Konnan levels major accusations against AEW President Tony Khan
Wrestling veteran Konnan recently leveled some major accusations against AEW President Tony Khan. The two of them have worked together in the past. The 60-year-old is currently signed to Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA).
Since its inception in 2019, the Jacksonville-based promotion has shown its willingness to build partnerships with other promotions. Throughout the years, Tony Khan's company has built strategic partnerships with the likes of TNA, AAA, NJPW, and CMLL. This has seen wrestlers from these promotions compete on AEW TV. The company even conducts an annual PPV called Forbidden Door in partnership with NJPW.
However, AEW's recent partnership with CMLL may have hurt its ties with AAA. In a bid to keep the talent from these two companies separate, AAA stars weren't allowed to compete in shows that also featured CMLL talent. It now looks like the problem between Tony Khan's promotion and AAA runs deep.
Speaking on his Keepin' It 100 podcast, Konnan mentioned that Tony preferred CMLL over AAA and would send noteworthy talent to them while his promotion got the smaller draws.
"Once Tony [Khan] decided to give them [CMLL] preference and send them guys like [Jon] Moxley, guys that I had asked for years ago, and he would never send them to me, you know, he would send me, and I don't want to disrespect anybody, but, you know, he'd send me in their place. I go, 'Yo, can I get Moxley, [Chris] Jericho, or [CM] Punk, or, you know, somebody that has some name value?' 'Oh no, I got Jay Lethal and Bobby Fish!' 'All right!''' he said.
The veteran added:
''Well, I'll take them; you know what I'm saying, and because they're good wrestlers, right? But they're not draws. So he [Tony Khan] sent them pure draws. He sent [Mercedes] Mone just to sit in the audience, you know, and go up there and make a challenge like he never did any of that with us." [0:54-1:30]
Bully Ray criticizes Tony Khan's ranking system in AEW
When AEW was first launched in 2019, there was a ranking system implemented to give the promotion a more sports-like feel. This was also done to ensure that wins and losses matter. While the ranking system was followed religiously at first, it was soon abandoned.
The system was brought back briefly earlier this year before being abandoned again. Speaking on his Busted Open Radio podcast, Bully Ray criticized the ranking system, claiming that it stifled the promotion's creative freedom.
"The rankings in AEW mean absolutely zero, nothing, nil, garbage; throw them away. They're only hurting you and your ability to do whatever the hell you want and be creative with your roster," he said. [H/T: WrestlingInc]
It will be interesting to see if Tony Khan revives the ranking system in the future.