Tony Khan is publicly responding after reports surfaced claiming people inside WWE have been questioning AEW’s long-term television future behind the scenes.
During the post-show media scrum following ROH Supercard of Honor, Khan directly addressed the situation and made it clear he believes the internal WWE narrative about AEW’s next media rights deal is completely false. Khan reacted to the recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter report claiming some WWE officials have been privately talking as if AEW may struggle to secure another major television deal once its current agreement expires at the end of 2027.
“I saw a report today that somebody in WWE is telling people within WWE talking about AEW’s next TV deal, and talking about what we’re doing. And I was surprised by that, and all I’ll say is what they said could not be further from the truth.”
Khan also suggested he has intentionally tried to handle the relationship between WWE and AEW differently in recent years, despite the latest comments allegedly being spread internally.
“They’re entitled to their opinions. I’ve been trying to be respectful to them and try to conduct myself as a gentleman, and then for them to go on background and spread these things… I’ll just turn the other cheek. And maybe a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have done it like that.”
The original report from Dave Meltzer stated that several WWE sources have been discussing uncertainty surrounding AEW’s future media rights situation, especially once the Paramount/Skydance merger becomes finalized. One WWE source allegedly claimed people at “the highest levels” inside WWE are already speaking as if AEW will not land another major deal.
However, the report also acknowledged that similar rumors circulated heavily before AEW’s previous media rights negotiations, only for the company to ultimately secure a significant increase on its last agreement.
Meltzer additionally noted that AEW still performs strongly in key demographics, generates solid pay-per-view revenue, and remains far less expensive than UFC from a television rights perspective.
For now, Khan appears confident about AEW’s future despite the growing speculation and backstage chatter coming from WWE circles.
Do you think WWE officials are genuinely concerned about AEW’s future TV situation, or is this just another chapter in the ongoing war between the two companies? Drop your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.