All Elite Wrestling celebrates its fifth anniversary at AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday. The promotion returns to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the sight of its first event. It's a full circle moment for AEW founder Tony Khan and numerous stars who will have competed on both the inaugural card and the fifth-anniversary show by night's end.
"I think it's amazing how much we've been able to grow the business and how much wrestling we've been able to provide week in and week out," Khan told CBS Sports. "How much we've grown new jobs and new opportunities. It's amazing because when we launched five years ago this weekend at the original Double or Nothing, we had not even started doing TV yet."
Khan is a lifelong professional wrestling fan with executive roles with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham Premier League club. He formed AEW in 2019 with a select group including original executive vice presidents Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, Nick Jackson and Matt Jackson. The four wrestlers had previously organized a very successful one-off event called All In in 2018 in conjunction with Ring of Honor, a promotion Khan would later purchase.
AEW debuted with their Double or Nothing pay-per-view event on May 25, 2019. It signified the launch of North America's largest non-WWE pro wrestling promotion since WCW folded in 2001. Fast-forward five years and that one event has expanded to three weekly television shows on major networks – plus additional televised specials – and nine PPVs in 2024.
"We began with two hours of TV every week on TNT and it's expanded so much," Khan said. "Now we do five hours of TV every week on TNT and TBS. It's amazing. It means we've more than doubled our content time. We've been able to hire more wrestlers and build what I believe is the best roster in pro wrestling with the greatest stars. 'AEW: where the best wrestle' is a mindset and I also believe it's a true statement."
One of AEW's strongest cases for being "where the best wrestle" is Bryan Danielson. "The American Dragon" has long been in the debate for best in-ring pro wrestler, something he continues to assert at age 43. Danielson's resume is bulletproof, including five WWE world title reigns and a classic WrestleMania moment. Not one to rest on his laurels, Danielson still puts on brilliant performances against in-ring savants like Omega, Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada.
Danielson told the "Casual Conversations" podcast that his contract expires sometime before AEW's big All In London show at Wembley Stadium on Aug. 25. Khan told CBS it's a top priority to re-sign Danielson, who will be involved at Double or Nothing on Sunday as one of the eight competitors in the annual "Anarchy in the Arena" match.
"I would like Bryan to stay, in a perfect world, forever here in whatever capacity he'd stay with us in," Khan said. "I'd hope that Bryan would finish his wrestling career here. I would do anything to make that happen. I want Bryan to stay with us wrestling as long as possible. I know that he's talked about an exit from full-time wrestling, which is what he's been doing this year whenever he's been healthy.
"The only thing better than that is to have Bryan Danielson stepping up for the company, AEW, and fighting on our behalf. He's said a lot of great things about why he wants to be in this match and about why he wanted to come to AEW. I appreciate some of the complimentary things he's said about me personally, but especially I appreciate the things he's said about AEW and what we do here and why he loves AEW. I think Bryan Danielson fits on AEW like a glove. As long as he will consider wrestling with us, that door is always open. I would bend over backwards for him and do anything for Bryan Danielson."
Khan is optimistic that Danielson and the company will agree to terms to keep him in some capacity.
"I definitely think so. I hope so," Khan said. "I don't know whether he'll be wrestling full-time after that but I really hope Bryan will stay with me here in the office forever… I talk to Bryan pretty much every day whenever I can. So I hope that will continue for the rest of our lives."
Another bright spot on AEW's roster is Adam Cole. The current leader of the Undisputed Kingdom stable has been sidelined since suffering a freak ankle injury on the Sept. 20 episode of AEW Dynamite. Cole hurt himself landing a small jump off the rampway while running to rescue MJF. Cole and MJF were engaged in an enemies-turned-best friends storyline that was a high point of AEW programming in 2023.
Cole's injury forced the promotion to pivot their direction for the angle. Both MJF and Cole are currently recovering from injuries. While Khan said MJF was welcome back to television anytime, he confirmed that Cole -- who still appears occasionally on TV -- is not cleared to compete.
"He's not 100% but he's getting better and better," Khan said. "I think that's great news for AEW. We love Adam Cole and the fans love Adam Cole. He's been a big part of the company now for almost three years of our five-year journey. It's crazy to think Adam Cole, a year ago at this time, really felt like he was getting towards the top of the wrestling world.
"I would love to get Adam Cole back in the ring and he works so hard on his rehab. He really wants to get back in the ring. I think that would be a great thing for AEW."
2024 is arguably the most important year in AEW history since year one. The company is still negotiating with Warner Bros. Discovery to renew AEW's media rights. Khan is optimistic he will strike a new deal to make 2025 AEW's first profitable year and further secure their longevity.
"I think it's important for AEW to maintain momentum and have a great 2024 because this is a huge year for our media rights renewals…" Khan said. "I'm very optimistic about our media rights renewal. We're having great conversations with WarnerBrothers Discovery. It's been very productive. We're still in an exclusive negotiating period with them and I'm very happy about that."
AEW Double or Nothing takes place on Sunday on pay-per-view. CBS Sports will have live play-by-play coverage of the entire card.
