NWA’s first-ever all women’s pay-per-view event was a massive statement in the wrestling industry, and it sent the message loud and clear that women’s wrestling has made leaps and bounds in the last few years—specifically in the indies and the smaller companies across the board.
NWA’s EmPowerrr event was a big one for sure, but it featured female wrestlers from other companies, specifically AEW and now Tony Khan feels he didn’t get enough credit for everything he did to make it happen.
VIA Women’s Wrestling Highlights /YouTube
The alliance between Impact, AEW, NJPW and the NWA was evidently in place when the event took place on August 28th, 2021, as it was also evident in the appearances wrestlers made due to the ‘Forbidden Door’ … something that is not as prevalent right now.
In fact, the future of the aforementioned ‘Forbidden Door’ was questioned recently in the media and although Tony Khan said he’s still interested in it, it would now seem that just who it applies to is up in the air for sure…namely NWA; especially seeing Khan’s comments. He obviously didn’t appreciate not being given his kudos.
“I don’t think I get enough credit for what I did for the NWA show because a good number of people who wrestled on the NWA show were wrestlers I sent and paid. I do think I contributed because the highest-paid wrestlers on that show were people I paid separately what they already make in AEW to go wrestle on that show…
I don’t think they did a very good job of telling people that. I wish they told more people that because it was one of the points I made when we closed it, ‘I think it would be nice if you told people I’m paying the wrestlers’ because it is a big contribution from me. I did pay the wrestlers for that show. It’s like when you pay for a dinner and nobody thanks you. That was one thing…”
“I have really been making a big effort to grow and improve the women’s division and I think I have made a lot of strides with your women’s division. As a company, we’ve added big free agents and I’m really excited with what is happening with the TBS tournament right now. Among the big free agents are Thunder Rose, who came over from the NWA, and Ruby Soho…
I had a great conversation with Ruby. She’s in the TBS tournament and has been in a lot of tournaments. I was talking to her about the tournament and she’s the ultimate straight shooter and she said she loves this tournament and has never been in a tournament like this and loves all the stories in it. There’s a story building with her and Kris Statlander…
I’m excited for Jade vs. Red Velvet, Shida vs. Nyla Rose, and we’ve seen great build towards Thunder Rosa vs. Jamie Hayter. I have been and am trying to actively make big strides in women’s wrestling. As far as stuff that’s been happening on the all-women’s shows at other places, I’ve made great contributions, including financial contributions, which they could have done a better job telling people about.”
via SEScoops /Fightful (Transcription)
via AEW /YouTube
The fact that the women’s division in AEW is top-tier is unquestionable, and with so many epic talents on the roster, that alone is proof of his words.
He launched the TBS Championship, as he mentioned and the wrestlers on the roster really speak for themselves (Baker, Soho, Hayter, Statlander, Rosa, Cargill, Sakazaki, Rose…talk about top of the industry). His sentiments have caused him to trend on Twitter as of this writing, but Tony Khan trends quite a lot these days and for a plethora of reasons.
He is being highly criticized for his words, but there are those that feel that the aforementioned event would never have even happened without his involvement – or at least to the extent that it did. He also promoted the event on his programs. He was questioned about his contributions as a wrestling promoter to the women’s division in his own company, but he has supplied female wrestling talent to Impact Wrestling as well and not just the NWA.
We must remember, he gave Ruby Soho, a wrestler who was buried in WWE, a platform to showcase her skills and shine brightly on his platform.
