During the summer of 2024, reports surfaced that Shane McMahon and Tony Khan met in Texas. However, no partnership or further discussions followed.
On February 20, former WWE broadcaster Jonathan Coachman shared details about the meeting.
Andrew Baydala summarized the key points on X, stating, “Today on the Coach & Bro show, Jonathan Coachman stated that Shane McMahon, during the meeting that he asked for with Tony Khan, Shane asked for equity in the company AEW, and Shane wanted to come in and run the entire show. Jonathan Coachman then stated Tony Khan ‘ghosted’ McMahon.”
While the claim about equity remains unverified, more insights into the meeting have emerged.
A source close to Shane McMahon confirmed that Khan did not follow up after their conversation. While they couldn’t confirm whether Shane requested equity, they suggested that he did express interest in “running things” despite lacking familiarity with AEW’s product and business model. The source also noted that Shane didn’t seem to take Khan’s lack of response personally and that Khan may have even perceived Shane’s proposal as a joke.
According to the source, Shane appeared to believe his experience and leadership skills were valuable, especially given the sentiment among fans and industry figures who wanted an alternative to Vince McMahon in that role.
At no point were there serious discussions about Shane McMahon appearing on AEW television or joining the company in any capacity. Individuals within AEW confirmed that Tony Khan had not spoken about the meeting in detail, aside from acknowledging that it happened and that no deal was made.
The source close to McMahon suggested that a cameo appearance wouldn’t be out of the question but emphasized that a deeper working relationship seemed unlikely at this time.
(H/T: Fightful Select)
