Update on what key WBD people think about AEW's future - Report

AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery have been partners since the young pro wrestling company first launched in 2019. Amid heavy rumors and speculation, the two sides have been working on a new programming deal, and the latest inside update provides unique insight into what's happening ahead of a potential announcement.

All Elite Wrestling and Warner Bros. Discovery announced their first deal in May 2019, to air the weekly Dynamite series on TNT. Less than one year later, AEW and WBD announced a contract extension worth $175 million, to carry its flagship show through 2023 and to launch Rampage. The new media rights deal has been rumored for months and could bring a major financial increase for Tony Khan's company, allowing them to turn a profit.

AEW and WBD are still expected to announce a new deal sometime this year. Andrew Zarian provided an update on the working relationship on the latest episode of his Beyond The Bell podcast. The fact that network higher-ups want the deal finalized could be a strong indication of an announcement being made in the near future, but negotiations continue.

"I know that there were major, major people in WBD that very much want the deal done, now. I was told of a scenario that could play out this summer. You know, everybody wants... nobody wants to leave, nobody wants AEW gone from there, on the WBD side, and AEW wants to stay there. It's just... they're negotiating," Andrew Zarian said.

Khan's current deal for Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision is set to expire on December 31 of this year. The new deal between the two sides is not expected to include the weekly ROH TV series.

Updated line-up for this week AEW Dynamite

The road to All Elite Wrestling x New Japan Pro-Wrestling Forbidden Door 2024 will continue this week as Wednesday's Dynamite airs live from EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.

The company has announced that Dynamite will open up with MJF vs. Rush in singles action. The match will air with no commercials. The full line-up is as follows:

• MJF vs. Rush in the commercial-free opener
• Forbidden Door contract signing for Mina Shirakawa vs. Women's World Champion Toni Storm
• Mark Briscoe, Kyle O'Reilly, Dante Martin, Orange Cassidy vs. Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, Roderick Strong, Zack Sabre Jr.
• Eliminator Match: World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks vs. The Acclaimed
• Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay will come face-to-face in the ring

MJF vs. Rush is being billed as "Commercial Free Chaos" to open the show. It's rumored that this will lead to a match at Forbidden Door.

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