Tony Khan has confirmed the establishment of a unified championship title moving forward.
In Texas, Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada succeeded in unifying the title by defeating International Champion Kenny Omega. During the match, Don Callis and his faction were present at ringside and intervened by pulling the referee out of the ring at one point, assisting Okada.
At the post-ALL OUT press conference, AEW’s president addressed the match outcome, clarifying that the bout followed standard AEW match rules rather than the specific continental title regulations.
“We held the match under AEW Rules, which means the referee’s decision was final. Throughout Okada’s impressive reign as Continental Champion, there was no external interference,” Khan stated. “If anyone interferes in a continental title match, they would be terminated. Tonight’s match was fought under AEW’s unified rules, where the referee’s call is final.”
Khan further explained that if the match had been contested under continental rules initially, Don Callis would have been fired immediately. Since Okada won, all future matches for the unified title will now adhere to continental rules.
“In this instance, the referee couldn’t tell who pulled him out or interfered afterward. I took care of it,” Khan added. “Under continental rules, I would have fired the offender. Now, with a unified champion, the continental rules will apply, and there will be no outside interference in unified title matches from this point forward.”
Fan Take: This announcement is a significant milestone for AEW fans, signaling a more structured and disciplined approach to championship matches. The enforcement of continental rules in unified title bouts could lead to fairer contests and elevate the prestige of the championship, bringing fresh excitement to AEW’s storytelling and competition.
