Forget changing the world. All Elite Wrestling looks to change the universe of professional wrestling. Officially announced at the start of 2019, All Elite Wrestling – AEW – has poised itself to be the first major competition to World Wrestling Entertainment since the closing of World Championship Wrestling in 2001. Funded by entrepreneurs Shahid Khan and son Tony Khan, AEW formed from “The Elite,” a stable of wrestlers including The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson), Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and Adam Page. Omega, Rhodes, and the Jacksons serve as executive vice presidents and in-ring competitors.
With an emphasis on high-octane in-ring action, AEW has introduced stars like Nyla Rose, Orange Cassidy, Best Friends (Chuck and Trent), Private Party, Eddie Kingston, MJF, Wardlow, and Sammy Guevara to mainstream wrestling audiences. Wrestlers from other independent organizations – Pentagon Jr., Rey Phoenix, Evil Uno, just to name a few – are also featured. It has also reintroduced wrestlers Jake Hagar, John Moxley, and Brodie Lee, after their stints in the WWE under different character names.