Tony Khan Called Out for Trying to Take Full Credit for AEW’s Creation

AEW has been around since 2019 but many felt that the 2018 All In event was what truly kickstarted the revolution that led to AEW. However, Tony Khan has now been called out for trying to take full credit for AEW’s creation.

Earlier this month, Cody Rhodes admitted he hated the fact that The Young Bucks mentioned he was the last to sign, a detail that some AEW defenders use to diminish his role in the promotion’s origin. Rhodes clarified that he was actually the first to meet Tony Khan during a vetting process for all of them.

“I hated that in The Young Bucks’ book they said I was last to the signing. Because that’s a big thing. Some of the AEW defenders who don’t realize they’re turning people off to their product more than they’re turning people on, that’s one of the things that people always cite ‘Oh, he was last, he wasn’t that big a deal to the origin.’ No, this guy here who’s off camera was the first person to ever meet Tony and he met him in a vetting process for all of us.

So yes, I guess I was the last and yes, I had different thoughts and it’s not incorrect at all what they said [that I was physically the last person to sign]. Yeah, it’s not incorrect but I was just in on it as well as anybody else. That’s a little thing that when I write my book I get to tell [the story].”

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However, AEW President Tony Khan would then claim that he had the idea for AEW back in April 2018. While speaking on a recent episode of the Gigantic Pop podcast, Matt Morgan criticized Tony Khan for attempting to alter the story about the origins of AEW. Morgan claimed that Khan has been trying to reshape the narrative by suggesting he had been planning AEW long before it became widely known. Khan said something along the lines of having approached the head of TNT six months prior, aiming to place himself more prominently in the early stages of AEW’s creation.

“He tries to change the narrative by saying, ‘Because a lot of people always thought that’s how that went but that’s not really how it goes like I’ve been wanting to do AEW. I went to the head of TNT six months before that,’ he said something like that. So he tried to change the narrative and get him in there a little bit more to the beginning of the genesis of AEW.”

Morgan pointed out that AEW’s debut in Chicago was a massive success, with a sold-out arena and high demand for tickets and pay-per-view access. He emphasized that the enthusiasm for AEW demonstrated a strong desire for a new cable wrestling company. Morgan criticized Khan for trying to claim credit as if he had been involved before Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, calling out Khan’s attempt to rewrite the history of AEW’s inception.

“Now, you saw a sold-out arena in Chicago, and everybody wanted to see it; it was the hottest thing in the business that year. Everybody was flocking to want to go get a ticket or see it on pay-per-view and it was a mass monster success showing that everybody wanted to see another cable television company. And then you came in because you’re the guy with the money. So, he’s trying to act like he was before Cody [Rhodes] and the Bucks getting this set up. Get the hell outta here Tony.”

Cody Rhodes also clarified criticism for his Young Bucks comment. Regardless, everyone had their own contributions for AEW and Tony Khan was not the sole person responsible for AEW’s inception and that’s all that matters.

What do you think of what Matt Morgan had to say? Do you believe Tony Khan was trying to take credit for AEW in general? Let us know in the comments section below!