PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

 
 

TONY KHAN RECOUNTS FAVORITE AEW DYNAMITE MEMORIES

By Mike Johnson on 2023-08-02 17:00:00

Earlier today, I spoke with Tony Khan about AEW Dynamite 200 and asked him about favorite memories of the series.

"Well, it's a great question. I think I'll list a bunch of them. The first episode I thought was tremendous, everything about it, great matches, including some key moments with people that are still involved in this show, and of course that we'll be wrestling on the show tonight. We had Chris Jericho form the Inner Circle and Chris Jericho and Santana Ortiz versus Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. And that was a great match, and it was a great way to start the company on a path for the future. And that show was really special. And also we had Hangman Adam Page versus PAC. We had some great matches, we had some great promos. It was just a great episode of the show. And MJF also involved in that show, wrestled on the first episode, defeated Brandon Cutler and MJF would have a lot of great moments on the show to come.

And right now I think he's in the most exciting position. He's been in his AEW World Champion and the center of a lot of attention in this partnership with Adam Cole in Better Than You, Bay-Bay. And there's been so much great stuff on the show over the years. I think one of my favorite episodes probably overall was, I think it was episode 20 in Atlanta, and that show was just so special. It was great ruffling on the card with the Tag Team Battle Royal. The Young Bucks ended up winning that match and it set them up to wrestle Kenny and Hangman at Revolution, one of the greatest matches in the history of the company, Young Bucks versus Kenny Omega and Hangman page. That episode in Atlanta also had the return of Darby Allen, and he came out and helped Jon Moxley even the odds when Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara and Jeff Cobb were out there. And the Great Cage match with Cody versus Wardlow. And that was a great show.

And then, the next week was an amazing show too in Kansas City with the episode 21, I guess that would be with Kenny Omega versus PAC and the Ironman match. And then that was really what set Orange Cassidy in motion to become a wrestler in AEW. Set up his very first singles match in AEW against PAC after that. And Kenny Omega then, like I said, was in position to go into Revolution and have the great match there the following weekend. Then long after that, we ended up in Daily's Place in the pandemic. I have so many great memories of the show in Daily's Place and the people that were a part of it. We had so many great times, great matches. I think the most important show in the history of the company that we did was the tribute to Mr. Brodie Lee, and that was December 30th, 2020.

And that was, I think, in many ways the most important episode of the show and the most memorable episode of the show and most tragic episode of the show. But it was also the best thing we could do to pay tribute to our fallen friend and somebody that we all like and respect so much in Brodie Lee and Jon Huber. And that was a great show. That year, there were a lot of great moments and memories in AEW I think the parking lot fight between Santana, Ortiz and the Best Friends is one of those great memories, great matches, but certainly so many other great moments and matches. And then in 2021, before we returned to the road, also some great moments and matches in Daily's Place. I think Dr. Britt Baker versus Thunder Rosa in the Lights Out Match was a tremendous main event and was one of the best matches on Dynamite.

And then coming out and going back on the road, so many great memories of the show. Some great matches, some great times that we've had. The first Grand Slam show I thought was amazing. Kenny Omega versus Bryan Danielson, the 30-minute draw and just so much great wrestling and great moments up and down the card. It was incredible for AEW to have that debut in Arthur Ashe Stadium. And then to be able to go back the next year and crown the acclaimed to the World Tag Team Champions, that was a really special moment on the second Grand Slam I thought. And just overall, so many great times, so many great moments and memories we've had on the show.

I think it's important to look back and note that across the first 199 episodes, none of it would've been possible without the support of the people listening now. So you, people listening to this are the ones that made this possible for tonight, 200 episodes of AEW Dynamite. And it's really thanks to them that we're in this position. I think there's some really cool things happening in AEW right now. And again, all of it is thanks to the fans and the momentum that we're building is only because the fans made it possible."

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!