AEW Announcer Claims This Venue Will Be Impossible For Tony Khan To Book

According to one AEW figure, Tony Khan can’t book one famous arena.

The September 22nd, 1997 episode of Monday Night Raw is one of the most famous and important nights in wrestling history.

The show at Madison Square Garden was the last episode of Raw to feature Brian Pillman before his untimely death, Cactus Jack made his WWF debut, and Steve Austin hit Vince McMahon with a Stunner for the first time. Meanwhile, backstage politics were about to change the future of the company.

On the day of the taping, McMahon told Bret Hart that he was unable to honour the huge 20-year contract the pair agreed a year earlier. This conversation helped set into motion events that would end with the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series on November 9th, 1997.

“The Garden” as it’s affectionately known has a long history with professional wrestling stretching back decades, and in that time it’s become synonymous with WWE.

During the most recent episode of his What Happened When podcast, Tony Schiavone looked back on that very famous episode of Raw and wrestling in MSG. During the conversation, Schiavone admitted it would be great for AEW to hold an event in the arena, but it would likely be impossible.

“I don’t know if it’d be a dream come true for me. I think it would be great, but I think it’s impossible to get it done. Because of the stranglehold [WWE] has had on MSG,”

Despite this WWE stranglehold, ROH and NJPW held an event at the venue in 2019.

Tony Khan Proud Of AEW Roster

As AEW Dynamite closes in on its fifth anniversary, owner Tony Khan praised what he called the best roster in wrestling history.

In looking ahead to the match between Ricochet and Will Ospreay on the anniversary show on October 2nd, Khan said the promotion has an “unlimited supply of huge matches.”

Meanwhile, AEW is on the verge of agreeing a new media rights deal with Warner Bros Discovery, reportedly worth $170 million per year.

H/t to Fightful