On November 4, All Elite Wrestling will release This Book Is All Elite, an inside look at the company's history since its launch in 2019. Co-written by Keith Elliot Greenberg and "AEW," it's set to feature interviews with AEW wrestlers and backstage figures, but will it touch on two of the company's biggest controversies?
We are, of course, talking about CM Punk's firing and Cody Rhodes' shocking exit, both of which led to them returning to WWE (where they now reign as World Heavyweight Champion and Undisputed WWE Champion, respectively).
It's already been confirmed that the Best in the World and American Nightmare will be acknowledged in the book, and Fightful Select is reporting that Rhodes gets at least 15 mentions.
Those pertain to his involvement with All In, Double or Nothing, and AEW Dynamite, as well as his feuds with MJF, Wardlow, Chris Jericho, and Darby Allin. Rhodes was an Executive Vice President and co-founder of the company, and held the TNT Championship three times during his three years in AEW.
However, while AEW commentator Excalibur talks about AEW finding its identity without Rhodes, nothing is said about what led to his shock exit and eventual WrestleMania 38 return, where he battled Seth Rollins.
As for Punk's acrimonious exit, which saw him fired after supposedly leaving Tony Khan fearing for his life (a widely ridiculed claim), he gets six mentions, but nothing is said about the events of All Out 2022 or All In 2023.
This isn't hugely surprising because NDAs and other legal restrictions likely mean that AEW is just as restricted in commenting on Punk and Rhodes' departures as the men themselves are.
Rhodes and Punk also weren't interviewed for This Book Is All Elite.
The year is 2019. It is the dawn of All Elite Wrestling...and you know what that means.
It means that a group of hungry, innovative wrestlers are about to revolutionize professional wrestling under the visionary eye of Tony Khan. It means pulse-pounding, death-defying, high-flying action. It means that the world of the squared circle will never be the same.
Jam-packed with dazzling photography and written with exclusive access to the cast and crew of AEW, this definitive history dives deep into the innovative storytelling, inclusive ethos, and passionate fanbase which propelled the company to compete with industry giants. From the triumphant final run of the icon Sting alongside his firebrand protégé Darby Allin, to the madcap melee of the first Stadium Stampede, to AEW’s record-breaking Wembley Stadium debut, the epic moments that defined the first five years of All Elite Wrestling are all here.
Whether you’re a die-hard AEW supporter or curious about the company’s revolutionary impact, This Book is All Elite offers an in-depth look at how the promotion nobody saw coming changed the world of professional wrestling forever.