The Elite sign new multi-year contracts with AEW

The Elite are staying in AEW. 

Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Hangman Page have each signed new multi-year deals with the company, according to a report from Sports Illustrated. In addition to their on-screen work, Omega and the Bucks will also continue in their roles as Executive Vice Presidents.

Omega said on the new deal:

“Our original goal was to create a wrestling alternative and give a platform to talented people that we’d all felt deserved a spotlight,” he said. “I feel like we did our best in that time, and hopefully some people you’d never heard of pre-AEW are folks you enjoy watching today. Or if you knew them from their previous work elsewhere, have maybe found a new appreciation for them. That feeling, combined with the feeling of knowing they can provide for themselves and their family doing what they love, was always the biggest reward of being an EVP/founder.”

“Pro wrestling has a presence almost everywhere on the planet,” he continued. “In my pursuit to become as complete of a performer as possible, my goal was always to experience the styles of the world at their highest level. I believe that with AEW’s current working relationships, and possibly future, I can challenge all forms of pro wrestling and diversify my style so that I’m equipped for any scenario I may encounter in the ring.”

“I was careful to weigh out all options and was open minded to all possibilities,” said Omega. “I’m here to help whomever I can while I’m still around.

“Up to this point, I’ve made the choice to sacrifice everything in the name of pro wrestling. I can’t say that family or my kids influenced the decision to stay with AEW–I’m not married and without kids–but what I can say is that I’m incredibly proud of my match catalog and the wonderful people I’ve met and continue to meet. AEW not only allows me to continue doing what I do at a high level, but allows the freedom to pursue some other passions I have in life–which, after nearly 25 years in the ring, have become more and more important to me.”

Matt Jackson also commented on re-signing with the company. 

“We’re literally the ‘E’ in AEW,” he said. “The Elite are the main characters of this company. No matter how different AEW is now from its original inception, we are the DNA. And if you lose the foundation of your home, it eventually collapses. It’d be a lie if I said that didn’t weigh on us, when making the decision.”

“In my older years of my career, being closer to the end than I am the beginning, I’m not really one who worries much about my legacy anymore,” he continued. “I’ve kind of noticed, like a summer tan, most memories fade. Or, they’re remembered differently or told with errors anyway. Oftentimes the memory is almost instantly forgotten, because you hit the refresh button. As far as my own personal stories, I’ll have enough to retell my grandchildren for a lifetime. And much of those stories can be about how I helped create a massively successful wrestling company where all of your favorites can be seen on live television every week.”

Nick Jackson said:

“If we’re going to be honest the schedule was a huge part of it,” he said. “I have a wife and three young children and seeing them as much as possible was a big factor. I’m not going to lie, the money was a huge factor, too.”

“At this point of my life and career, I just couldn’t see myself being on the road half of the year or even more than that. I have so much respect for the guys and girls that are able to do that year after year. We for sure could’ve made memories in WWE, but what’s more important to me is making memories with my family. With the position we’re in, I’ll be able to do that and still make memories in AEW.”

Page also commented:

“At this stage of my life the selling point was the schedule,” he said. “AEW’s schedule allows me to be home with my family for the majority of the week and will ideally help my body hold up better in the long run. And the pay is good.”

“AEW emerging as a legitimate wrestling company has helped drive up bargaining power for wrestlers and others who work in the industry. Making a long-term commitment to a still-growing AEW I felt was the best way I could help continue that progress.”

Tony Khan also commented on the news in an AEW press release:

“The Elite have been so important to the launch of AEW, with the Young Bucks going all in when I first approached them in 2018 about my dream to create an international pro wrestling promotion,” Khan said. “Shortly after that, their partners and closest friends Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page joined us to formally launch All Elite Wrestling. All four of them have been instrumental to AEW’s success from the very first episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite in 2019 through the present day. Now as we celebrate tonight’s 200th episode of AEW: Dynamite, I’m excited to share that Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page will all be staying in AEW for years to come! Congratulations to The Elite, and we look forward to celebrating the great news with fans around the world. See you all tonight for Episode 200 of AEW: Dynamite!”

Dave Meltzer addressed The Elite’s status with AEW in last week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, writing that the “prevailing belief” was that all four members of the group would remain in the company. In a post-match promo after Blood & Guts, Omega also mentioned that they would all be sticking together. However, WWE is said to have felt they had a shot at landing Omega at one point. 

“We do know from a WWE standpoint that months ago they had the impression they had a good shot at Omega in 2024 and he was the most coveted of all the guys being talked about like Jay White and the others. That has gone cold so they do believe he’s staying with AEW.”

He continued to say that Tony Khan’s recent contract offers to talent indicate the AEW president is confident in a future television rights fee increase. 

Meltzer continued:

“Tony Khan making these big offers indicates hope or thoughts of a huge rate increase, in which case big money deals make economic sense. But as we note weekly, television is in a weird state right now and it’s the least stable it has ever been and for TV to commit to something new years in the future will be interesting.”