Popular wrestling name almost became a part of AEW
A popular wrestling figure and personality, well-known for his contributions to wrestling media, recently revealed that he nearly became a part of AEW when it began.
In an episode of Ask Conrad Live, wrestling podcaster Conrad Thompson disclosed that he was almost set to host a recurring backstage segment in the promotion. The Alabama native has been linked to Tony Khan's promotion since its foundation in 2019, having been present at the company's press conferences in its inaugural year. He also worked to put AEW on the Starrcast convention.
Speaking on the podcast, Thompson revealed that there were plans for him to host backstage interview segments on Dynamite in the early days of AEW. The 42-year-old compared the idea to sit-down interviews that veteran announcer Jim Ross conducted during his time in WWE.
“We did sort of freestyle when AEW was first starting with Dynamite,” Thompson said. "What if there was a backstage interview segment, a recurring segment on programming that was called Conrad’s Corner or something. Think about the way, you know, we used to have the sit downs with Jim Ross on WWE programming.”
Thompson revealed that the interviews he was supposed to conduct in his segments would resemble his podcast, although the participants would be in character. He also spoke on the timing of the Jacksonville-based promotion kicking off their programming in January 2019, and the subsequent WWE return of his Something to Wrestle podcast co-host, Bruce Prichard in February the same year.
“So it would sort of be like the podcast, but more in character. That was at least discussed, but you know, that also would have meant if I did that, I probably couldn’t have done anything with Bruce anymore because AEW got kicked off in January and he went back in February, and isn’t that interesting timing that nobody ever talked about? AEW starts in January. Bruce Prichard goes back to WWE in February. One of those things that makes you say, ‘Mmm.'” - said Thompson. [H/T, Ringside News]
In a recent tweet, Thompson also expressed his willingness to host a Starrcast event in the UK for the 2024 All In pay-per-view. However, he also mentioned that the company has other plans for the event.
AEW is planning a stadium show in the US
All Elite Wrestling is one of the most reputable wrestling promotions in the US today. With a deep roster of performers from across the globe, AEW continues to deliver gripping in-ring action and compelling stories on a weekly basis. The growth and success of the company has been evident from a recent report shared by Andrew Zarian, claiming that it is set to run a stadium show in the US in 2024.
Tony Khan's promotion is no stranger to filling stadiums, as it made history in 2023 by hosting nearly 80,000 people in Wembley Stadium for the pay-per-view All In. The company has also been running Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York for the special Grand Slam editions of its weekly shows Dynamite and Rampage since 2021.
Zarian's report does not share any details regarding the nature of the planned stadium show, although the event is expected to have no connections to the Grand Slam event hosted in Arthur Ashe. The company will also return to Wembley for All In 2024 on August 25.
It will certainly be a memorable year for All Elite Wrestling as several major names have been linked with signing to the company. These arrivals alongside potential stadium shows indicate just how far the promotion has come since its inception.
Are you excited about All Elite Wrestling doing a stadium show in the US? Share your thoughts below!