From the time AEW was created, Tony Khan always knew that Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, and Hangman Adam Page would be the first four AEW World Champions.
The fourth and final step of the process was completed at the 2021 Full Gear event when Hangman Adam Page defeated Kenny Omega to become the fourth AEW World Champion.
Jericho enjoyed a 182 day reign, Moxley held the title for 277 days, and Omega ended up having the belt for 346 days. Speaking during the post-show media scrum, Khan talked about always knowing who the first four champs would be.
Khan said, “Chris wrestled Kenny and then it built to Kenny coming back later to wrestle for the title, teaming with Hangman. Hangman also wrestled Chris. Then it built to Chris and Jon. Jon won the title and while that was happening, Kenny and Hangman had their partnership, their story, and Jon made all those great defenses through the pandemic and was such a great pandemic champion. Last winter we did Kenny versus Hangman at this event, which was a very different thing, it wasn’t at this great arena with over 10,000 fans packed in this awesome arena. We were in a great venue at Daily’s Place and it felt like a big PPV… Last year, Kenny and Hangman had that great match in the Eliminator final and then we came full circle to this and I think it all made sense.”
Continuing on, Tony said “Kenny won the title and had an amazing reign. He was close to one year as champion, and it was a question, ‘Is Kenny going to make it to one year as champion or is Hangman going to be crowned tonight?’ People clearly wanted to see Hangman be crowned, but when Bryan Danielson won the Eliminator Tournament, you had to ask yourself, ‘Are Kenny and Bryan Danielson going to wrestle again?’ I know everybody was thinking in the back of their heads that there has to be a chance. Even when Bryan Danielson won, I knew it was going to make you all think, ‘Wait a second,’ and it clearly did based on the reaction I’m getting in the room. Yeah, these things are all pretty well thought out in advance, so yeah, the first four I would have told you all in advance would be Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, and Hangman Page.”
Tony Khan might very well know in his head who the fifth champion will be. Could Bryan Danielson dethrone Hangman Adam Page in the near future, or will someone else end up being the next champion? Let us know in the comments below who you think the next AEW World Champion will be.
Thanks to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes. Check out the media scrum from Tony here.
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