’ve ever had in America, and it’s our first ever pay-per-view in Texas. I’m really excited, because on TV, typically the Texas fans have been some of the loudest and best TV audiences we’ve had in AEW.
“It’s a fantastic show and I think it has the potential to be the greatest AEW event ever.”
With just five matches announced — including both the men’s and women’s Casino Gauntlet Battle Royals — the card is already stacking up as a potential all-time great.
Kazuchika Okada against Kenny Omega for the AEW Unified Championship could quickly become an all-timer if everything falls into place. “Hangman” Adam Page’s path back to the World Championship picture — and his chance to take the title back from the Death Riders and Jon Moxley — potentially concludes a story that’s been building since All In 2024. “Timeless” Toni Storm against Mercedes Moné has magic written all over it when the two stars meet for the AEW Women’s Championship, and Swerve Strickland is partnering with Will Ospreay in a scintillating tag-team match against the Young Bucks.
For Khan, getting AEW into this position is a direct result of the promotion’s ability to establish a slew of in-house stars, with Storm and Strickland as cornerstone pieces. Everything that happens in both the men’s and women’s divisions revolve around their development. Storm has been central to the women’s division for more than a year. Strickland is responsible for one of Page’s best feuds and has functioned as the face of the men’s division despite losing the World Championship at last year’s All in.
Khan says Strickland was “earmarked for success” when he joined the promotion. The levels he’s reached in AEW are beyond what many expected when he debuted at the AEW Revolution 2022 pay-per-view.
“He arrived in AEW with a strong reputation as an excellent wrestler, and he’s become a bigger and bigger wrestling star. Each year he has been here, he’s appeared in some of the most important AEW matches, and his star continues to rise because he’s one of the hardest working wrestlers,” Khan says.
“He’s very respected by his peers and through his hard work and his remarkable skill. So Strickland has been able to evolve himself into one of the most dynamic and exciting top stars in pro wrestling today.”
Storm’s transcendence in AEW hasn’t followed the same model as Strickland’s. After she filmed “Queen of the Ring” in 2023, Khan was looking for new stories and a new presence. He asked Storm if she’d seen some old films and gave her a list of movies he thought would be interesting to see her integrate into pro wrestling.
“Some of the characters really reminded me of her, the kind of presence I thought she had and would be able to bring to a wrestling show and something I really wanted to tap into that I thought existed inside of her. And that is ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm — and it is all too real,” Khan says.
“She’s such an incredible stage presence and I think a great wrestler, first and foremost, with tons of experience all over the world. ‘Timeless’ Toni is something that I’ve wanted to do because it represents what’s inside her, and she’s been able to find the Hollywood starlet within herself. It always existed and it’s evolved, it’s refined. It’s become more refined. And now we’re seeing a great wrestling champion, a great Hollywood starlet.”
It’s the biggest AEW show we’ve ever attempted in America … and I think it has the potential to be the greatest AEW event ever.Tony Khan on AEW All In 2025
For Khan and AEW, everything is clicking right now. They have established stars locked in and waving the AEW flag with the likes of Storm and Strickland. They have budding stars and continue to uncover top talent like Megan Bayne and Kyle Fletcher. Their media deal includes opportunities to expand their audience through streaming, and AEW continues to find new and unique ways to present their programming.
“I think that pro wrestling is very unique. It’s the only sport that runs 52 weeks a year with no offseason, and it is really a lot of positives that you can draw from that,” Khan says. “In particular, when you have good momentum like AEW has right now, it is awesome to strike while the iron’s hot, and AEW’s having a really hot 2025.
“We always look forward to going onto the next show right now because we’ve been putting on great shows consistently. I don’t ever want to take it for granted. I really love wrestling and I do like to live in the moment, and I’m very proud of the high quality AEW has established and is maintaining week in, week out in 2025.”