Tony Khan spoke about several AEW topics during a media call promoting this weekend’s AEW Revolution pay-per-view.
The AEW President took part in a pre-Revolution media conference call on Thursday, where he addressed questions about talent health, the company’s media strategy, ROH’s future, celebrity appearances, and even fan chants heard during AEW programming.
One notable update involved Samoa Joe. Khan confirmed that the former AEW World Champion is currently recovering from injuries but is expected back sooner rather than later. Joe has been out of action since defeating Mike Bailey on the January 21 episode of Dynamite, and a February report indicated he had entered concussion protocol. Joe himself recently commented that he plans to return “sooner than later.”
Khan was also asked about the MyAEW platform and whether it could potentially evolve into a domestic pay-per-view provider amid the uncertain future surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount.
According to Khan, the service is not tied to AEW’s relationship with WBD.
He explained that he maintains a strong relationship with Paramount through his work in the NFL and said he also has a positive relationship with Skydance Media CEO David Ellison.
Khan emphasized that MyAEW’s primary purpose is expanding AEW’s international reach.
He noted that the platform is currently available in more than 150 countries worldwide and is designed to connect with international fans. Domestically, however, AEW’s strategy remains focused on directing viewers to HBO Max for pay-per-view events, though the company still works with other providers.
Another topic that came up during the call was the future of Ring of Honor television following the promotion’s newer taping structure.
Khan said the company continues to generate strong revenue through the ROH streaming service and is still exploring potential media opportunities.
He noted that he’s particularly optimistic about new possibilities following the pending Paramount/WBD sale and said talent and staff are currently enjoying the creative environment in ROH. Khan also mentioned he’s looking forward to the next round of ROH tapings scheduled for next weekend.
Celebrity appearances in AEW were also discussed when Khan was asked whether Big Boom AJ could represent a template for future recurring celebrity involvement.
Khan praised AJ’s background in professional wrestling and noted that many fans may not realize he previously trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling.
He also highlighted the value AJ brings in attracting new viewers.
Khan added that AEW is well aware of the audience interest surrounding AJ’s appearances, particularly when Big Justice and The Rizzler accompany him, noting that people backstage enjoy having them around.
Finally, Khan was asked about the “f**k ICE” chants that occasionally break out during AEW programming, particularly during appearances by Brody King after he previously wore an “Abolish ICE” shirt on AEW television.
Khan responded by focusing on King’s standing as a performer and the authenticity AEW encourages among its roster.
“Well, Brody King is one of our top stars. I’m very excited for the Brody King versus Swerve Strickland match at AEW Revolution this Sunday,” Khan said. “Brody King has built a great reputation in the world of professional wrestling as a top star. He’s won championships here in AEW, been a multiple-time world champion here and has competed in other promotions and been associated with other media.”
Khan continued, “He is a fantastic wrestler and also, as I’ve said before, he has strong personal views. The views that Brody expresses, that’s coming from him from the heart, and one of the things about AEW is you’ll hear people be and express their really authentic self and it comes across in the wrestling… Brody has absolutely gotten a lot of attention and he’s also a great wrestler, so, I think we’ve always put the focus on the sport because it’s a wrestling league and I think the individual views of the wrestlers, it’s good for people to be able to express themselves but also it’s great that Brody has great support from the fans all over the world everywhere we’ve gone… Whether it’s the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Australia. So many places we’ve taken AEW and there’s great support for Brody everywhere we’ve been, and I’m sure there will continue to be because he’s a fantastic wrestler.”
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com on Sunday for live AEW Revolution results coverage from the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, CA.
