Tony Khan Defends Controversial AEW Blood & Guts Spot

Tony Khan responds to criticism about Jack Perry's unprotected chair shot at Blood & Guts.

By Haley Miller

At AEW Blood & Guts The Elite took on Team AEW in a brutal steel cage match that involved tables, thumbtacks, staples and a whole lot of blood. AEW fans have consistently either been for the hardcore matches or strongly against them but one thing that seemed to unite many parts of the Internet was a specific spot during the match. While chained up to the cage and helpless, Mark Briscoe hit Jack Perry over the head with a steel chair. This moment divided the community immediately as many fans saw it was poor taste given the CTE related issues that have plagued athletes but specifically professional wrestlers who took unprotected chair shots, ones that have even ended careers. 

Wrestlers were also quick to speak up, including WWE commentator Corey Graves who used to be a professional wrestler, even having a brief stint in WWE. In the since-deleted post, Graves talked about the importance of protecting yourself and each other in the industry. "The ART of this business is protecting ourselves and each other. Trust me...the gaps in memory are not worth it. I promise," he wrote.

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(Photo: AEW)

Tony Khan on Jack Perry's Chair Shot

During the Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor media call, AEW President Tony Khan was asked about the spot and his feelings on unprotected chair shots in wrestling. "I love that we analyze the mechanics of pro wrestling and the things going on," Khan told ProWrestling.net. "I do like to leave some of the art of this and some of the kayfabe of this in the wrestling, and I think that's the best way to do it. But I thought it was a great match. Everybody came out of it in great shape, all things considered. I mean, everyone is beat up bad, but to be honest, this is probably the least major injuries we've ever had coming out of a Blood & Guts match, or one of these very brutal multi-man death matches. And I'm glad everyone's gonna be okay. It's a really beat up group, but all things considered, came out very well.

I think it's a great question. I don't think all these spots are created equal. There's different spots, different ways to do things. I don't want to compare apples to oranges, necessarily. I think it's a great question. There's definitely some mystery to be left to how things are done, and how things might be done now might not be the same way they would be done 25 years ago, just to do the same spots, for example."

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Nick Jackson of the Young Bucks told Sports Illustrated in a new interview that Perry is okay following the match but he was up for the moment. "All I know is Jack is fine, and that's all that matters, we know the risk we're taking in the ring and it wouldn't have happened if he wasn't prepared for it."

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