Will AEW and WWE Ever Run a Crossover Event?

AEW is just over a week removed from its first crossover event with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Forbidden Door. The event was well-received critically and AEW President Tony Khan has openly celebrated the millions of dollars it generated at Chicago’s United Center. Khan appeared on the latest episode of The Masked Man Show and was asked about the possibility of running a crossover show with WWE. 

“I’m not sure if that’s gonna happen [AEW and WWE doing a joint show]. But, I would be open to talking about that type of thing. It’s not crazy but it’s a bold prediction,” Khan said.

The idea is something that AEW wrestlers have pondered over before. Kenny Omega, one of the company’s executive vice presidents, seemed open to the idea in an interview back in July 2021.

“The one huge crossover, will you ever see WWE team up with anybody? Who knows? I feel as the world evolves and changes and time goes by, people become more open-minded to everything, whether it be the wrestlers themselves, people in the office, the fans,” Omega told the Wrestling Observer. “I wouldn’t hold my breath but at the same time I would never say it’s impossible.”

Even Cody Rhodes, an ex-EVP who has since jumped back to WWE, thought it was a possibility. He told the New York Post last year, “There’s no reason that there couldn’t be a potential WWE crossover one day. And I don’t mean that’s a thing that’s been discussed or happening, but none of those rules that exist for other places exist for us. Wrestling is really this universal industry. The territory reference that you made, that’s fairly accurate, but the part of it that’s most accurate was there was a genuine trust.

“[1970s NWA President] Eddie Graham and Vince [McMahon] Sr. they traded people all the time and made prolific pieces of business out of it and they did it in a way where they introduced these characters in New York and then next thing you know they introduce these characters in Florida and it kept things fresh because above all, Wednesday Night War or not, the main thing we have to do for fans for the rest of this run — and I want this company to be around forever — is keep it fresh,” he continued. “It can’t ever get stale. Our doors are open if the business is right, if the moment is right, if the time right. Our bridges are down. I’ll be the one curmudgeon AEW guy to make sure it’s all good.”

(h/t Inside The Ropes)