Updates On The Futures Of AEW "Stadium Stampede" And "Blood & Guts"
AEW Owner, CEO, and General Manager Tony Khan declined to promise that fans will see another Stadium Stampede match this year. The match was becoming a tradition at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view, but Khan says the situation for AEW has changed since then.
"I've thought about it," Khan told ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "It's a very different wrestling world now than it was during the pandemic. I think it's a great match, a signature match for us that people really enjoyed. But some of the reasons we presented that match were because of the challenges that existed in the world because of the pandemic, as far as presenting sporting events with live fans. That doesn't really exist in this live-event pandemic."
The Stadium Stampede match made its debut at Double or Nothing 2020 when The Elite defeated The Inner Circle. At Double or Nothing 2021, the match returned with The Inner Circle defeating The Pinnacle.
Tony Khan does plan to bring back another signature match in AEW. He said told ESPN that he expects another Blood & Guts match this summer. AEW has announced only one event date for the summer of 2022. It will be at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan on Wednesday, June 29.
Double or Nothing will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, May 29.
AEW will also hold live broadcasts of Dynamite and Rampage from the Michelob Ultra Arena on Wednesday, May 25, and Friday, May 27 respectively. UFC is holding a Fight Night card the prior weekend. Tony Khan says he has invited UFC to be part of Double or Nothing.
"Hopefully, I can see UFC president Dana White and UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell in Vegas," Khan said. "It's always great to have them here in Jacksonville for UFC 273 this weekend. This will be the first time I've gotten to go back to Vegas since the pandemic started. When I'm out there, they're definitely people l look up. The only people I'm racing to talk to when I'm out there are Dana and Hunter."