"A more similar philosophy" - AEW's Tony Khan comments on going head-on with Triple H for talent acquisition
AEW president Tony Khan has admitted that due to Triple H taking over the creative reigns in WWE, there might be a bit of overlap when it comes to scouting talent.
With similar ways of thinking when it comes to talent, will there be an overlap? Speaking to NBC Chicago, Tony Khan admitted that he thinks there will be a similar philosophy when it comes to acquiring talent.
"Well, it's interesting, I do think probably in terms of the two companies having a more similar philosophy about signing talent, I do think our philosophies are probably closer about who we would want to sign. So, for free agency, it could be probably a more competitive market in that sense." (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
Khan isn't put off by this, as he would go on to explain that he looks forward to the competition he's going to have with Triple H going forward.
"There's definitely a lot of competition, I don't think we're best friends or anything like that, and again people in the wrestling business not liking each other, but competing is probably a good thing." (H/T Wrestling Inc.)
During his time as the head of creative for NXT, "The Game" used established names from the independent scene to create one of the most exciting wrestling shows of the modern era.
However, many of the names that achieved success in NXT have now jumped ship to AEW, with the likes of Adam Cole, Samoa Joe and Claudio Castagnoli all being involved in the title scene in both AEW and Ring of Honor.
Triple H has brought back a number of free agents to WWE, some who talked to Tony Khan
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, WWE has released an absurd amount of talent and backstage personnel, with a large number of them finding a new home in AEW.
However, Triple H has gone out of his way in recent weeks to bring back released stars to give them a second chance. The likes of Braun Strowman, Karrion Kross and Dexter Lumis are just some of the names who have been brought back. However, one name in particular even considered going to AEW.
Johnny Gargano is a name that was seen as the perfect fit for a company like AEW that specializes in the "workrate" style of wrestling catered to more hardcore fans of the business.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer also mentioned that AEW was considered an option for Gargano before his WWE return due to the hefty paycheck and lighter schedule. However, "Johnny Wrestling" picked Triple H over Tony Khan, something that might become a theme in the months and years to come.
Do you think more wrestlers will start picking WWE over AEW? Let us know in the comments section down below!