The year is 2009 and WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view is taking place in Washington DC. During one match late in the show, Canadian wrestler Chris Jericho is battling The Undertaker outside the ring when a voice from the crowd yells: “Go back to Toronto!” In a famous response soon to be immortalised online, Jericho, shepherding his opponent back towards the ring, turns quickly towards the fan and shouts back, “I’m from Winnipeg, you idiot!”
Professional wrestling, as the tone of Jericho’s remark suggests, has a proud Canadian heritage. From the renowned Hart Foundation to the likes of Roddy Piper, Edge & Christian, Trish Stratus, and Kevin Owens, the Great White North has produced some of the greatest stars ever to grace the squared-circle.
Outside the ring, Canadian wrestling fans continue to fill venues across the country. On 22 August, a sold-out Scotiabank Arena hosted WWE Raw to the delight of those in attendance, suggesting that the USA’s northern neighbours are hungry for more hard-hitting action. Enter AEW.
On 12–13 October, AEW is heading north of the border for its first-ever visit to Canada. With 2 shows scheduled to take place at Toronto's 8000-seater Coca-Cola Coliseum, the company is set to film Dynamite on 12 October, followed by Rampage the very next day.
"Toronto is one of the best wrestling cities in the world," AEW President Tony Khan said to the Toronto Star when the Coliseum shows were announced. "Its tradition of pro-wrestling dates back many years and many decades.
"It's just very gratifying. We have a lot of great Canadian wrestlers and I'm excited about the possibility of our live events here.”
As Khan points out, alongside Winnipeg native Chris Jericho, Canadian AEW stars such as Kenny Omega, Christian Cage, Ethan Page, Shawn Spears, Kyle O'Reilly, The Bunny, and Evil Uno could all make an appearance in “The 6ix” in October. The proliferation of talent means that it probably won’t be long before AEW stops off at other cities in Canada too, with Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Vancouver all being floated as potential destinations. For now though, Toronto in the Fall is the focus for what is sure to be one of the hottest tickets in Hog Town.
