For the last 17 months, All Elite Wrestling has been on a roll.
Why 17 months? That lines up with when the company secured its new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. The agreement was widely reported as a three-year deal, with a fourth-year option, valued at around $555 million, not including that optional year. Talk about securing the bag!
That moment feels like a turning point.
After a roller coaster 2024 filled with inconsistent booking and plenty of backstage chatter, AEW feels like it has never looked back. The shows feel finely tuned. The matches are hitting at a high level. But most importantly, the fans are back in it. Yeah, you’ll have your typical IWC trolls and grifters, but even Tony Khan has seemed to changed some of their mindsets—can’t win them all!
Ratings are up. Attendance is up. Social media buzz is up. It has not been a random spike here or there. It has been a steady climb over the past year. Similar to Darby Allin summitting Mt. Everest.
Tony Khan Back in Control
One of the biggest reasons for the shift is simple. Tony Khan is more hands-on again.
Reports last year indicated Khan was back “in the weeds,” taking a deeper role in booking. Watching the product now, it is hard to argue with that.
And honestly, it shows.
Khan never fully stepped away, but his attention was pulled in every direction. He was juggling Ring of Honor, dealing with heavy and aggressive competition from WWE and its partnerships, navigating a crowded creative process, and working to land a major TV deal. Don’t forget about his duties outside of wrestling with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC.
That was a ton on one man’s plate.
Now, with his focus locked back in on AEW, things feel more consistent. The vision is clearer. The direction makes sense.
A Better Product Across the Board
Dynamite and Collision have felt sharper again. Dynamite will always be the flagship show, but it no longer feels like Collision is just thrown together anymore. There is purpose.
Storylines actually progress week to week. There is a better balance between established stars and younger talent trying to break through. The pacing and production of the shows has improved in a noticeable way.
Pay-per-views have always been strong, but even the key events feel bigger and stronger. But the matches? The matches have been on point, and fans are already calling this run one of the best stretches in company history.
A recent PPV, AEW Revolution 2026 stands out as a recent example. Arguably the best card of matches ever assembled, and with storytelling at an all time high. Revolution, to some, is talked about as one of the top events the company has ever produced. It seems like this has been a never ending trend since Tony dove into the weeds.
That kind of consistency matters.
Competition Brings Out the Best
It would be impossible to talk about AEW’s recent run without mentioning the level of competition right now.
WWE since 2019 has been hot, with the last two years showing a cool down. There is no denying that. With strong storytelling, major business moves, and crossover attention, the pressure has been on. But instead of folding under that pressure, AEW seems to have responded in the best way possible.
They have leaned into what makes them different. Stay in your lane, and worry about you, and the rest will take care of itself.
Rather than trying to mirror WWE, AEW has doubled down on in-ring quality, a faster pace, and giving a platform to a wider variety of wrestling styles. That contrast has helped the company stand out again instead of getting lost in the shuffle. In a tight economy, WWE has put their fanbase in a chokehold financially, and it has shown. Ticket sales have seen an increase in AEW, and that’s seems to be a culmination of things, but most importantly, it’s affordable and entertaining. You get a bang for your buck. AEW set out to be the alternative, and it’s truly stepping into that.
In a lot of ways, this is what wrestling fans always wanted. Two companies pushing each other, raising the bar, and forcing both sides to be better.
Right now, AEW is holding up its end of that deal.
A Shift in the Roster Philosophy
Another quiet but important change has been how AEW handles its roster.
The company has allowed some contracts to expire, particularly with talent who did not seem fully invested. In some cases, that included recognizable names who came over from WWE but never quite fit. Guys seeking greener pastures, but with large egos strapped to their backs and wallets.
Instead of chasing big names for the sake of it, AEW appears focused on wrestlers who actually want to be there.
That shift feels intentional.
This is no longer a company trying to prove it belongs. It already did that. Now it is about building something sustainable with the right mix of talent.
Restore the Feeling
At its core, AEW feels closer to its original identity again.
Be the alternative. Showcase where the best wrestle, and ultimately give fans something they can enjoy every week.
With Tony Khan more directly guiding the creative direction, that original energy has returned. It feels less scattered and more confident.
If this momentum continues, this stretch could end up being remembered as a defining era for AEW.
For now, one thing is clear.
The feeling is back.
