"Found a way to have my cake and eat it too" - Tony Khan on booking Big Business without mentioning Mercedes Mone
AEW President Tony Khan has kicked off 2024 with a bang. Amid reports that Mercedes Mone and Kazuchika Okada are on their way to All Elite Wrestling, Khan believes he's found a way to entice fans into buying tickets for big debuts while also keeping them in suspense.
He's managed to do so multiple times, with the most famous instance thus far being CM Punk's debut in August 2021. As rumors swirled around The Second City Saint's arrival, Tony Khan booked a special episode of AEW Rampage in Chicago's United Center and let the flood of hype do the rest.
He seems to have pulled a similar move with AEW Dynamite: Big Business, which is set to take place in Mercedes Mone's hometown of Boston on March 13. The company placed plenty of teasers in the promotional poster, but as it stands, AEW fans are snapping up tickets without a single star being advertised.
Speaking to Kevin Walsh on SportsGrid Las Vegas, Khan seemed excited for the big show. When asked about his knack for booking major debuts without mentioning the name of the star, the All Elite President claimed that he's figured out a way to get the best of both worlds:
"Yeah, I think so. I think I found a way to have my cake and eat it too," said Khan. "And we'll see what comes next, and I'm very excited, and a lot of people are excited about AEW Big Business." (0:46 - 0:57)
Tony Khan hints at Mercedes Mone's arrival at AEW Dynamite: Big Business
The drama surrounding Mercedes Mone's status over the last several months has driven the internet wrestling community. Rumors and reports bounced back and forth as she allegedly fielded offers from both WWE and All Elite Wrestling.
It now seems that the former Sasha Banks has landed a deal with the Jacksonville-based promotion, and Tony Khan is going all out to hype up her arrival.
Speaking with Denise Salcedo in a recent interview, Khan expressed excitement about the show in "BOSSton," emphasizing Mone's WWE nickname.
Check out the clip below:
The "BOSSTON" spelling was quickly pointed out as an easter egg in the company's promotional poster for AEW Dynamite: Big Business. Since then, several other hints have pointed to the former IWGP Women's Champion's impending arrival in All Elite Wrestling.
Are you excited for Mercedes Mone's potential debut on March 13? Who would you like to see her work with first? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!