AEW has shown a willingness to work with other pro wrestling promotions. In recent months, WWE has too.
But when it comes to the idea of the two biggest pro wrestling companies collaborating, that’s seemingly the ultimate “Forbidden Door.”
On Tuesday, AEW president and owner Tony Khan appeared on The Rich Eisen Show, where he was asked about a potential “supershow” featuring both AEW and WWE talent. And while Khan implied he’d be up for such a collaboration, he also admitted it’s a highly unlikely scenario.
“I would love if that were possible,” Khan said. “I don’t know that it is. But it would great if it was possible for the fans, I think that it would be wonderful. But there are a lot of challenging business things in the world of pro wrestling that I think would make that a very challenging thing to do.”
Tony Khan was asked about the possibility of a WWE x AEW Supershow:
“I would love if that was possible. I don’t know that it is but it would be great
if it was possible for the fans.I think that would be wonderful.”
(Rich Eisen Show) pic.twitter.com/yluy57hfkH
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) July 24, 2024
Despite having previously referred to WWE as “the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling,” it’s hardly surprising Khan would be willing to take part in such a show. While AEW has solidified itself as a solid No. 2 pro wrestling promotion in its first five years of existence, WWE’s reach is significantly bigger and AEW would have plenty to gain by receiving such exposure from an unprecedented show — especially considering the crossroads the company currently finds itself at.
That’s also exactly why such a show would be difficult — if not impossible — to pull off. It’s one thing for WWE to collaborate with a company like TNA Wrestling, which it doesn’t perceive as a threat. It’s another to give your platform to a rival like AEW, which has made no bones about challenging WWE in their ongoing “pro wrestling war.”
While it would certainly be cool, WWE would ultimately have little to gain from such a show — at least compared to how much AEW would benefit from it. In the meantime, we can at least dream about cross-promotional matches like Roman Reigns vs. MJF, The Young Bucks vs. The Usos, and Rhea Ripley vs. Britt Baker.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.