In a recent social media outburst, Tony Khan, the CEO of AEW (All Elite Wrestling), took aim at WWE creative, specifically addressing the booking of Jinder Mahal in a World Heavyweight Title match against Seth Rollins on Monday Night Raw. Khan’s criticism extended to the alleged double standard in contrast to AEW’s own booking decisions.
The Controversial Comparison
Khan highlighted the perceived inconsistency by contrasting the treatment of HOOK, with a 28-1 career record, challenging the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe, to Jinder Mahal, who has struggled with losses over the past year but received an immediate title shot on Raw. The AEW President raised questions about the disparity in fan reactions to these contrasting scenarios.
Social Media Exchange
The criticism didn’t go unnoticed, leading to a social media exchange involving not only wrestling fans but also figures from the wrestling industry. Jinder Mahal responded to Khan’s comment with curiosity, asking, “Who tf is Hook?” AEW wrestlers, including Anthony Bowens and Dax Harwood, voiced their support for HOOK, while Edris Enofe from WWE NXT responded to Khan with a straightforward “stfu” (shut the f*** up).
Corey Graves, a WWE commentator, came to Jinder Mahal’s defense, simply stating, “Jinder rules.” This added another layer to the ongoing debate and showcased the divided opinions within the wrestling community.
Tony Khan Strategic Approach
This isn’t the first time Tony Khan has taken shots at WWE, aligning with AEW’s role as a challenger brand in the industry. He has previously expressed his competitive stance, considering all wrestling organizations as competition. Khan’s strategy involves embracing the challenger brand status, openly discussing and critiquing other wrestling companies, especially WWE.
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Past Instances and Corporate Philosophy
Khan’s previous outbursts targeted WWE’s last-minute rewrites, holding pay-per-views in Saudi Arabia, and references to alleged misdeeds by Vince McMahon. In 2022, he revealed that AEW’s corporate philosophy encouraged this approach, emphasizing the importance of being a challenger brand, akin to companies like Pepsi challenging Coca-Cola or Burger King challenging McDonald’s.
As the verbal sparring continues between AEW and WWE, wrestling fans eagerly await further developments, wondering how these exchanges will influence the dynamic between the two major wrestling promotions.
