Tony Khan could be a better heel than Mr. McMahon if booked right
AEW President Tony Khan may not want to be a heel character in AEW right now, but he has all the makings to be a better heel than Vince McMahon.
Khan launched AEW in 2019 alongside The Elite and Cody Rhodes. The promotion's establishment offered an alternative product to WWE for the first time since WCW closed its doors. The company has since strived under Khan's leadership, differentiating itself from its rival at various levels.
A prime example of the difference between the companies has been Khan's declination to become an on-screen authority. This is something seen previously with Eric Bischoff, Dixie Carter, and perhaps most famous with the Mr. McMahon character from former CEO Vince McMahon in WWE.
The AEW President recently reaffirmed his commitment to hold back from being an on-screen character, although he has appeared in segments and company announcements. He said that while he doesn't plan to if his company would benefit from it, then he would become a heel character. The thing is, he has all the makings to be a better heel than his Stamford counterpart.
Unlike McMahon, Khan wasn't born into the business. In fact, for all intents and purposes, TK is an outsider to the business.
Above everything else, Khan is a fan of the business. But fans can be selfish, they can have desires that don't necessarily match those felt by the majority of others. Khan is in the unique position of being a fan in control, lending to this idea.
What if he were to go too far in his fandom? A number would agree that they have probably come up with some out-there ideas, but Khan could implement them.
McMahon was always a businessman, refuting those he felt didn't match the industry standards of the main event star. He would position the likes of The Rock, Randy Orton, and even himself as top champions to prevent fan favorites like Steve Austin and Mankind from clasping that final brass ring.
Khan can do the same, but from the standpoint of a fan, with a little more of a chaotic approach to the villainous role.
Tony Khan was asked if he's ever considered becoming a permanent character on the show and if he would prefer to be babyface or heel. Tony said he does not want to take time away from professional wrestlers and enjoys the limited appearances he makes on television currently.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/w9dHBYmKFu
It would be like McMahon being Lex Luthor and Tony Khan the Joker. If you ask the majority of fans, the Joker is the better villain. The added element of chaos could make for compelling storytelling, especially when a hero is anointed to topple Khan's autocracy.
Who on the AEW roster could rise to face Tony Khan?
AEW has an expansive roster of some of the best wrestling talents in the world. There are veterans like CM Punk, Jon Moxley, and Bryan Danielson. There are also blue-chip prospects like Daniel Garcia, Jungle Boy, and MJF. This is to say that Tony Khan wouldn't be limited in choice when it came to who could oppose hThere arere's established babyface stars who have battled WWE's top brass before, like Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley. But there are perfect underdog candidates who have yet to go through such a story.
Well I guess the podcast deal came out and it is news now that I don't like our worlds champion. We'll folks he ain't the only one I don't like. It's simple if you are not a good person in my eyes (important "in my eyes") then go f**k yourself. (Edit so @AEW can retweet it. 👋
Perhaps one of the more relatable and compelling characters in AEW right now is Eddie Kingston. He could be the perfect 'Stone Cold' to Tony Khan's Mr. McMahon, someone for the crowd to get behind despite continuous setbacks.
All Khan needs is the perfect hero, and he can be the perfect villain. The key is in the booking.
What do you think? Could Tony Khan truly transcend Mr. McMahon? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.