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AEW’s New Strategy To Look Successful Revealed

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• AEW’s New Strategy To Look Successful Revealed

If it feels like All Elite Wrestling can’t stop talking about its recent Sports Illustrated honors, that’s by design. What fans are seeing on television isn’t just celebration – it’s a calculated effort to reshape how the company is viewed after a turbulent stretch.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that AEW’s constant emphasis on those awards is part of a broader attempt to counter lingering negativity from late 2023 through much of 2024. According to Meltzer, the company is using the credibility of the Sports Illustrated name to reinforce a message it feels it couldn’t convincingly make a year earlier.

Meltzer noted that AEW spent much of the past year fighting a damaging narrative – one that painted the promotion as struggling financially and poorly managed. That perception, he said, became a serious problem, and AEW is now aggressively pushing back by highlighting external validation rather than internal claims.

The saturation approach hasn’t been subtle. Award mentions have appeared across broadcasts, video packages, commentary, and even post-show media scrums. Tony Khan has repeatedly referenced the honors, and graphics have driven the point home visually. Meltzer acknowledged that while the company may be late in launching this kind of campaign, the execution has been thorough.

Part of why AEW is comfortable leaning so heavily into the awards now is simple: this time, they won decisively. Meltzer explained that in previous years, recognition was more evenly split, making it harder to build a dominant narrative. This year, however, AEW walked away with a significant share of the Sports Illustrated accolades, giving them something concrete to rally around.

From Meltzer’s perspective, the strategy is less about bragging and more about reframing the story. AEW wants fans and media to associate the company with success, big events, top-tier talent, and elite matches – and the awards serve as shorthand for that message. By repeating it often, the company ensures it sticks.

Also Read: MJF Issues Statement After Winning The AEW World Title

• Tony Khan Reveals AEW’s 2 Latest Signings

Momentum and trust were the deciding factors behind AEW’s newest signings. During the post-show media scrum at AEW Worlds End, Tony Khan confirmed that Hyan and Maya World are officially All Elite, offering insight into what pushed the company to lock them in.

Khan emphasized that the decision wasn’t based on potential alone. Instead, it came from repeated performances that consistently delivered. Each time the duo appeared in AEW, they raised their level of competition, proving they could hang with the roster and contribute meaningful matches rather than simply fill spots on the card.

Equally important was what happened away from the cameras. Khan noted that Hyan and Maya World quickly earned respect backstage – something he views as a critical measure of a wrestler’s value. That locker room credibility, paired with their in-ring output, made the choice to sign them feel natural rather than rushed.

Another factor was flexibility. Khan explained that AEW’s women’s division benefits from performers who can slide seamlessly between singles competition and tag team roles, and he believes both women check that box. Their ability to strengthen multiple areas of the division made them especially appealing additions.

Beyond roster needs, Khan also framed the signing as a statement. As 2025 wrapped up, he wanted to close the year by highlighting something positive and forward-looking. Making Hyan and Maya World officially All Elite was, in his view, a way to reward consistency, effort, and earned opportunity – and to signal confidence in where AEW’s women’s division is headed next.

On the AEW Worlds End Zero Hour pre show, Hyan and Maya World lost to Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart and Skye Blue).

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