AEW: Big Push Planned for Konosuke Takeshita, Jeff Jarrett on Helping AEW Grow, Darby Allin

AEW Reportedly Working on Plans for Big Push for Konosuke Takeshita

AEW reportedly is currently working on plans for Konosuke Takeshita to be given a big push within the near future, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave Meltzer reported that his sources stated that there recently have been significant talks from AEW officials over plans for Takeshita to be given a big push as a top tier star in the company. Meltzer reported that Takeshita’s current scouting storyline involving Don Callis appears to be catalyst of this big push plan.

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Jeff Jarrett Comments on How He is Helping AEW’s Live Events & International Growth

A recent episode of the Talk Is Jericho podcast featured Jeff Jarrett as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Jarrett’s thoughts on how he will been helping with the growth of AEW’s live events and international presence.

“It’s a work in progress. Before I took the job, I went out and did my own due diligence on the brand, not so much the wrestling bubble, from television it’s very easy to see, but the live event industry, which is one of the hats I’m wearing. We’ll call them house shows, it’s not a four-letter word around here, which I love. The house show business, non-televised live events is the term I use when I’m talking to promoters. That’s at the forefront. That’s a situation where I want to be careful…I’m a big believer in ‘crawl, walk, run.’ If you jump into something…getting into the non-televised events, I want to be real careful that we strategically, and help with the guidance on getting, we call them candidly markets that Dynamite is not going to go.

Dynamite is at the top of the top. We’re not Garth Brooks or Taylor Swift, but we are a property that is 52 weeks a year that’s incredible value and incredibly successful. That’s the driver of this brand. To put shows in [smaller] markets, I hate to name markets because it’s either, ‘I didn’t get mentioned’ or they think we’re coming there. That’s at the top of my list, non-televised (events). Moving forward into 2023, I’m super excited how we kind of launched, or relaunched, Universal Studios and it’s going to be a paid crowd and a whole new vibe to it. Universal Studios, non-televised live events, and some international projects that I’m working on. The growth of AEW internationally, not just the UK; India, Australia, South America, all through Asia, I think we’re going to see a growth period just because the pandemic, some parts of the world are still coming out of it, but a lot of growth to be done internationally.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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Darby Allin Comments on His Past History with Seattle

This past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite show in Seattle, Washington featured Darby Allin defeating Samoa Joe to be crowned the new TNT Champion.

Following the show’s broadcast, Allin gave a speech to the live crowd reflecting on his past history in Seattle and introducing Nick Wayne to the crowd.

“Seattle, does this microphone work? Beautiful. I’m not gonna be out there long, but there are some things I wanna say. I remember coming to this arena back when the Sonics played. I used to catch the 150 Metro from Penn Station down here. Had a lot of fun times on that Metro bus. Almost went to jail a few times, too. But it’s crazy because I never thought I’d be here. When I told people I’d graduate high school at 115 pounds, well, shit, I’m 120 now. It’s crazy because I really never believed in myself. I’m telling everyone here, whether you have kids or yourself, if someone has a fucking dream, you live it. Don’t listen to anybody. Nobody. You listen to yourself. It will get you further than you’ve ever known. But I’d like to introduce some people. Hey, Nick? Jump the guard rail.

I don’t know if you guys know Nick Wayne, but he’s 17 years old, and earlier his year, I gave him a contract at DEFY Wrestling. I’ve know this kid since I was nine years old. Joe father trained me, and Buddy Wayne’s not here no more, but Nick, fucking god damn it, I know he’d be proud. So thx I you for everything, and maybe one day, my friend, it’ll be you and me for this [title]. But until then, you gotta graduate high school. Thank you, Seattle.”

EXCLUSIVE!
NEW TNT Champion @DarbyAllin, joined by @Sting and @thenickwayne, addresses the crowd in his hometown of Seattle, WA, after #AEWDynamite went off air! pic.twitter.com/sTFDeo5N6o

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 5, 2023

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com