Would Tony Khan Ever Wrestle a Match For AEW?
"Not anytime soon," Khan said of the idea.
Tony Khan has slowly emerged as more of an on-screen presence within AEW in recent years. The founder of All Elite Wrestling had been adamant that he would only run his company from behind the scenes, shutting down the possibility of portraying an on-screen authority figure. This was exemplified in an early episode of AEW Dynamite which saw Jon Moxley confront Khan in his office, but cameras only showcased Moxley entering the room as Khan's voice was heard from behind the closed door. As the years went on, Khan made sporadic appearances in pre-recorded backstage segments and for live in-ring announcements, slowly opening himself open to more of a televised presence.
Will Tony Khan Ever Wrestle For AEW?
While he has become more willing to appear on television, don't expect Tony Khan to ever lace up a pair of wrestling boots.
"I don't think anybody really wants to see that," Khan told Levack and Goz when asked if he would ever wrestle for AEW. "Not anytime soon. That's not anything I think we're going to do. I do think AEW has a great roster, the best wrestlers in the world. I would rather try to put the best matches and we have exciting rivalries building in AEW right now."
Authority figures, both real-life and scripted, have been making the one-off leap into the squared circle for decades. Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon popularized this, wrestling over 50 matches for WWE since the 1990s. Former TNA President Scott D'Amore took off his headset for two nights only in 2023 when he reformed Team Canada with Eric Young to wrestle inside an Impact Wrestling ring. Former WCW and TNA executive Eric Bischoff has a couple dozen matches to his name as well.
While Khan is insistent on not wrestling, there are a number of storylines that could brew from the AEW President getting physical. "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry recently made his return to the ring, popping up in New Japan Pro Wrestling a couple of weeks ago. Perry was seen wearing ring gear with the words "SCAPEGOAT" plastered on it, seemingly referencing himself as being the one who took the flack for the CM Punk situation that transpired last August at AEW ALL IN: London. The former AEW Tag Team Champion even ripped up his AEW contract on NJPW programming, an act of defiance that many expect to carry over to AEW TV eventually. With Punk out of the company, Perry's frustrations are really only pointed at Khan, who suspended him indefinitely for AEW ALL IN: London's altercation.