In the latest episode of wrestling’s real-life drama, Tony Khan, AEW President and instigator-in-chief, lobbed a verbal grenade that’s caused shockwaves backstage on both sides of the wrestling divide. Over the weekend, Khan compared WWE to none other than disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. The remark has sent ripples through the locker rooms of AEW and WWE, stirring up a storm of reactions.
Bryan Alvarez of “Wrestling Observer Radio” reports that the backlash is real and widespread. “I can tell you from talking to people in AEW and obviously WWE, people thought it was ridiculous that he said it,” Alvarez conveyed, highlighting the discontent simmering among wrestlers and staff alike. It seems Khan’s comment didn’t just cross a line—it obliterated it.
In WWE, where scandal has touched the upper echelons of management with Vince McMahon at the center, Khan’s blanket condemnation has struck a nerve. Alvarez pointed out that while WWE does appear as a defendant in the Janel Grant lawsuit, pinning the label of a convicted sex offender on the entire company is a bridge too far for many. Employees and fans alike are defending the organization, arguing that the misdeeds of a few don’t condemn the whole.
Even within AEW’s own ranks, there’s disquiet. Wrestlers and staff with friends and family in WWE are particularly upset, feeling that Khan’s fiery rhetoric unfairly targets their loved ones. This internal and external backlash underscores the complicated web of personal and professional ties that bind the wrestling community, transcending company lines.
Alvarez notes that while Khan’s blunt approach to WWE might be par for the course in the cutthroat world of wrestling promotions, this time, his aim might have been off. “If Khan wants to take a shot at WWE, he has every right to,” Alvarez stated, “but this might have been a step too far.”
This backstage reaction story isn’t just a fleeting controversy; it’s a revealing look at the tensions that simmer just beneath the surface of the professional wrestling industry. As lines are drawn and allegiances tested, the impact of Khan’s words could have long-reaching effects on the relationship between these two titanic wrestling entities.