Tony Khan: WCW Nitro helped usher in a faster, more exciting style of wrestling

  • Ian Carey
  • By 

AEW president Tony Khan discussed the influence WCW Nitro had on the wrestling industry in a new interview with Sports Illustrated.

Tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite: Spring BreakThru will be the 289th edition of the show, surpassing the 288 episodes of WCW Nitro. Khan says Nitro’s run was a huge part of his childhood and where some of the most athletic wrestlers of all time broke into the business.

“I’m a big fan, and I grew up watching the shows, and Nitro was a huge part of my childhood,” Khan said. “And long before Nitro, I watched WCW. And I wish I could say I watched it long after, but that was kind of the end of the run. And I certainly learned a lot watching those shows.”

“I think it’s where some of the most exciting, high flying, athletic wrestlers of all time broke in and broke in on TV and became mainstream TV stars across America. And those are some of the biggest wrestlers of all time now. And I think it really helped usher in a faster-paced, more exciting style of wrestling. And I do think that over the years of Nitro, some of the most exciting moments and memories in pro wrestling happened on the show. So, tons of positive memories of WCW Nitro from growing up,” he continued.

“I really, really, absolutely had so much respect for everything that it took to put Nitro on the air and keep Nitro on the air for all those years. And that’s why I think this is a really important milestone. It’s amazing what Nitro achieved. And to be on TNT for 288 weeks, I know how hard that is firsthand, it’s really hard.”

Khan continued to say that tonight’s show will be a celebration of all the wrestling that has aired on TNT and TBS.

“It’s a celebration of everything, and really all the wrestling. Looking back, over fifty years of wrestling on TBS specifically, and 30 years of pro wrestling on TNT, and now AEW is a huge part of that conversation. And this is a big milestone for TBS and AEW on Wednesday.”

Tonight’s episode of Dynamite is scheduled for the MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park in Boston. The Trios and Tag Team titles will be on the line, along with three matches in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament.