Last week it was reported that AEW Dark would be transitioning into more of a studio show, filmed on a soundstage at Universal Studios in Florida as opposed to tapings for AEW Dynamite or Rampage. Tony Khan would seemingly confirm the move at the AEW All Out conference call this week, comparing his vision for Dark to WCW’s old Worldwide show from the 90’s.
During an interview with Bleacher Report, Khan clarified a bit what AEW Dark would be going forward. While the show will indeed be filmed in a studio, it will still take place in arenas during certain shows. According to Khan, Dark will also not be taped every week and will have a focus on development for the AEW brand.
“I’m not going to tape AEW Dark every week going forward,” Khan said. “We’re filming Dynamite, Rampage and Elevation in the arena, so now I think it’s a great time to focus on Dark for developmental. I will be putting together some studio show cards. We’ll have some fun events to announce soon for fans to attend AEW Dark. I’ve got one venue that I have a hold on and then sometimes, we will still film in arenas.
“There will still be stars making appearances and working with the young talent. During the pandemic, Dark has been so great at helping us identify the young talent who are making huge strides. A number of young wrestlers who have come from Dark have made it to TV such as Will Hobbs, Red Velvet and The Varsity Blonds. I really think that show has helped strengthen our roster and build our young talent for the future.”
Khan also spoke glowingly about one of the talents discovered on AEW Dark, Daniel Garcia. The 22 year old has become a featured player on AEW Dynamite and Rampage over the last month, and Khan believes fans will be seeing a lot of him on AEW programming going forward.
“I do anticipate Daniel staying with us in AEW,” Khan revealed. “He has been tremendous, and I like him a lot.”
