The Elite Sign New Multi-Year Contracts with AEW

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, AEW CEO Tony Khan announced that The Elite (Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, and The Young Bucks) have recently signed new multi-year contracts to remain in the company for the foreseeable future. Khan also stated that Omega and the Young Bucks will also be retaining their titles as Executive Vice Presidents in the company.

“The Elite have been so important to the launch of AEW, with the Young Bucks going all in when I first approached them in 2018 about my dream to create an international pro wrestling promotion. Shortly after that, their partners and closest friends Kenny Omega and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page joined us to formally launch All Elite Wrestling. All four of them have been instrumental to AEW’s success from the very first episode of Dynamite in 2019 through the present day.

Now, as we celebrate tonight’s 200^th episode of Dynamite, I’m excited to share that Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Hangman Adam Page will all be staying in AEW for years to come. We look forward to celebrating the great news with fans around the world.”

Omega gave his thoughts about the Elite signing new deals to remain in AEW.

“Our original goal was to create a wrestling alternative and give a platform to talented people that we’d all felt deserved a spotlight. I feel like we did our best in that time, and hopefully some people you’d never heard of pre-AEW are folks you enjoy watching today. Or if you knew them from their previous work elsewhere, have maybe found a new appreciation for them. That feeling, combined with the feeling of knowing they can provide for themselves and their family doing what they love, was always the biggest reward of being an EVP/founder.

Pro wrestling has a presence almost everywhere on the planet. In my pursuit to become as complete of a performer as possible, my goal was always to experience the styles of the world at their highest level. I believe that with AEW’s current working relationships, and possibly future, I can challenge all forms of pro wrestling and diversify my style so that I’m equipped for any scenario I may encounter in the ring.

I was careful to weigh out all options and was open minded to all possibilities. I’m here to help whomever I can while I’m still around.

Up to this point, I’ve made the choice to sacrifice everything in the name of pro wrestling. I can’t say that family or my kids influenced the decision to stay with AEW–I’m not married and without kids–but what I can say is that I’m incredibly proud of my match catalog and the wonderful people I’ve met and continue to meet. AEW not only allows me to continue doing what I do at a high level, but allows the freedom to pursue some other passions I have in life–which, after nearly 25 years in the ring, have become more and more important to me.”

The Young Bucks’ Matt Jackson also commented on the new deal stating:

“We’re literally the ‘E’ in AEW. The Elite are the main characters of this company. No matter how different AEW is now from its original inception, we are the DNA. And if you lose the foundation of your home, it eventually collapses. It’d be a lie if I said that didn’t weigh on us, when making the decision …

In my older years of my career, being closer to the end than I am the beginning, I’m not really one who worries much about my legacy anymore. I’ve kind of noticed, like a summer tan, most memories fade. Or, they’re remembered differently or told with errors anyway. Oftentimes the memory is almost instantly forgotten, because you hit the refresh button. As far as my own personal stories, I’ll have enough to retell my grandchildren for a lifetime. And much of those stories can be about how I helped create a massively successful wrestling company where all of your favorites can be seen on live television every week.

Ultimately, I made the best decision for my family. Working in AEW will allow me the most time with my children, and they’re still at the young age where they need their dad home as much as possible. Having the strongest marriage possible with my wife Dana is so important to me as well. When wrestling is finished, I want to come home to a full, healthy home. The entire Elite was going to make the decision of where we were going, together. And that’s what we did. We stuck together. Which isn’t typical in the wrestling business. But again, I used the word family earlier. We’re not just locker room pals. We’re more like a family. And we did what the family wanted.”

The Young Bucks’ Nick Jackson also responded stating:

” If we’re going to be honest the schedule was a huge part of it,” says Nick Jackson. “I have a wife and three young children and seeing them as much as possible was a big factor. I’m not going to lie, the money was a huge factor, too.

At this point of my life and career, I just couldn’t see myself being on the road half of the year or even more than that. I have so much respect for the guys and girls that are able to do that year after year. We for sure could’ve made memories in WWE, but what’s more important to me is making memories with my family. With the position we’re in, I’ll be able to do that and still make memories in AEW.”

Page gave his thoughts on his reasons why he decided to sign a new deal to stay in AEW.

“I think it’s very meaningful that, as a day one guy, I stay with AEW. It’s likely that I will one day finish my career here. Hopefully that can help the future generations see that there can be more than one path to success.

At this stage of my life the selling point was the schedule. AEW’s schedule allows me to be home with my family for the majority of the week and will ideally help my body hold up better in the long run. And the pay is good.

AEW emerging as a legitimate wrestling company has helped drive up bargaining power for wrestlers and others who work in the industry. Making a long-term commitment to a still-growing AEW I felt was the best way I could help continue that progress.

Pro wrestling has given me so much, starting with free hot dogs, and now the ability to provide a secure future for myself and my family. I want to eventually leave it better than I found it for future generations.”