Satnam Singh, the former NBA basketball player, had his debut on AEW last night during Dynamite. He showed up after the main event where Samoa Joe beat Minoru Suzuki for the ROH World Television title. More on this story, below.
Reason For Satnam Singh AEW Debut
Singh, along with Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt attacked Samoa Joe as Dynamite closed. The latest Wrestling Observer Radio (WOR) chimes in on Satnam’s debut and the reason he was brought into the AEW fold.
Last night on #AEWDynamite Satnam Singh (@hellosatnam) the first ever Indian born NBA draft pick, now focused on pro wrestling and coached by @sonjaydutterson, arrived in AEW, helping Dutt + @TheLethalJay attack new ROH TV @SamoaJoe! Catch Dynamite on @EurosportIN + @TBSNetwork! pic.twitter.com/L51VPHeKfx
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 14, 2022
According to the report, Singh was brought in to help build All Elite’s brand in India. It also has a lot to do with the WarnerMedia/Discovery merger.
AEW television airs on Eurosport India, a channel owned by Discovery. As per the report, this was a deal Tony Khan made because of the impending merger on the horizon between Discovery and WarnerMedia.
Satnam Singh AEW Debut & Role Moving Forward
The report also says that an element within the first week after the merger was that Tony wanted an angle to would make a solid connection with the Indian market. Singh was the first-ever NBA player born in India to be drafted, in 2015.
In fact, Santam was the second-round draft choice of the Dallas Mavericks, despite never playing for the franchise. Signh will also be managed by Sonjay Dutt moving forward.
Dutt was thrown into the spotlight in India some years ago when he was a part of TNA. The report states that both Sonjay and Singh will play a pivotal role to promote AEW airing on Eurosport India.
They’ll also act as a “lead” the way in endorsing AEW in India. Singh signed his deal with AEW, last September.
With Singh’s size, demeanor, and Dutt by his side, the sky’s the limit for this incredible talent. Connecting with the fans will also be key to his success.
Speaking of AEW, looks like Tony Khan is set to make another “huge” announcement next week on Dynamite. He’s become infamous for “announcing” major announcements to come, on AEW.
Tony Khan’s Next Announcement
It’s hard for any AEW fan to refrain from speculating on what big news Tony Khan has now. With that said, there are some hints to the way he worded things for next week’s Dynamite announcement.
Dave Meltzer talks about this during his latest WOR. From his perspective, the news will either be about a broadcast deal for Ring of Honor (ROH) or a streaming deal for AEW (or both).
Dave also notes that they didn’t say “new signing”, rather it was a “major” announcement. Therefore, Meltzer doesn’t think this news will be about a talent joining the ranks.
The Ring Of Honor Factor
At the end of the day, Tony could really announce anything. However, with his purchase of ROH and signing new talent he needs to “do something” with this roster.
As such, an ROH broadcasting deal doesn’t seem that far-fetched. Plus, Khan’s been open about an AEW streaming service in many interviews.
At the end of the day, AEW fans will have to tune in next Wednesday to find out what Tony’s announcing. Only time will tell.