Tony Khan Reacts To Okada's Wrestling World Cup Idea

Could wrestling fans be about to see a cross-promotional event that features the best wrestlers from promotions all around the world? IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada recently expressed a desire to have an actual pro wrestling "world cup" that involves stars from all of the major promotions, even saying he'd personally go to facilitate the talks. AEW President Tony Khan was just on the "Battleground Podcast" and was asked if he'd be open to having such discussions down the line.

"Well I've got experience with working different promotions and promoting angles and matches and storylines across different companies and it can be challenging but we came together with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and put on I think the best PPV of the year last year, Forbidden Door," Khan said. "And there are challenges for putting on an event like that and getting the matches set, but certainly it's something I would be open to do. I'm open to working with anyone in pro wrestling so you never know."

WWE had its own World Cup on "WWE SmackDown" back in December, but it was exclusive to the company's own talent. Ricochet ended up defeating Santos Escobar in the finals of the tournament to earn a WWE Intercontinental Championship shot. AEW has its own "World Cup" title of sorts with the All-Atlantic Championship, which has been contested in matches that have featured performers from outside promotions. However, there has yet to be an international cross-promotional tournament like the on the scale of the idea suggested by Okada, but fans would undoubtedly love to see it.