New details have surfaced regarding just how competitive the bidding process was when WWE explored a potential sale in 2023.
Fresh reporting on Thursday has revealed that AEW President Tony Khan was among those who made an attempt to purchase WWE during that process.
The information comes from Brandon Thurston of Post Wrestling, who cited newly unredacted documents tied to the ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit.
The case is currently examining the sale process that ultimately resulted in TKO Group Holdings acquiring the company.
According to the filings, several interested parties were involved, including TKO, Liberty Media, KKR, and a previously unidentified entity known as Base 10.
While Khan is not directly named in the documents, the description of one bidder points strongly in his direction.
The filing references “the owner of All Elite Wrestling, a professional wrestling promotion that plainly would enjoy significant synergies with WWE.”
That line quickly caught attention.
Based on analysis of the financial figures included in the documents, Thurston concluded that the AEW-linked bid came in at approximately $6.9 billion, making it the lowest of the known offers.
For comparison, Endeavor led the pack with a bid of $8.5 billion, while Liberty Media’s offer ranged between $8.5 billion and $8.9 billion. KKR was also firmly in the mix, with a bid estimated between $8 billion and $8.7 billion.
Ultimately, it was Endeavor’s deal that paved the way for the formation of TKO Group Holdings and the merger of WWE with UFC under one corporate umbrella.
LIES. What a load of crap. Tell your agent Nick Khan to shove it up his ass
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) May 2, 2023
