Tony Khan Names Bryan Danielson as Next in Line to Run An AEW Show

While a number of stars had to align for All Elite Wrestling to be born, the company does not exist without Tony Khan. The 40-year-old son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan had been brainstorming ideas for a wrestling promotion since he was discussing the Monday Night Wars on messenger boards in the 1990s. Those concepts from his childhood, including a weekly wrestling show called Wednesday Night Dynamite, actually came to fruition when Khan began pitching his ideas to Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks. Come January 2019, All Elite Wrestling was officially born.

In the four years since then, AEW has undergone some management changes. Rhodes left for WWE in early 2022, leaving his co-Executive Vice President spot vacant. Khan's responsibilities have increased tenfold, as he runs both AEW's creative and has taken on Ring of Honor ownership as well.

While Khan has emphasized that he is in the wrestling game for the long run, he does already have a successor in mind should an emergency arise.

Tony Khan's AEW Successor: Bryan Danielson

The House of the Dragon is the heir to the elite throne.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, AEW President Tony Khan revealed that Bryan Danielson would be his first choice to run AEW if he was unable to be at a show.

"If I got hit by a bus, or if I was ever incapacitated for some reason, the person I told my father that he should turn to is Bryan Danielson," Khan revealed.

Danielson is coming up on two years with AEW. The American Dragon made his AEW debut at AEW All Out 2021 and has gone on to have notable feuds with the likes of Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, Jon Moxley, MJF, and Kazuchika Okada. 

Beyond his in-ring responsibilities, Danielson has helped Khan behind the scenes with AEW creative.

"Bryan and I have had a very close relationship since he came to AEW," Khan said in a prior interview. "He's one of the most intelligent people I've ever known. He has a great mind, and I love talking to him about stories, matches, ideas and psychology. I work with a number of people closely to bounce ideas off, and Bryan has been involved with us in the office more than ever lately. He had some very complimentary things to say about our relationship and working together, and to receive that type of praise from someone I respect so much, those are quotes I'd want on my tombstone."

Danielson is currently out of action with a broken arm. He will be traveling to the United Kingdom for AEW ALL IN: London this weekend for various appearances.