AEW: Bryan Danielson Confirms He is Part of Disciplinary Committee, Tony Khan on Sting & Danielson’s AEW Futures, More News

Dec 2, 2023

Bryan Danielson Confirms He is Member of AEW’s Disciplinary Committee

As noted before, Bryan Danielson is believed to have led AEW’s disciplinary committee that made the decision to terminate CM Punk’s contract with the company following Punk”s backstage incident with Jack Perry and confrontation with AEW CEO Tony Khan at their All In event this past August.

A recent episode of CBS Sports’ Maggie & Perloff radio show had Danielson as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Danielson confirming he is currently a member of AEW’s disciplinary committee and clarified his role in the group.

“Yeah, I’m a part of the disciplinary committee. Clearly, what happened has happened. I’m somebody who, I like CM Punk, I think he brought a lot to AEW while he was there. There is not a lot I can say about it, or that I want to say about it about. I am part of it. It’s really funny, you know how the internet is. Some people say I was the head of the disciplinary committee. There were more than three people involved in this decision, but most of them were all lawyers. To say that I was the head, I don’t even have a college degree [laughs]. I’m not in there bossing people around. I am part of the disciplinary committee.”

Danielson also gave his thoughts on if it was a difficult decision to terminate CM Punk’s contract with AEW due to his actions.

“Absolutely. As somebody who…I have a lot of empathy. I’m grateful for the time he was able to spend in AEW. He did a great job for us. I wish him the best in his future and I hope his run there goes well.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

Tony Khan Comments on Sting & Bryan Danielson’s Futures in AEW After In-Ring Career Retirements

BBC West Midlands held a recent interview with AEW CEO Tony Khan. One of the topics discussed included Khan’s thoughts about wanting to make sure Sting’s upcoming retirement from in-ring wrestling is done right and his future in the company.

“I think it’s incredibly important for us to make sure Sting gets a great send-off. He absolutely deserves it. He’s a legend in wrestling, with decades of experience. Sting is beloved, and I’m very excited about Sting’s retirement tour, which has embarked. He’ll be finishing up at Revolution. Of course, Sting was a huge part of the original AEW All In at Wembley Stadium. When Sting came out to Metallica, what a moment. ‘Seek and Destroy’ will be something that will live on in perpetuity in the video library as a great moment. I hope Sting will come. He’ll be retired at that point, but I hope he’ll still come be an ambassador because he’s in many ways AEW’s greatest legend, and I think he’s one of wrestling’s greatest legends.
I’m working with him very closely and still overseeing what we do but also talking to Sting because I want to make sure it’s people he feels comfortable wrestling and people he wants to get in the ring with, matches he’s excited about. That’s how we’ve done it this whole time, and we’re gonna keep doing it because Sting’s final run has been I believe one of the great send-offs in wrestling so far. We’re over two-and-a-half years into that retirement run, and at the three-year anniversary of Sting’s comeback match, we’ll celebrate this great three-year run he’s had. He’s been undefeated in AEW, which is pretty amazing. Sting’s had about 20 matches in AEW, and to have that record, to be undefeated, it’s pretty incredible. If he can maintain that record going into Revolution, it’ll really be something to see if Sting can finish his career with that three-year undefeated streak.”

In a separate interview with The Atlantic, Khan also gave his thoughts about Bryan Danielson’s future in AEW following his retirement as a full-time wrestler next year.

“Bryan and I made an agreement three years to the week before AEW All In 2024. The agreement was that Bryan would wrestle (full-time) for three years. Even three years in advance of the expiration of the agreement, I was already clawing for him to stay. He will stay with us in spirit and sometimes, occasionally, make sporadic appearances with us. But the end of the full-time run with us is going to be in 2024.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

AEW News & Notes

As noted before, Bryan Danielson is a member of AEW’s disciplinary committee that made the decision to terminate CM Punk’s contract with the company following Punk’s backstage incident with Jack Perry and confrontation with AEW CEO Tony Khan at their All In event this past August. In regards to the actual decision to terminate CM Punk’s contract, Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that AEW CEO Tony Khan had consulted with multiple people over this situation and had them review the footage that was taken of the incident. All three members of AEW’s disciplinary committee reportedly had each recommended Punk’s firing after Khan had talked to them individually.

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that AEW officials originally had plans for Britt Baker to make an appearance at their November 25th Collision and Rampage set of tapings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These plans reportedly were dropped due to Baker had suffered an illness that prevented her from traveling to the show. Besides Baker, Meltzer reported that several other AEW talents were also dealing with an illness that week which led to AEW CEO Tony Khan informing the live crowd that many talent would not be appearing on the shows and told them how much he appreciated their support. Khan reportedly also stayed and took photos with kids for a long time after both shows were over to make up for the lack of talent available for fan photos.

Dave Meltzer also reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that his sources stated that the reason for Britt Baker’s current absence from AEW is due to her currently dealing with back-related issues that has been an issue for her for a long time.

In a recent interview with The Five Count, Julia Hart gave her thoughts about who would be her choices for opponents for a dream match for her career. Hart stated “I would say, maybe AJ Lee, she’s always been my favorite wrestler. Then, Natalya, too. Two Hart girls would be a really fun match.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

In a recent interview with the BBC, AEW CEO Tony Khan stated that AEW currently has no plans to hold a Dynamite nor Collision show in England next year and instead their upcoming All In 2 event will be the only event held there for 2024. Khan stated “I can promise you, Steve, that AEW All In will be the only wrestling show that we do in England this year.“

In the same interview, Tony Khan stated that Will Ospreay will still be able to work for New Japan Pro Wrestling from time to time once his contract with AEW goes into effect. Khan stated “One of the great things we’ve been able to do with AEW is build a great relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling. I think Will Ospreay has been one of the great New Japan Pro Wrestling stars of this era. And with Will Ospreay coming up in free agency, he made it clear he wanted to get out and have new experiences. But he’s had a great time in New Japan and has a great relationship with them. So that’s why I thought it would be good to go to New Japan and preemptively try to sign Will with their blessing, trying to keep him in our family so that everything they’ve built together, all those great moments will still live on, that the traditions Will Ospreay has built, he can bring to AEW, and that he’s able to go back to New Japan virtually any time. We can always work that out any time he wants to go back. And I know that is something he will want to do. And he’s going to finish out there the right way and then come to AEW full time.” (Transcript h/t: PostWrestling.com)

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Will Ospreay confirmed that Khan’s comments about him being able to continue working for NJPW once he starts his full-time career in AEW is true. Ospreay stated “My contract with New Japan has not terminated yet. That means I’ll be the first wrestler to be under a dual contract with AEW and New Japan, which is fun. I still need to have some sort of involvement in New Japan, especially with my faction United Empire. That is very important to me. I grew up in New Japan. I’m not ready to let it go. I’ve been everywhere, and that’s because I’m constantly trying to better myself. I have this idea in my mind that I’ll grow stagnant with time off. I want to keep pushing. That’s what I am going to do.“

In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Swerve Strickland reflected about his Texas Death Match against Hangman Adam Page at this past November’s AEW Full Gear 2023 event. Strickland stated “I don’t even know how to top anything like that. People were saying, how do I top the Hell of War match six years ago. People said the same thing then. I don’t know. You never think about how you top something when you’re setting it.” Strickland also gave his thoughts about his current goal for his AEW career and his belief that he has catapulted himself as one of teh top guys in wrestling today. Strickland stated “I feel like I catapulted myself as one of the top guys in the industry, and like I said, I said this before earlier this year, and it made a lot of noise then. I really feel like I can be the first African-American AEW World Champion. I have no problem saying and stating, I’m in a league of my own when it comes to that. I really am.” (Transcript h/t: Fightful.com)

AEW announced one new match for the card of tonight’s AEW Collision show in Eerie, Pennsylvania:

Kiera Hogan vs. Abadon