5 secrets Tony Khan doesn’t want AEW fans to know
Tony Khan is the figurehead of AEW and has been instrumental in growing the company to be the second-biggest pro wrestling promotion in North America. Despite the goodwill that came with AEW's initial formation, 2023 was a rather tumultuous year that saw the All Elite Wrestling President navigate several high-profile episodes.
From CM Punk's shocking departure from the organization to Khan's frequent Twitter rants, his reputation has taken a hit at times. Then, there are the lesser-known incidents that the CEO would prefer to have not reached the public eye.
Here are 5 secrets Tony Khan doesn't want fans to know:
#5. Tony Khan once begged backstage officials not to quit AEW
Back in 2022, Tony Khan reportedly begged a top name backstage not to quit AEW, according to Ringside News. The high-ranking backstage name threatened to walk out in direct response to Khan's unprofessional backstage behavior, with the cited source even comparing him to Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn when it came to communicating with talent on the headset and in person.
The AEW GM's workload was brought up and efforts have been taken subsequently to promote the likes of Sonjay Dutt, Pat Buck, and Tony Schiavone to support him.
It just goes to show Khan's frequent erratic outbursts have been a longstanding issue within the company, not just in recent times.
#4. Tony Khan initially rejected signing Ric Flair after Plane Ride From Hell controversy
When Tony Khan first announced the signing of Ric Flair in November 2023, it certainly raised a few eyebrows. While it was seen as a way to support Sting in his ongoing retirement tour, there was also a deal struck to promote the Nature Boy's Wooooo Energy drink.
Given Flair's advancing age, many questioned the wisdom of signing the 74-year-old to a multi-year deal and potentially taking the spotlight away from a younger talent.
What most fans might not know, however, is that this wasn't the first time Khan tried to sign the two-time WWE Hall of Famer. Back in 2021, Flair was expected to sign with AEW and manage his son-in-law, Andrade El Idolo, but the move never materialized.
But it just so happened that the popular Vice series Dark Side of The Ring premiered an episode on the Plane Ride from Hell, where Flair was accused of indecent behavior. There was a huge fallout due to the allegations, and Tony wisely refrained from signing the legend.
#3. CM Punk was Tony Khan's first pick to sign with AEW, not Chris Jericho
CM Punk's time with AEW was eventful, to say the least. Joining the company as an all-conquering hero back in 2021, it was sad to see his relationship with TK deteriorate to the extent it did by the time Punk was fired following the events of All In 2023.
What most AEW fans might not know, however, is that Khan tried to sign The Straight Edge Superstar much earlier. If it were up to the billionaire, he would have made Punk his first major signing, not Chris Jericho.
He admitted the same following the company's first major pay-per-view, Double or Nothing in 2019. After the show, he stated this about Punk:
''What's a one-person wrestling company? There's no such thing, right? He was on the first roster, when I sketched down the list, like, hey, I wanna start a wrestling company... Who are all the names you're gonna get? Everybody we got is on that list, and he was also on that list to be honest with you. I got almost every person on that list.''
Given the events that transpired over the past year, it's interesting to look back and wonder what could have been if Punk had joined AEW at the very beginning. Would his run have lasted longer?
#2. Tony Khan doesn't give full creative control to AEW wrestlers
Most AEW fans would assume that the wrestlers have full creative control when it comes to their characters and storylines. But, unfortunately, that may not be the case.
Tony Khan once revealed that no one but him has creative control in AEW, and while it is a collaborative process between the wrestlers, the final call is ultimately his.
"Not one person, including Mr. Punk and everyone on the roster, has creative control," said Khan. "It's not like WCW and that is one of the issues with WCW. When you have a person who has creative control in their contract, it can hold up the show. I don't know how you get through TV doing that. I can't imagine if I had to deal with that. What I do have is a lot of people I want to sit down and talk to and hear what they want to say." (H/T Fightful)
Despite the company proclaiming that the wrestlers have more creative freedom than in WWE, this is a misconception that seems to escape public knowledge.
#1. Tony Khan was once friends with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
The tribalism between WWE and AEW fans is sometimes fuelled by Tony's tendency to criticize his competition any chance he gets. But did you know that the AEW owner once considered Triple H and Stephanie McMahon his friends?
Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, TK claimed that they were once friends. But the cordial relationship soured once he started All Elite Wrestling.
"I thought we were friends actually. I think we used to be friends. (...) I was not a competitor at all. I was in football. [Now?] I haven't seen them in a long time, but I wish them the best,'' he said. (1:02:22 - 1:02-37)
Khan added:
"I'm a big wrestling fan. I have a lot of friends around. I'm also in Florida. They're in Florida, so it's a small world, and they were really nice to me, you know, once upon a time as a football owner. Totally different time, but yeah, it's been a long time.'' (1:02:40 - 1:02-58)
This little-known fact has not been brought up often. But it is interesting to imagine a scenario where WWE and AEW would have gotten along and even collaborated at some point.