AEW had plans to open a training center in North Carolina

According to a report from Fightful Select, All Elite Wrestling seriously considered the possibility of opening its own training center at the beginning of 2025, although the project ultimately did not materialize. The proposal aimed to create an official facility for the development of new talent, similar to the WWE Performance Center, but under the identity and philosophy of AEW.

Journalist Sean Ross Sapp explained during a question and answer session that the company had even considered having Ace Steel lead the initiative before his departure from the company. Although AEW already has a building with a training ring available for its wrestlers, the plan was to establish a formal development base with structure, technical staff, and specific programs, as currently happens at the WWE Performance Center.

Internal discussions placed the center in Asheville, North Carolina, an area with strong ties to several members of the roster. Among the names associated with the project were Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (FTR), as well as Beth Phoenix and Adam Copeland, who would be in charge of training and refining emerging talents. According to the report, operating costs were the main reason why AEW's management decided not to move forward.

The plan would also explain why Steven Borden, son of Sting, traveled to Asheville earlier this year for training. The young wrestler was going to be part of the first group of recruits to work at the new facilities before the project was scrapped.

For now, AEW remains focused on talent development through programs like AEW Dark, ROH, and its affiliated schools, while rumors about the creation of its own training center continue to linger.