Tag: Tony Khan

NFL Network interview with Jaguars exec Tony Khan goes out of bounds

Jaguars exec Tony Khan had a bizarro interview on NFL Network

Tony Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars exec and AEW honcho, has gotten incredible mileage out of his storyline injury Wednesday when “attacked” by the Young Bucks and Jack Perry.

That surreal world odyssey continued to grow on Friday when Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche interviewed Khan on NFL Network.

The duo tried to keep straight faces as Khan sold his neck injury.

However, they lost it — and almost cut the interview off — when Khan compared AEW to Pepsi and WWE to something untoward.

Garafolo wasn’t about to let the interview conclude without finding out what the prognosis was for Khan or who the Jaguars plan to take in the rest of the 2024 NFL draft.

Khan, as any good promoter would do, refused to divulge any information.

Tony Khan lives wrestling gimmick in Jaguars’ war room

Tony Khan managed to mix wrestling and football at the draft

Tony Khan is a Jaguars exec. He also heads up AEW, a professional wrestling organization.

On Wednesday as part of the storyline, Khan was attacked at the end of the AEW show by Jack Perry and the Young Bucks.

A day later, Khan was in the war room for the Jaguars and he was living the gimmick, wearing a neck brace after the dastardly attack.

Nikki Garcia (a.k.a. Nikki Bella) in AEW? Tony Khan is down for it

After Nikki Garcia talked about her interest in AEW recently, Tony Khan made it clear that feeling is mutual.

Nikki Garcia, known as Nikki Bella during her time in WWE as half of the Bella Twins, dropped a tantalizing nugget earlier this week when she discussed on her podcast with sister Brie how she seriously considered calling AEW CEO and GM Tony Khan within the past year to ask him about joining the promotion.

Garcia was especially inspired by the debut of Mercedes Moné, and she convinced herself she could commit to being a regular in AEW for a year until she decided she needed to be home for her nearly 4-year-old son.

Despite the fact that it looks unlikely to happen, the idea of Nikki Garcia in AEW has proven popular online, and it’s even made its way to Khan. When asked about it on the Battleground Podcast, Khan said he “would be very interested” if Garcia ever wanted to explore a pro wrestling return (h/t Fightful for the transcription).

If Nikki Garcia ever wanted to come in to AEW, I would be very interested in that. I think the world of her. I have so much respect for Nicole and Bri. They’re like family to us because Bryan is like a part of my family, and that means Bri and Nicole part of the family. So I have so much respect for both of them, and if Nikki was interested in coming to AEW, we would love to have her here any time.

Garcia is a WWE lifer, having never wrestled outside that company or its developmental brands (she came up through Florida Championship Wrestling, which became what is now NXT). Her most recent appearance was in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match, but her last full-on televised WWE match was in October 2018, when Garcia was submitted by then-Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey in the main event of the WWE Evolution all-women’s pay-per-view.

Though now 40, Garcia is a fitness enthusiast and would likely still be able to perform at a high level in the ring while also providing a voice of wisdom and experience in the AEW locker room. It’s a pairing that almost makes too much sense, and one that fans are likely to keep holding out hope for now that Khan has expressed his interest too.

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Why the pro wrestling world is buzzing about CM Punk backstage AEW footage, explained

Not even everyone in AEW knows what kind of footage from All In is being shown or what it will reveal.

CM Punk hasn’t been part of AEW for a while, having been fired last fall and made his return to WWE a few months later. But his time there is still very much lingering in ways that will come to a head on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

While the attention of pretty much every pro wrestling fan was on WrestleMania 40 this weekend, AEW announced during AEW Collision — which aired after the men’s college basketball tournament games Saturday, and thus was broadcast late at night — that it would air backstage footage from last year’s All In pay-per-view, and the Young Bucks (who are also AEW EVPs) would discuss it for the first time.

It’s a move that has both fascinated and divided the pro wrestling world, and if you’re wondering how we got here and why this is happening, here’s an overview.

What exactly happened at All In?

All In London was the biggest event in AEW history, in front of one of the largest crowds ever to watch a wrestling show. It was held in London’s Wembley Stadium and should have been the kind of victory lap that few No. 2 wrestling promotions have ever been able to take.

And while it was a success by many measures, it was somewhat marred by an altercation between Punk and Jack Perry. The causes behind it would take too long to go through here, but the short version is that Perry said something live on the PPV that was a shot at Punk, who confronted him about it backstage. Their argument turned physical and both men were suspended.

A few days later, Punk was fired, with AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan claiming that he feared for his safety and the safety of other AEW employees.

Why is an incident from August 2023 relevant again now?

It’s mostly because Punk made it that way. On the Monday of WrestleMania week, Punk appeared as a guest on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani and talked extensively about his side of the All In situation for the first time.

He claims he did indeed confront Perry, who challenged him to do something about it. Punk says he did put Perry in a chokehold but didn’t threaten or endanger Khan. In addition, he claimed he told Khan he was quitting AEW and had to be convinced by Jerry Lynn and Samoa Joe to come out of his dressing room to wrestle Joe, which he did end up doing.

What kind of footage does AEW have from All In?

That’s uncertain, and it’s possible only a limited number of people know (including Khan and the Bucks). It could be security camera footage, other performers might have captured the fracas with cellphones, or some combination of the two.

AEW announcer and senior producer Tony Schiavone has stated even he doesn’t know what kind of footage it is, saying “I have no idea where we’re going.”

Is there a chance that this is all part of an angle?

This is a logical question any time something like this happens in pro wrestling, but every indication is that it’s legit. Well-connected wrestling news outlets like Fightful have reported that the footage will be real, and Khan and the Bucks have insisted the same. The expectation is that viewers will see behind the curtain at All In during Dynamite tonight.

An even better question is whether the video will be turned into part of an angle, and while that remains to be seen, it feels very possible. A popular theory is that it will be used to help Perry return as a high profile villain; he hasn’t appeared on AEW TV since All In and has been appearing most recently in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The Bucks are also heels right now and their involvement in this, as opposed to Khan just presenting the footage himself, has raised some eyebrows.

What is AEW hoping to gain from showing the CM Punk-Jack Perry footage?

In the short term, it’s hoping that this will pump up the ratings for Dynamite, which have been soft, and promote interest in its upcoming Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21. Khan spoke with SI’s Justin Barrasso this week and was very transparent on that front.

The longer term benefit is harder to parse. It’s possible that the footage will make Punk look like he lied on Helwani’s show, especially if it appears he was the instigator and/or did threaten Khan or others.

Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t seem like it would really hurt Punk or WWE. Wrestling fans in general are mostly settled into pro- or anti-Punk camps by this point, and it’s unclear how many hearts and minds could be changed even if Punk comes off looking like a raving assailant. WWE is also so hot at the moment that dinging the image of one of its stars (and Punk has been out with injury for months now anyway) isn’t going to slow it down.

There’s certainly a benefit in the sphere of public opinion if AEW is proven that its side of events was what really went down, a matter of trust that could potentially pay off even if it doesn’t have a large effect on the bottom line. And maybe some people who are curious about the footage enjoy the rest of Dynamite and decide to watch more AEW going forward.

Expect to see a lot of discussion and debate about what was shown and whether AEW was smart to show it after tonight’s Dynamite, which airs at 8 p.m. ET on TBS.

CM Punk gives blunt criticism of Tony Khan: ‘He’s not a boss’

CM Punk critiqued how AEW operates itself and Tony Khan’s role as a boss in an interview with The MMA Hour.

Whenever CM Punk steps in front of a microphone, whether it’s inside the ring or out for AEW or WWE, it tends to grab attention. He’s managed to make waves despite limited media appearances, giving fans a glimpse into the mind of this controversial talent.

On Monday, Punk gave a rare interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, which lasted nearly two hours and touched on sensitive topics regarding his time in AEW. From Jack Perry to subtle nods at “Brawl Out,” nothing was off-limits, including a candid conversation about AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan.

Following the discussion about Khan’s involvement in the All In 2023 incident with Perry, Helwani asked Punk to share his thoughts on working for AEW’s boss, leading to a blunt assessment from the 45-year-old.

“He’s not a boss, he’s a nice guy,” Punk said. “Ultimately, that’s a detriment to the company, but it’s not my company. I’m an outsider. I thought I was brought in to sell merchandise and tickets and draw numbers for pay-per-view and stuff, and I clearly did that. But that’s not what the place was about and some people didn’t like that.”

Expanding further, Punk said he thought he joined AEW to help their business, but felt it was for other reasons. He then labeled AEW as “not a real business,” attributing this to their focus on “having good matches.”

“I thought I was coming in to help business,” Punk said. “If I could teach something, great, and I think I was just brought in for other reasons, you know? Their business, and I know a lot of people are going to be upset, is just not predicated … it’s not a real business. It’s not about selling tickets. It’s not about drawing money. It’s not about making money. It’s just not. I don’t know. I think having good matches, maybe? And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Punk’s two harsh assessments of AEW are bound to fuel discussions among fans, marking yet another mic drop moment from the outspoken wrestler. And while AEW has faced its fair share of criticism in recent years, these latest remarks only intensify the scrutiny on how they operate behind the scenes.

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AEW deserves credit for its masterful presentation of Sting

AEW absolute nailed it with the farewell match it put together for Sting.

Tony Khan, despite being a three-time Wrestling Observer Best Booker award winner, has had his share of misses during AEW’s five-year lifespan.

The story surrounding the reveal of the so-called “Devil,” while being hampered by Adam Cole’s injury, dragged out far too long for even the most diehard of AEW’s fans. The women’s division has received more prominence in recent weeks, but when the bar is in hell, it’s not exactly a difficult task to clear it.

When it comes to Sting, however, Khan and his team have done a masterful job, one that culminated in the legendary wrestler’s final match on Sunday at the Revolution pay-per-view.

Landing someone the stature of Sting is obviously a coup for any wrestling promotion, but the pressure to do right by this legendary figure also comes with that.

Khan never asked Sting to do more than what he was capable of and never had him steamroll through talent on his way to yet another world championship. Instead, Khan aligned Sting with Darby Allin in an effort to give the latter the proverbial rub from an icon. 

Together, the two went undefeated in AEW competition. That includes Sunday night, when Sting and Allin defeated the Young Bucks to retain the AEW World Tag Team titles.

Sting winning his final match is not typical wrestling tradition, where it is almost the soon-to-be-retired wrestler’s duty to lose their final match in an effort to pass the torch to someone else. AEW rightfully broke from that tradition and had Sting and Allin win the match, which allowed the former to go out on top as a champion.

In doing so, Khan orchestrated possibly the greatest send-off in wrestling history. For as great as Ric Flair’s “retirement” was in 2008, it came after a loss to Shawn Michaels. There’s also the issue of Flair actually wrestling again, but that’s a different conversation.

Sunday night felt different. It didn’t feel like the end of a storied career as much as it felt like the celebration of one. There are very few wrestlers from Sting’s generation that can say they have experienced the same. Most of them were unceremoniously booted out of the business for one reason or another.

But the fact that Sting is still around and is in good enough health to even have a match at his age (he turns 65 later this month) — and not completely embarrass himself and AEW in the process — deserves to be celebrated.

More than 16,000 people packed into the Greensboro Coliseum Sunday to see their face painted hero have one last hurrah, and Sting was allowed to go out in a blaze of glory.

No, his final match wasn’t a 60-minute draw like Clash of the Champions or a world title match like Starrcade ‘97. Instead, it was Sting giving it his all alongside very talented performers who put their bodies through pain and destruction all in the name of delivering one final banger in Sting’s career.

Mission accomplished by Sting, Allin, the Young Bucks and AEW.

And Sting, thanks for everything.

One other note about Revolution

The long running streak of fans having issues with watching an AEW pay-per-view through Bleacher Report continued on Sunday night, with many viewers, myself included, expressing their frustration over the lack of functionality with the streaming platform.

I personally missed almost all of the first two matches on the show, as I was dealing with a number of technical issues, including not being unable to put in my credit card information to purchase the show.

Once I was eventually able to do that, I still endured a litany of streaming issues. So despite paying full price, I was able to see about 80% of the show. 

Simply put, that is unacceptable, and something seriously needs to be done about it.

For as much praise as I’m willing to give Khan and AEW for its presentation of Sting for the last three-plus years, I have an equal amount of ire for the company when it comes to the pay-per-views.

My complaints are not new or uncommon. It has become a bit of a running joke amongst wrestling fans on social media. Although everyone gets a good laugh out of it, it is a serious issue for AEW that could potentially cost the company paying customers.

Full disclosure, AEW was close to losing my money Sunday night until Bleacher Report finally got its act together during the tail end of the Continental Crown title match between Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson.

But I am only one person. Chances are there is someone out there who was more than willing to part ways with $49.99 (plus tax) to watch Revolution, but decided not to because of issues with Bleacher Report.

And because of that, Khan and company need to address this issue as soon as humanly possible. This is not a backburner issue. This is urgent, as one of the company’s top priorities is to make its content as accessible as possible. If people can’t even pay to watch it, what are we even doing here?

For all of the complaints people levy against Peacock, at least it actually works when you turn it on. With Bleacher Report, I may have to start logging in the day before to ensure I see the opening match.

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Will AEW add more PPVs in 2024? Tony Khan hints that it’s likely

If nine is indeed the sweet spot for annual AEW PPVs, expect one new event to debut this year.

When AEW first started in 2019, one of the things it did that made sense at the time was to show some restraint with how many pay-per-view cards it put on each year. Through 2021, the company held just four PPV events, and it was a cadence that fit the promotion during its formative years (and was lighter on fans’ wallets).

In 2022, the schedule expanded for the inaugural Forbidden Door, but even that was a show with a unique purpose to cross-promote with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. It wasn’t until just last year, with the addition of All In, WrestleDream and Worlds End — all in the second half of 2023 — that it appeared AEW might be moving toward a monthly PPV slate.

January and February 2024 have now come and gone, however, and we’ve yet to see the first AEW pay-per-view of the year. That will change when Revolution hits Greensboro this weekend, and it’s quite possible something new will be coming between this event and Double or Nothing, which is expected to be held in its traditional Memorial Day weekend slot.

During his customary pre-Revolution conference call this week, AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan was asked by Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer whether he was close to settling on a specific number of PPVs for 2024. Khan didn’t commit to anything on the spot, but he hinted heavily that one or two more shows might be in the cards.

“Going to eight events, it worked really well,” Khan said. “I believe we have the capacity to increase. I think this year … If you forced me to say, to use an expression I use in the back a lot, if you force me to say, if I had to say — and I don’t have to say, but I want to be open and honest — I could see this year being nine to 10 [pay-per-view events], and I think nine is probably a good sweet spot.”

A ninth show could be coming as soon as next month. Fightful Select (subscription required) reported earlier this week that AEW had filed a trademark claim for the name ‘Dynasty’ with the expectation that it was going to be used on a new PPV card this spring.

Word within All Elite Wrestling that we’ve heard is that it could be an April event.

That would indeed put AEW at nine pay-per-views for the year, assuming everything else from 2023 returns and nothing additional is added. Currently, the only PPV past Revolution that has a date and venue announced is All In on Aug. 25 at London’s Wembley Stadium, though Khan also confirmed last fall that WrestleDream will return later this year.

What we know for sure at the moment is that Revolution is taking place this Sunday, March 3 at the Greensboro Coliseum, highlighted by what is being billed as Sting’s last pro wrestling match.

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Tony Khan thinks his tweets are just fine for AEW, helping to ‘build engagement’

AEW boss Tony Khan gave his thoughts on debate over his social media posts.

When you’re the person who owns and runs your own wrestling company, you can post whatever the heck you want on social media. Tony Khan has certainly proven that, particularly over the last year or so.

Though it seems like a long time ago thanks to the crazy speed of the wrestling news cycle in 2024, it was just last month when Khan got into a combative exchange with USA Network on X (yes, the former Twitter), defending his push of Hook for a world title shot in AEW while dismissing the same thing for Jinder Mahal in WWE.

Earlier this month, Khan responded to the news that Rossy Ogawa had been dismissed from STARDOM with this semi-subtweet:

It’s not hard to find detractors and defenders for the way Khan conducts himself on social media. The former feel he should be above stuff like this and concentrate on running AEW, while the latter say it’s all in good fun and that it gets people thinking and talking about the company.

What does Khan himself say about his tweeting? He was asked about it by Adrian Hernandez, and while he didn’t really answer the question directly, he certainly doesn’t seem to see it as a negative (h/t Fightful for the transcription).

We’ve been able to promote the show and build engagement. Also, the company has a great presence. We have a great connection with the fans. We’ve been able to build real engagement at times. There is tangible proof of that and our huge TV ratings and the fact that three of the last four weeks, Dynamite has beat the NBA on ESPN straight up. We’ve had great success connecting with our fans. I think what we have going works really well.

It’s hard to argue with his strategy if you subscribe to the theory that any publicity is good publicity. There’s also an argument to be made that if you are the challenger in an industry with a heavily entrenched top dog, social media is one of the prime ways to ensure people find you relevant.

That said, there have been times when Khan has tweeted something and your first reaction is to wince. It doesn’t sound like that’s going to stop, which will continue to keep things interesting if nothing else.

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Don’t worry AEW fans, Tony Khan has no plans to ever wrestle

When asked if he would ever wrestle in AEW, Tony Khan gave a great answer: “I don’t think anybody really wants to see that.”

Let’s face it: If you were a wealthy person who owned a pro wrestling company, it would be hard to resist the temptation to make yourself part of the action. For AEW CEO, GM and head of creative Tony Khan, who grew up a wrestling fan, that allure must be powerful indeed.

Yet Khan has resisted drawing too much attention to himself on AEW programming since the promotion’s inception, appearing only to make announcements and every once in a blue moon as an authority figure. If you’ve been to an AEW show in person, you know the only time he’s likely to pop up is to hype up the crowd before it goes live or to thank fans for attending once the cameras are off.

As for getting in the ring himself, as other promoters have been known to do from time to time, Khan has absolutely no thoughts of that. He told the Levack and Goz podcast that he’d much rather have the fans focus on what he calls “the best wrestlers in the world” (h/t Fightful for the transcription).

I don’t think anybody really wants to see that. Not anytime soon. That’s not anything I think we’re going to do. I do think AEW has a great roster, the best wrestlers in the world. I would rather try to put the best matches and we have exciting rivalries building in AEW right now.

With all due respect to Khan, he’d likely need to start a cruiserweight division to compete in even if he did want to try his hand in the ring. Still, with the roster already stacked with talent, Will Ospreay on the way and Mercedes Moné and Kazuchika Okada likely joining the company soon too, there’s definitely no need for TK to change his stance — and honestly, that’s a good thing.

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AEW Dynamite preview 02/07/24: Tony Khan makes his latest big announcement

AEW Dynamite will also find either Hangman Adam Page or Swerve Strickland earning a world title shot at Revolution.

We haven’t even made it to Valentine’s Day yet, but it’s already been an eventful year in pro wrestling. Can tonight’s AEW Dynamite in Phoenix keep that momentum rolling? It may depend on the answer to the first question we have for tonight’s show …

What, or who, will be the subject of Tony Khan’s big announcement?

It might be time to cut Tony Khan some slack. While there is a certain amount of eye-rolling whenever AEW promotes a “big,” “huge” or “important” announcement, the truth is that he’s batting a decent average on them overall thanks to things like All In London, the Forbidden Door shows with NJPW and his purchase of Ring of Honor.

Will this one belong in that same rarified air? It’s possible if it’s the official word that Mercedes Moné is on her way in. Or it could be verification that Kazuchika Okada has been signed. Heck, what if it’s both?

It could also be something totally out of left field. That’s why we look forward to these even though there are occasions where they’re overhyped.

Can Sting win one more championship before he retires?

The end is now drawing incredibly close for Sting, whose final match is now less than a month away. That makes his tag team title shot alongside Darby Allin mean that much more, because barring something completely unforeseen, this will be his final chance to wear gold as a pro wrestler.

Despite being somewhat thrown together, Big Bill and Ricky Starks have been fine champs. But Sting has yet to taste defeat in AEW, and it would be strange indeed for him to do so now. The guess is that he and Darby get the titles, which means a Revolution showdown with the Young Bucks would turn into a championship farewell.

Can Hangman finally defeat Swerve?

Speaking of Revolution, there’s an AEW World Championship title opportunity on the line on Dynamite when Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland meet for the third time. In a lot of cases this would be a rubber match, but not here as Strickland is 2-0 in their previous meetings.

Hangman would be an easy pick here normally to ensure the proper face-heel dynamic going against Samoa Joe in Greensboro. But it feels like Page might be slipping toward the dark side at the same time more and more fans jump on Swerve’s bandwagon. It’s going to be interesting to see how AEW plays this one.

Also advertised for AEW Dynamite in Phoenix:

  • Toni Storm takes on Red Velvet with Deonna Purrazzo on guest commentary
  • The CMLL vs. BCC feud continues with a six-man tag match
  • Chris Jericho steps in to battle Konosuke Takeshita
  • And it will all go more than two hours as Khan says he’s secured an overrun from TBS

Fired up yet? We are, which is why we’ll be recapping the action live here on Wrestling Junkie. Join us here on the site at 8 p.m. ET for the latest.