The ongoing saga of verbal clashes between AEW CEO Tony Khan and WWE is turning into one of wrestling’s most talked-about rivalries. Khan’s unrelenting willingness to take aim at the company, its top brass, and even legendary figures like John Cena and The Undertaker is sending shockwaves through the wrestling world.
The latest chapter in this ongoing drama unfolded during this week’s Tuesday night wrestling clash when AEW Dynamite’s “Title Tuesday” went head-to-head with WWE’s NXT. WWE brought out some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Cena, The Undertaker, Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, Paul Heyman, and Asuka, in an effort to counter AEW’s show and Adam Copeland’s in-ring debut.
Leading up to this clash, Khan made a bold move, retweeting a tweet from Haus of Wrestling titled “Triple H & Shawn Michaels Look to Send Tony Khan A Message” and adding the words “bald assholes” to the image. The tweet seemed to target Paul Levesque (Triple H) and Shawn Michaels, who were involved in assembling WWE’s rival show.
Khan also didn’t shy away from taking swipes at the WWE juggernaut and its leadership. In response to a tweet comparing him to Vince McMahon, Khan retorted with, “Yes. Vince has allegedly used his power and influence to shoot a lot of shots.” This comment highlighted the unending tension between the two wrestling giants.
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Not stopping there, Khan took direct shots at two WWE legends, John Cena and The Undertaker, insinuating that their recent appearance on NXT was a significant departure from their typical viewership numbers. He stated, “This week, 2 active decades-long ratings streaks from 2 great legends were ended. With all due respect, until this week’s head-to-head AEW on TBS vs. WWE in the USA, neither John Cena nor Undertaker had even been on a WWE show with under one million total viewers and under 400,000 in the demo.”
Perhaps one of the most poignant moments in this feud was Khan’s accusation that WWE had used his personal hardships to tempt AEW talents to break their contracts. In an emotional tweet, Khan revealed, “This weekend marks 1 year since @MayoClinic saved my mom’s life. During her ordeal many AEW talent came to me alleging WWE tampering, inducing them to break their contracts. I’ll never forget these phone calls at her side in the hospital; it’s when business became personal for me.”
As the war of words and bold statements continues to escalate, Tony Khan and AEW seem to be gearing up for their next clash with WWE. AEW Rampage is slated to go head-to-head with WWE SmackDown on November 17, 2023. The wrestling world is eagerly watching this battle of giants, as verbal sparring intensifies and fans brace for the next round in this enthralling, larger-than-life rivalry.
