Tony Khan Discusses The Creative Process Behind AEW Revolution's 'Hollywood Ending'

A lot has changed since "Timeless" Toni Storm and Mariah May clashed at AEW Revolution last March in the "Hollywood Ending," the biggest change being that May no longer works for AEW after joining "WWE NXT" as Blake Monroe a few months after the match. But even with all said, the match still lingers on positively in the minds of many fans and pundits, with many agreeing it was the greatest women's wrestling match of 2025, and some even arguing it was the greatest match period of the year.

But for all its accolades, some of its mysteries still remained, such as how AEW decided to brand the match as the "Hollywood Ending." It was a question that AEW owner Tony Khan himself answered last week during an interview with Jon Alba for "The Takedown on SI." While Khan had insinuated that he always knew May vs. Storm would end in a bloody, violent spectacle, the idea to call the match the "Hollywood Ending" was developed less than a month before it happened, with the help of Storm and an Australian park bench.

"I thought of the name the "Hollywood Ending' on a park bench in Australia, sitting with Toni Storm," Khan said. "I was in Australia, and she was about to do the second match...we were on a park bench talking. We were having lunch, and I was like 'The Hollywood Ending.'"

As noted by Khan, the idea came to him just before the second match in the Storm-May trilogy, which took place at AEW's first ever Australian event, "Grand Slam: Australia." Storm would emerge victorious to capture the AEW Women's World Championship for the fourth time in her career, setting up the "Hollywood Ending" as a result.

If you quote this article, please credit "The Takedown on SI" and provide an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription