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Tony Khan Admits Wrestling Companies Hate Each Other

By John Canton • Published 15th April 2024
Tony Khan at AEW media scrum

Tony Khan has given a unique take on what is the “most real” aspect of the pro wrestling business.

It was in January 2019 when All Elite Wrestling launched as a major pro wrestling promotion with a roster that included familiar names like Chris Jericho, Jim Ross, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and others. In October of that year, AEW started their weekly Wednesday TV show Dynamite on TNT (it has since been moved to TBS) and the company has certainly had its ups and downs.

While AEW has a loaded roster of talent who have been big names in WWE and wrestlers doing well without that history, their attendance numbers are down compared to previous years while television viewership numbers remain stagnant.

Tony Khan is the AEW Owner, CEO & GM who oversees the creative direction of the company. Khan is a lifelong wrestling fan who is the son of billionaire Shahid Khan, who owns sports entities like the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC.

As AEW fans know, Tony Khan isn’t afraid to go on social media to defend his company. He’s also willing to make bold statements in interviews as well. While talking Christian Zilko of IndieWire, Tony Khan made the bold claim that wrestling companies like AEW and WWE hate each other, so the only competition that is real is the battle between them.

“There’s a number of big factors that would play into why wrestling has seen such a great renaissance in recent years. I think it comes from the great competition in wrestling right now, and the fact that there are so many great stars competing right now.”

“Everyone knows that the most real thing in wrestling is the competition between the companies. The companies hate each other, and it will be a natural resource that powers the industry. They want to beat each other and take everybody’s free agents, and that makes it interesting for everybody else.”

What Khan said in that interview is an interesting contrast compared to what WWE Hall of Famer Adam Copeland (fka Edge) said on AEW television recently. Copeland has been against tribalism in pro wrestling based on things he said in interviews as well as on television.

Eric Bischoff Blasts Tony Khan For “Spinning Fantasy”

Those comments from Tony Khan have led to some interesting reactions online. Eric Bischoff is a WWE Hall of Famer who used to be the President of WCW as they battled WWE in the late 1990s. Bischoff isn’t shy about criticizing Khan and he did so again when he saw these comments that Khan made.

“Five star (clown emoji) comment from a goof who wants to believe he’s in a 2024 version of the Monday Night Wars. He’s delivering less than WCW numbers from 1992 and his live gates aren’t far behind. Keep spinning that fantasy Tony, and keep watching your business crater as a result.”

Tony Khan and AEW will present the first-ever Dynasty PPV this Sunday, April 21st from St. Louis.