Ryan Nemeth has filed a lawsuit against AEW, Tony Khan, and CM Punk, in the latest chapter of the Best in the World’s controversial time with the promotion. Nemeth’s lawsuit was filed on February 14 in California. The complaint is for assault, breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and intentional interference with prospective advantage.

This isn’t the first time Nemeth has taken aim at Punk and his AEW tenure. In December 2024, it was reported that Nemeth had alleged the use of threats and harrasment in AEW which involved Punk. Fightful reported at the time that Nemeth had detailed these issues in a complaint dated September 12, and provided emails, texts, and call logs as evidence.

In the lawsuit, Nemeth makes a series of startling claims, including that Punk assaulted the Young Bucks “in early 2023.” This would come after the altercation at All Out 2022 that resulted in Punk, the Bucks, and others being suspended.

Nemeth alleges that in April 2023, he contacted AEW executives, concerned that Punk would return from suspension to assault him. He adds that despite this, AEW didn’t hesitate in bringing Punk back. Nemeth alleges that on June 21, 2023, Punk assaulted him, despite Nemeth’s efforts to de-escalate the situation.

Punk faced no punishment for assaulting Nemeth, the lawsuit adds, while Ryan feared being “benched” by AEW. The promotion’s attorneys assured Nemeth that this would not be the case, but it would be another two months before he was used in any capacity.

Nemeth adds that he learned that Punk had insisted that he be ‘benched,’ despite not having done anything wrong. The suit adds that when Nemeth was booked to return in August, Punk spotted him and fired off a text. Nemeth was informed shortly after that he would not be used.

When Tony Khan fired CM Punk in September 2023, the AEW President blameed Nemeth, the suitn adds. It is claimed that Khan and Punk have embarked upon a campaign to “blackball” Nemeth from professional wrestling. Khan has “used his significant resources to make sure that Nemeth can never again make a living in wrestling” the lawsuit adds.

Punk returned to WWE in November 2023, where his conduct has reportedly been exemplarly. While Punk is focused on this weekend’s Men’s Elimination Chamber and a potential title match at WrestleMania 41, the issues stemming from Punk’s AEW tenure continue to haunt the Chicago-Made Superstar.

Former AEW star Ricky Starks made his debut in WWE NXT on last week’s episode after being sidelined by AEW for months. Starks had requested his release from AEW, but CEO Tony Khan initially refused to grant it.

It was widely believed that Starks would have to wait out the remainder of his contract before pursuing other opportunities, including the possibility of going to WWE. During this time, Starks made it clear that he wanted to wrestle, even booking independent dates while being kept off AEW TV. 

According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that Khan expected Starks to leave AEW for WWE once his contract expired due to his close friendship with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

This week on NXT, Starks introduced his new ring name: Ricky Saints. Following the show, he appeared on Busted Open Radio, where he denied that his AEW status had been affected by his past appearances at WWE events, such as the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to support Rhodes.

Starks emphasized that Khan had approved his presence at those events and claimed that certain AEW veterans interfered with his creative direction.

Shane McMahon was ghosted by Tony Khan after their viral meeting in the Summer of 2024 because the son of the former WWE chairman wanted control of AEW.

Photos of McMahon meeting with the AEW President at an airport became viral last year amid rumors of him joining the company. Many at the time believed Shane might appear on AEW TV soon but nothing came out of it.

Former WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman made the topic hot again recently after claiming some interesting things about the meeting on his podcast. Per Coach, Shane had demanded equity in the company and he wanted to run the entire show. Khan, not willing to give in to his demands, then ghosted McMahon.

Fightful Select has since provided an update on these claims confirming that Tony Khan did not follow up on his airport meeting with Shane McMahon. They also confirmed that McMahon did want to ‘run things’, believing that his insight and ability to run the show was ‘valuable’

• Drunk Undertaker Gets Candid About Relationship With WWE Hall of Famer

Though despite the tall demands, Shane did not have familiarity with the AEW product or their business model and Khan almost thought that McMahon was joking when he mentioned the possibility of running things.  Sources close to the high-flying star noted that Shane did not take the lack of further communication from the AEW owner personally.

As is always the case in wrestling, the possibility of Shane McMahon making a cameo appearance down the line has not been ruled out, but there never seems to have been an extensive plan for him to work in AEW.

• The Rock Declares Purpose For His SmackDown Return

Fans were not happy with Tony Khan after the sketchy venue change for Grand Slam Australia and they voiced their displeasure to the AEW President without hesitation.

The company taped the special program from Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday, February 15. Khan came out at the start of the taping to greet the crowd and he was met with audible boos from the fans:

Tony Khan getting booed at #AEWGrandSlam #AEWGrandSlamAustralia #AEWCOLLISION @AEW pic.twitter.com/UP4Wpc3Vbr

— Suraz Poudel (@Suraz232) February 15, 2025

Despite the unfavourable reaction, Khan claimed that it was a dream come true to do a show in Australia. He promised a return to Brisbane and later in the evening, it was confirmed that AEW is planning the comeback for 2026.

• Booker T Discusses Working With Corey Graves After Recent Controversy

The company’s Australia debut was originally supposed to be held in Suncorp Stadium with a listed capacity of over 50,000. After discouraging ticket sales, however, the show was moved to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, which is a much smaller venue.

A lot of fans had voiced their displeasure at this change. Many who had paid stadium prices for premium seats were especially unhappy as their redistributed tickets were not of the same value and there was no option for a refund.

Regardless, the company has touted the show as one of the most successful events in the history of the promotion and their third biggest international gate of all time.

The show following Khan’s promo featured a number of big matches and a huge title change as well. You can check out the complete spoilers for the event here.

• Matt Hardy Reveals Unthinkable Gift He Once Received From Wild Fan

Several high-profile figures from the world of professional wrestling were present at Super Bowl LIX, held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

WWE Hall of Famer and U.S. President Donald Trump attended the game, making history as the first sitting president to do so. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, and The Undertaker were also spotted at the event, adding to the strong wrestling presence at the Super Bowl.

WWE legends The Bella Twins watched the big game live, and mingled with All Elite Wrestling star Britt Baker.

AEW CEO Tony Khan was in attendance as well, arriving on the Kismet, a 400-foot, $360 million yacht owned by his father, Shad Khan. AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland were on hand, with Swerve joking that they were just there to see Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance.

Outside the stadium, WWE’s influence extended to the commercial breaks. Appliance maker Bosch aired its first-ever Super Bowl ad, featuring an actor portraying Macho Man Randy Savage alongside Antonio Banderas.

Beyond the wrestling world, Super Bowl LIX attracted a host of other celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, and Lionel Messi. The game saw the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tony Khan seems to have a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but he makes clear that he’s the head chef of it all.

Speaking with Kevin Walsh during Super Bowl week, the AEW President expressed his love for the creative process behind booking the shows. He didn’t disclose any names as to who joined him in booking ideas, but he did mention there was a good amount of people involved.

“I come up with a lot of ideas in wrestling and I also have a big team of people and a lot of wrestlers that are brilliant minds. I try to pick the best ideas and I put the matches and the shows together.”

Khan clarifies that he does receive a lot of input from so many names that he probably only utilizes “10 to 20%” of the feedback he gets. During the World’s End PPV media call last year, Khan mentioned to SEScoops that he remains the head booker of AEW and that won’t change in 2025.

Who Has Been Apart Of Tony Khan’s Creative Process?

When Tony Khan says he has a hefty creative team, he means it. In the past, Khan has confirmed that names like Bryan Danielson, Jimmy Jacobs, Mike Mansury, Dean Malenko, Will Washington and Jerry Lynn have all been involved in the process. That doesn’t include the hiring of Jennifer Pepperman, who is speculated to have a focus on working with Mercedes Mone. As it stands, Khan controls the creative on both AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision.

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) will remain a privately held company, as CEO and co-owner Tony Khan has no interest in taking the promotion public.

Speaking with Alex Sherman for CNBC Sport, Khan explained that he envisions AEW as a long-term family business that he hopes to pass down to his future children.

“I want to build,” Khan said. “I’m still a relatively young executive, and someday, I’d like to have a family. Hopefully, they can work in the business. It’s a family business.”

At 42, Khan has positioned AEW as WWE’s biggest competitor in the wrestling industry since its launch in 2019. Keeping AEW private allows the company to maintain creative and financial control without external shareholder influence.

n an exclusive interview with Mark O’Brien for Bodyslam.net, wrestling veteran Jimmy Jacobs reflected on Tony Khan’s leadership and AEW’s influence on the industry. He credited Khan with reshaping professional wrestling, improving pay standards, and creating new opportunities for talent.

Tony Khan’s Leadership and AEW’s Growth

Jacobs highlighted Khan’s deep commitment to AEW, emphasizing his awareness of how company decisions impact wrestlers and staff. He praised Khan for fostering an environment where talent can thrive and for significantly expanding job opportunities within wrestling.

“Tony takes that seriously—so many people’s jobs revolve around what he does.”

Jacobs noted that AEW’s rise has made it one of the best times to be a pro wrestler, with more opportunities and better financial stability than in decades past.

AEW’s Influence on Wrestler Pay and Competition

According to Jacobs, AEW’s presence in the industry has contributed to higher pay for wrestlers. He suggested that WWE adjusted its salary structure in response to AEW’s emergence, indirectly benefiting talent across both promotions.

“WWE raised their pay rates right around the time AEW started… I’d guess AEW had something to do with it.”

By providing a viable alternative to WWE, AEW has increased competition, pushing both companies to offer better contracts and more financial security for wrestlers.

Tony Khan’s Creative Direction

Jacobs described Khan as having a clear creative vision while allowing his team to refine ideas and execute them effectively. He stressed the importance of controlled information flow in AEW’s creative process, preventing leaks and ensuring well-planned storytelling.

“Tony has ideas, and I help organize them so the right people get the right information at the right time.”

AEW’s Lasting Legacy

Jacobs believes AEW’s impact extends beyond its own success, crediting Khan with transforming the wrestling landscape by offering wrestlers more financial and creative freedom.

“Tony really pushed AEW into being a place where talent could actually thrive.”

He sees Khan’s leadership as a key factor in making AEW a true alternative to WWE, giving wrestlers more control over their careers and fans a fresh, competitive product.

Ricky Starks made a rare in-ring appearance at a House of Glory live event, and the crowd made their feelings known with a loud and clear message. During Starks’ match, fans erupted into a “F*** TK” chant—a direct shot at AEW President Tony Khan. Despite being one of AEW’s most promising stars, Starks has not been seen in AEW programming since March of last year.

The chant reflects growing discontent among AEW fans, who have been eager to see Starks back on the company’s programming. Once positioned as a future main eventer in the company, Starks’ career came to a halt in March 2024, after he and Big Bill lost the AEW World Tag Team Championships to Darby Allin and Sting.

Starks was pulled from a planned appearance at Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) last year, despite not being used by AEW. It was later reported that Tony Khan ordered Starks’ removal from the show after a comment made by EFFY about Khan’s father. Not only was Starks pulled from the event, but it was later stated that he would not be allowed to participate at future GCW shows.

Ricky Starks Reportedly Denied Release from AEW

Starks himself has addressed his absence in interviews and though he has theories, has not been given a reason as to why he’s not being used. It remains to be seen if Starks ever competes for AEW again, but fans are certainly frustrated with Khan’s decision to not use the former World Tag Team Champion.

AEW Pulls Ricky Starks Merch Amid Wrestler’s Hiatus

Tony Khan has acknowledged the legendary career of Christopher Daniels following what is believed to be Daniels’ final match in AEW. The AEW President took to social media to express his gratitude to Daniels, who faced Hangman Page in a brutal Texas Death Match at AEW Collision: Maximum Carnage.

Daniels was busted open early and, despite his resilience, was unable to withstand Hangman Page’s relentless offense. The match ended after Hangman delivered a Tombstone Piledriver on a chair, followed by a Dead Eye on another chair, and concluded with a Buckshot Lariat to the back of Daniels’ head, keeping him down for the 10-count. Adding insult to injury, Page also used the Angel’s Wings, a move Daniels used for years throughout his storied career, after the match.

Following the tapings of Collision earlier this week, it was reported that those in AEW were under the impression that this was Daniels’ final match. With Khan publicly praising Daniels for his efforts in his match with Page, it cerainly appears that fans have seen the last of the Fallen Angel in the ring.

Daniels’ lengthy career has seen him compete all over the world and is best known for his runs in Ring of Honor and TNA Wrestling. Though Daniels’ days wrestling are up, he remains a pivotal part of AEW as the company’s Head of Talent Relations.

An unlikely name has come into Tony Khan’s defence amid the drama surrounding Rey Fenix’s AEW status following Penta’s WWE debut.

The discussion about AEW extending Fenix’s contract picked up again on Saturday after the high-flying star posted a picture of himself on social media. The former champion was seen wearing a straightjacket in the photo indicating that he was being ‘restrained’ by the company.

Former WWE star Tom Pestock better known to fans as Baron Corbin came in support of Khan over the issue. Responding to a post suggesting that Tony should let Rey Fenix out of his deal, Corbin claimed that you need to honor your contract:

“If you sign a contract, you honor it.  Would it have been okay if Tony didn’t pay him while he was hurt or out of action?  The answer is no bc Tony signed the contract as well. You can’t switch teams after getting what you want and signing the contract.”

Baron Corbin also responded to some other objections to his remarks in the thread suggesting that there might be more to the story of Fenix and AEW than people know.

The former WWE star’s comments actually align with what the AEW star himself has suggested in the past. He’s previously claimed that a ‘huge injustice’ has been done to him and that he’ll get the chance to speak the truth one day.

• Rey Fenix Backs ‘Most Accurate’ Report Of “Huge Injustice” in AEW

FTR has explained the importance of AEW coming to Asheville for the first show of 2025.

Dax Harwood had previously discussed the significance of AEW coming to Asheville for their Max premiere episode on January 1. He had revealed that it was the first entertainment show coming to the city following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and that they’ll be donating a portion of the show’s revenue to relief efforts.

The duo of Dax and Cash were asked about the show coming to their locality during the post Worlds End media scrum. Harwood first revealed that they had initially reached out to Tony Khan with the idea of doing a live event but the AEW President decided to bring one of their biggest TV shows there instead:

“The initial plan was not to be in Asheville, right? But we, us three, met at our wrestling school, and we said, ‘Okay, what can we do to bring some hope and some joy to Asheville?’ And we had the idea of maybe doing like a live event in Asheville. Talking to Tony, and having some of the guys come out and just raising money. And Tony said, ‘I’ll do you one better. Why don’t we do Dynamite in Asheville?'”

• Dax Harwood Defends Adam Copeland Over Criticism Of Steel Cage Injury

After Adam Copeland made his surprise return to close the latest AEW PPV, the company has confirmed that the trio known as Rated-FTR will be facing the Death Riders in a six men tag match at the upcoming Dynamite episode. Cash Wheeler mentioned that there was a time he thought he’d never get to share the ring with Copeland at all, but now they’ll be teaming at such a big night in their hometown:

“I never could have imagined that if it was going to happen, that the first time we ever as a trio stepped in the ring together for a match was going to be in Asheville, That’s how I would have booked it as a 15-year-old kid. And it never would have happened. But it is happening, and it’s for the best possible reason.

It’s so we can raise money for people that lost everything. It’s to raise awareness of people that are still going through this three months later. A lot of the world’s moved on and kind of forgotten about that. And you can’t when you drive through it, and you see the destruction every day, and you see the debris. You see the tents, like it’s communities of tents camping out by a river where homes used to be because hundreds of homes were washed away.

And it’s winter, it’s the coldest time of year, and these people are living in tents. It’s heartbreaking. So to have a boss who wants to bring awareness to that, and bring his biggest show ever to that, the first one ever, simulcast on max, and the first one of the new TV rights deal. It’s going to be in Asheville and it’s going to be Rated-FTR. That’s amazing to me. That’s the kind of stuff that I do this for.”

• Adam Copeland Targets AEW World Title After Worlds End Return

Tony Khan says that WWE running a Live Event in the same city as Worlds End shows how strong the market is.

All Elite Wrestling presented the Worlds End PPV from Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida tonight with over 6,700 tickets sold per WrestleTix. WWE on the other hand ran the Kia Center in Orlando as part of their Holiday Tour, selling over 8,100 tickets for the live event.

The AEW President was asked about this competition by Jay Reddick of the Orlando Sentinel during the post-Worlds End media scrum. Khan claimed that having two big shows in one night is great for the city:

“It’s great for the city of Orlando with two major pro wrestling events happening on the same night. There were thousands and thousands of fans at both shows. We had a capacity crowd here. It was so great being here at UCF.”

It Was A Great Show: Tony Khan

Tony Khan mentioned that Addition Financial Arena has been a great host for AEW and claimed that having two successful pro wrestling events on the same night shows how strong the wrestling market is:

“It shows how strong worldwide pro wrestling, particularly here in the United States, is to have in one major American city with two promotions running head-to-head on the same night, to have two great crowds. I know our fans here were awesome, and it was a great show tonight, thanks to the Orlando fans. They were tremendous,”

Tonight’s Worlds End PPV saw a couple of big returns including the long-awaited comeback of Kenny Omega and the surprise return of a former WWE star. You can check out more about it here.

• AEW Worlds End 2024 Results: Continental Classic Winner, Moxley Retains and more

Fans of AEW are buzzing after Tony Khan discussed the potential for a Women’s Continental Classic tournament. Speaking during a media call ahead of tonight’s Worlds End PPV, Khan expressed interest in expanding the Continental Classic concept to include AEW’s women’s division, citing the talent and strength of the roster as key factors.

Tony Khan’s Vision for the Women’s Continental Classic

The Continental Classic, which debuted in 2023, has been a platform for high-stakes, round-robin competition. When asked about creating a women’s iteration of the tournament, Khan responded positively, acknowledging the growing momentum in AEW’s women’s division.

“I think the [women’s] division is very strong. This year, we’ve had some of the best matches in the history of AEW women’s wrestling. A Women’s Continental Classic could be very exciting if we keep everyone healthy.”

While acknowledging the challenges posed by injuries and the grueling nature of the tournament, Khan emphasized his enthusiasm for AEW’s current crop of female wrestlers and their recent performances.

Building Toward the Future

The prospect of a Women’s Continental Classic is a natural progression for AEW’s expanding focus on its women’s division. The tournament could provide a fresh platform for stars like Toni Storm, Hikaru Shida, and others to shine while enhancing rivalries and fan engagement week to week on Dynamite and Collision.

Dax Harwood has explained why the upcoming Dynamite taping from Ashville is special.

The January 1 Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen special will mark the start of a new era for AEW. As part of their new TV deals, the show from Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, NC will be simulcasted on Max for the first time ever.

Harwood who hails from North Carolina himself explained why the taping is so special during a new interview with 3NTWrestling. He revealed that it’s the first entertainment show coming to the city after it was devastated by Hurricane Helene.

The AEW star noted that Khan could have taken the show to a bigger city to make a better impression on first-time watchers but helping Ashville was a priority for him. He went on to reveal how the AEW President had previously helped the relief efforts for survivors of the natural disaster on their one request:

“A lot of people don’t know this, but Tony called. We talked to Tony, myself and Adam [Copeland]. We talked to Tony. He said, ‘What do you need from me?’ He had already donated a ton of money.

Adam said, ‘Well, we’ve got these Starlinks. These huge Starlinks that they’ve donated here. Elon Musk has donated here, but we don’t have the small Starlinks to go out into the woods, to go out to the top of the mountains, so we can find people and give them cell service. So we can communicate with.’

Tony without any hesitancy, if that’s even a word, he sent hundreds of Starlinks to Asheville, North Carolina, on his own dime. He made sure that that was something we were able to do to find people who were lost.”

• Dax Harwood Comments On Four-Year Anniversary With AEW

Dax Harwood also noted how his tag team partner Cash Wheeler had also set up a GoFundMe and collected over $70,000 to help the relief efforts at the time. Harwood himself was on the ground helping people at the time of need as well. He and Adam Copeland were assisting FEMA workers with search and rescue.

FTR have challenged Death Riders to a fight at the upcoming Dynamite episode and teased that they won’t be coming alone. While Dax did not provide any update on his mystery partner during the talk, the tease coincides perfectly with reports of a former world champion’s imminent return.

Tony Khan has revealed Matt Cardona helped put together Chris Jericho’s recent GCW appearance.

The Deathmatch King is set to challenge Y2J for the ROH title at the upcoming Final Battle event on December 20. After Cardona made multiple appearances on ROH TV to build the bout, Jericho returned the favor with an appearance at the December 15 GCW event. Wearing an AEW shirt, he interfered in the match between Matt and Effy, attacking both the indie stars.

The AEW President was asked about this appearance by Bill Pritchard of WrestleZone during the Final Battle media call. Tony Khan explained that Cardona helped put the whole thing together and he was happy to send Jericho:

“Matt helped put that together, Matt asked me about it, and obviously, I was happy to send Chris to promote the match that is happening on ROH as part of the double main event.

With Matt appearing there, and this being a title match, it made sense to do something to promote. It’s very much along the lines of things we’ve done with other matches along the ways over the years.”

• ROH Final Battle 2024 Predictions

This appearance comes as an interesting turn in the AEW-GCW relationship. When Ricky Starks was abruptly pulled from the GCW shows, many speculated that Effy’s comments about Shad Khan were the reason behind it.

With Tony Khan allowing Jericho to work with Effy during his GCW appearance, however, the question now is if the problem was on Starks’ end and if his promo about not being used in AEW was the reason for the action.

• ROH Final Battle 2024 Card: Jericho vs Cardona and More

The holiday season is upon us and AEW are back with a heartwarming gesture for children in need. The promotion held a kick-off event in Arlington, Texas, for tickets going on sale for AEW All In: Texas, set for next July. AEW President Tony Khan decided to give back to the children of Arlington.

On social media, Khan announced that in association with Jazwares, AEW was donating over 15,000 AEW wrestling toys to Mission Arlington to support families of Arlington, Texas, during the holiday season. He also wished the Arlington citizens a Merry Christmas, on behalf of both AEW and Jazwares.

Tony Khan’s promotion is spreading happiness over the holiday season is becoming a yearly tradition. Last year, the promotion partnered with Toys For Tots and over $1 million worth of toys was given to the kids during the holiday season. More than a whopping 50,000 AEW toys were donated to the Toys For Tots charity program.

Tony Khan had thanked the company’s partners at TBS and Jazwares, who manufacture AEW’s action figures, for making the donation possible. Khan also boasted that it was “the biggest toy giveaway” in the history of professional wrestling.

Meanwhile, AEW is heading to Kansas City for this Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite: Winter is Coming. The event will take place on December 11th at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, airing live on TBS.

AEW will produce more video games, Tony Khan has confirmed, while also continuing its work on its first console gaming entry, Fight Forever. Speaking to Mr. Wright Way at the AEW All In: Texas tickets launch event, Khan shared his excitement for the future of AEW’s video games department.

“I’m really excited about Fight Forever because there’s still more wrestlers and exciting updates coming to the game. Eventually, we’ll absolutely continue to put out more AEW games.”

For now, the focus is on making Fight Forever the best it can be, Khan said, adding that the game was a “great first entry” into the world of console video games. he spoke of the “many opportunities in the world of gaming” and is excited to explore what’s out there.

Fight Forever: Shaky First Outing

AEW Fight Forever launched in June 2023 after a series of delays to PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, and the Nintendo Switch. The game received mixed to average reviews, including an average score of 63/100 on Metacritic. The game was praised for its arcade gameplay, but criticized for its limited presentation, modes, and customization features.

AEW worked with Yuke’s to develop Fight Forever, but this partnership may not continue for future projects. In September, it was reported that “decision makers” in AEW were strongly considering finding a new development partner. The belief is that developers were pressured to “deliver something faster than what it should’ve been,” leading to issues with the released product.

Check out our Gaming Hub for all the latest on AEW Fight Forever, the WWE 2K series and more from the world of pro-wrestling video games.

Jake Hager spent years as part of AEW, despite the company’s owner Tony Khan allegedly not wanting him in the promotion in the first place. Speaking to Going Ringside, Hager alleged that it was only due to Chris Jericho that he was a part of the promotion.

“Chris Jericho is the greatest of all time… Tony didn’t want me there, but Chris said he wanted me there, and it was awesome.”

Hager debuted in AEW on the inaugural episode of Dynamite in October 2019, immediately aligning with Jericho as part of the Inner Circle. Hager stayed with the company until May of this year when he opted not to re-sign with the company. His final TV appearance was on the February 21, 2024, edition of Rampage, where he lost to Roderick Strong.

Jake Hager Exits AEW After Declining New Contract

Hager’s claim that Khan didn’t want him is not the first bold claim made by the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Last month, Hager claimed that Khan had threatened his job over his support for Donald Trump. Hager, who has also called Khan a communist, has yet to provide hard evidence for any of his claims against the AEW President.

Hager has competed a handful of times since parting ways with AEW, and fans shouldn’t expect him to work with Tony Khan again. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Jake Hager as the All-Elite alum continues to make his views clear out of the ring.

Tony Khan is confident that Ring of Honor will land on television eventually after having “great conversations” with potential partners. Speaking to the Sports Guys Talk Wrestling podcast, Khan spoke highly of his second wrestling promotion.

“It’s a great company. I love ROH… there’s a great opportunity to grow Ring of Honor as we grow AEW.”

Khan acquired Ring of Honor in 2022 and despite his best efforts, the promotion is yet to land its on televised show. Instead, fans can check out ROH on the HonorClub service, as well as occasional ROH title matches on AEW programming. Undeterred, Khan remains confident in Ring of Honor’s potential future on TV.

“There’s a lot of interest right now in Ring of Honor. I’ve had great conversations about TV partnerships with ROH.”

In the meantime, Ring of Honor is gearing up for its upcoming Final Battle pay-per-view from the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. The show, Ring of Honor’s 23rd Final Battle event overall, will take place on December 20. The match card so far is as follows:

• Red Velvet (c) vs. Leyla Hirsch (ROH Women’s World Championship)
• Chris Jericho (c) vs. Matt Cardona (ROH World Championship)
• The Sons of Texas (Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara) (c) vs. The Righteous (Vincent and Dutch) (ROH World Tag Team Championship)

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Ring of Honor, including breaking news and live results from this month’s Final Battle.

AEW officially announced All In: Texas a few months ago, which is set to take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The event, scheduled for next year, will mark AEW’s first pay-per-view in Texas and the first professional wrestling event ever held at this iconic venue. Tickets for the general public go on sale Monday, December 9, at 10 AM CT via Ticketmaster.com and AEWTix.com, following a pre-sale earlier this week.

While the announcement has generated buzz, early ticket sales have been modest. According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the pre-sale tickets sold were in the range of 2,000 to 3,000. This figure has sparked concerns about fan momentum, as AEW hasn’t achieved a 10,000-ticket first-day sale in several years. Declining television ratings, pay-per-view buys, and live attendance have contributed to the company’s broader challenges in maintaining audience engagement.

A stadium event of this scale presents unique challenges for AEW, and Globe Life Field, with a capacity far exceeding traditional wrestling venues, represents an ambitious undertaking. Time will tell if AEW can build sufficient excitement to fill the stadium.

Additionally, AEW has confirmed that its Worlds End 2024 pay-per-view event will take place on December 28, 2024, at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, rounding out its schedule with another highly anticipated show.

Independent wrestler Effy is ready to be blamed for Tony Khan pulling Ricky Starks from GCW shows, even though he feels much more is at play. Starks was pulled from a recent GCW event, as well as all future GCW shows, in a move that has angered fans.

Starks’ removal from GCW reportedly came after a comment made by Effy about Shad Khan, the father of the AEW President. Speaking to BodySlam.net’s Game Changer Weekly podcast, Effy was amused that the situation had blown up the way it did.

“I’m opening Twitter and at one point on Tuesday im trending #4 in the nation. Not Tony khan, not Ricky Starks, not AEW, EFFY. EFFY is trending fourth in the United States.”

The comment in question by Effy saw the indie star joke that Shad Khan, who has invested in AEW, is effectively paying Tony to stay away from him, Fightful Select has reported. While many have pointed the finger of blame at Effy for Starks being pulled from GCW, Effy believes that this is a matter for Starks and AEW to resolve.

“Everyone who’s saying “Oh, it’s EFFY’s fault he can’t be here,” this is how things are done in wrestling and it’s something that, you know, he’s going to have to go work out on his own.”

Starks being pulled from GCW came over half a year after his most recent match for AEW, with no explanation given for why he’s not being used. In the interview, Effy said if people, including Tony Khan, want to use him as an excuse for Starks not being used, then he’s not going to fight the accusation.

“Go ahead, buddy. You can blame me. I can handle the blame, I can take the heat. I’ve been called every name in the book before this.”

Starks is not injured, which makes his absence from AEW all the more surprising to fans. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Ricky Starks as fans eagerly await for when, if ever, he’s back in an AEW ring again.

H/T – Bodyslam

Tony Khan continues to cultivate the scorecard for the ongoing AEW Continental Classic.

As WWE Survivor Series set to commence on Saturday evening, the AEW President took to social media to announce a round two fight for the round robin tournament. It will be Shelton Benjamin taking on Kyle Fletcher for the 12/4 episode of AEW Dynamite. Khan hyped the match, noting that Benjamin are the two top names in their “league” going mono-a-mono.

“The current Top 2 in the C2 Blue League will fight 1-on-1: Shelton Benjamin vs Kyle Fletcher. THIS WEDNESDAY!”

The Continental Classic started up on the pre-Thanksgiving episode of AEW Dynamite as Shelton Benjamin defeated former ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe via a clean pinfall following a powerslam.

As for Fletcher, the adversary of Will Ospreay upended the Beast Mortos on this week’s episode of AEW Collision after nailing the bullheadecd luchador with a brainbuster. The match-up itself provides to be an intriguing one as Benjamin and Fletcher are both top heels in the company, also being involved in their respective heel factions. Benjamin is notoriously apart of The Hurt Syndicate alongside MVP and Bobby Lashley while Fletcher is a member of the revamped Don Callis Family. Fletcher will look to continue the hot hand as he ended up definitively defeating Ospreay earlier this week at AEW Full Gear. Ospreay is aiming to rebound from that loss as on that same episode of Collision, he defeated Juice Robinson in the ‘Gold League’ side of the Classic. Unfortunately, Robinson ended up getting injured in the fight.

Another Thanksgiving is in the books as people around the United States have shared what they’re grateful for, all while digesting copious amounts of food. For the stars of wrestling, there’s plenty to be thankful for, and some names in the industry took to social media to share how they celebrated.

On X, WWE CCO Pal ‘Triple H’ Levesque gave a rare look at his personal life by sharing a Thanksgiving workout with his daughters.

WWE NXT Superstar Nikkita Lyons celebrated Thanksgiving in a unique way by showing off her twerking skills.

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Lyons may have twerked one too many times, as later in the day, she shared that she wasn’t thankful for the sickness she was dealing with. The Lioness said that someone had gotten her sick at an NXT live event last Friday in Lakeland, Florida.

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Braun Strowman enjoyed Thanksgiving, which is more than can be said for the 8 deer he killed and later shared on his Instagram Stories.

NXT Superstar Lexis King was able to celebrate the day with his ‘Queen.’ The second-generation wrestler has been trying to become a better person as of late in the silver brand and avoid his usual heel tactics.

Chad Gable showed that there are no off days when it comes to training to be the best, and that includes Thanksgiving.

And AEW President Tony Khan celebrated Thanksgiving by sharing how thankful he is that there’s plenty more matches to go in the Continental Classic. The tournament has new rules this year, and its winner will be crowned at AEW Worlds End next month.

The LWO took their Thanksgiving celebration to Arizona by delivering over 50,000 meals as part of community outreach. We at SEScoops would like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving as wrestling fans have plenty to be thankful for.

Tony Khan doesn’t know how the WWE ID program will affect their hiring strategy and if they will have to face any conflict while trying to bring in any talent.

The AEW President took part in the post-Full Gear 2024 media scrum. He discussed topics such as the Costco Guys’ recent involvement with the company and more.

When asked about the newly launched WWE ID program, the wrestling executive noted that he is not completely aware of how the thing works but claimed that it’s definitely going to affect the independent scene:

“It’s interesting. I don’t really know how it’s going to work. I understand there is some kind of first right or refusal aspect of it. We haven’t come up where it’s been a conflict yet. I do think it’s going to affect the independent scene in some ways.”

Khan discussed how they have brought in many great indie talents over the years and mentioned that AEW provided work to many indie stars during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Tony Khan Extends Future Invitation To Big Boom A.J. After Full Gear 2024 Victory

We’ll Keep Signing Great Talents: Tony Khan

TK cited the new TNT Champion Daniel Garcia as an example of talent who started off in AEW Dark and has now become a champion in the company. Tony Khan then reiterated that they’ll be keeping a close eye on the WWE ID program:

“I expect we’ll keep signing great talent off the independents. I do think it’s a different mechanism. It’s something to keep an eye on. It hasn’t created major conflicts or anything yet, but I imagine it will definitely influence the independent wrestling scene. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on.”

WWE has partnered up with many indie promotions for their new program. The prospects signed to it will have access to the company’s training facilities and the promotion will produce content around their wrestling journey for their social platforms.

The talents will continue operating as they do in the independents and there won’t be any restrictions on who they can work for. The belief is that WWE will have the right to first refusal on talent. If any other company reaches out to them with an offer, the Endeavor-owned promotion will get an opportunity to sign them first.

• AEW Full Gear 2024 Results: Moxley Retains, Chaos Ensues