Tony Khan Explains AEW’s Free Agent Signing Strategy

Tony Khan has addressed how he views free agents while running AEW.

There is a misconception among wrestling fans that AEW will sign anybody who used to work for WWE to a contract just because of where they previously worked.

While AEW has a big roster of wrestlers featuring many ex-WWE performers, it also has many wrestlers who never appeared on national TV before AEW and are thriving there.

Tony Khan is the AEW Owner, President, GM, and Head of Creative, overseeing everything related to the company. During a recent AEW media conference call promoting the Worlds End PPV, Khan spoke about some notable free agents that his company signed this year.

“I thought that this year it wasn’t all about trying to take big swings and bring all — it wasn’t about trying to turn over and change all of the free agents.

It was about bringing in people that were complementing what we do and have been very additive to AEW. So, we’ve had tremendous free agents come in this year, whether it was individuals like Kevin Knight or Speedball Bailey, who have been great as a team in Jet Speed, but also great individual wrestlers.

I think that we have a really tremendous locker room right now.” (H/T WrestlingInc)

Tony Khan Plans For AEW To Grow Internationally

There were recently some AEW television shows in the UK. While AEW is primarily based in the US, with some shows in Canada, they are trying to grow outside North America.

Recently, Tony Khan spoke about AEW’s international growth.

“We built a lot. It’s been six years of AEW, and again, it feels like we started just yesterday. I’m very interested in taking AEW and visiting more of Europe. I think there are more opportunities there. We’ve had great shows in the UK, particularly with shows in London.

We’ve set records at Wembley Stadium, and we’ve had great events in Cardiff, Wales. And I’m really excited about this year taking AEW to Manchester for the first time. I think there are more opportunities there internationally, for AEW…I think that’s very attractive, just international expansion.”

Tony Khan and AEW present the World End PPV on December 27th on pay-per-view with the following lineup:

The AEW Worlds End PPV on December 27th will feature the semifinals and finals of the Continental Classic, along with several big title matches. The lineup is below.

* AEW World Championship: Samoa Joe vs. MJF vs. Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland

* AEW Women’s World Championship: Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter

* Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita – Continental Classic semifinal

* Jon Moxley vs. Kyle Fletcher – Continental Classic semifinal

* Continental Classic tournament final

* AEW World Tag Team Championships Street Fight: FTR vs. Bang Bang Gang

* Mixed Nuts Mayhem match: The Death Riders vs. The Conglomeration & Toni Storm

* Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd

* AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championships: Babes of Wrath vs. Mercedes Mone & Athena

* Sisters of Sin (Skye Blue & Julia Hart) vs. Hyan & Maya World – Zero Hour match