Major Updated In Rumored AEW Performance Center Plans (AEW News)

Could AEW soon get its own Performance Center?

by Andrew Pollard
Rated FTR Cope Cash Wheeler Dax Harwood
AEW

With WWE clearly reaping the rewards of having its own Performance Center, could AEW be about to follow suit with something similar? Possibly...

Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp was asked about this during a recent Q&A session, and he revealed that there were previously plans for Ace Steel leading some sort of training facility, although obviously any such plans were scrapped once Steel left the company for a second time in the aftermath of CM Punk's firing.

SRS notes how AEW does have a building that has a ring in it, which talents have access to, though there have been conversations earlier this year about a proper training facility in Asheville, North Carolina. Given the location, the understanding is that Adam Copeland, Beth Phoenix, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler - all local to the area - would have helped train talent if things moved forward on that front. Internally, it's rumoured that cost was eventually the deciding factor in opting against this.

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It was also noted how this is the reason why Sting's son, Steven Borden, was going to Asheville to train, as there were loose plans for AEW to set up a training centre there. For those who missed it, Borden has recently taken the first steps in his own burgeoning pro wrestling career, looking to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father. Steven is believed to have done some training with Copeland and FTR, though he has primarily been working with Darby Allin.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.