Tony Khan has long touted All Elite Wrestling’s status as a “challenger brand.”
So if AEW is the “Pepsi” of professional wrestling, that would make the much more established WWE the industry’s Coca Cola, right?
Apparently not.
On Friday, the AEW owner and president appeared on the NFL Network, where he continued to sell the kayfabe neck injury he suffered in the ring on Wednesday night. And while discussing his pro wrestling promotion, the Jacksonville Jaguars chief football strategy officer went back to his soda analogy, only to pivot to a crude comparison regarding AEW’s biggest rival.
“We’re up against a really evil juggernaut,” Khan told Mike Garafolo and Steve Wyche. “WWE is our competitor. That’s who we’re facing. AEW’s like the Pepsi of pro wrestling, WWE’s like the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling.”
Tony Khan had quite the lines in a NFL Network interview, while wearing his neck brace. “We’re up against a really evil juggernaut. WWE is our competitor. That’s who we’re facing. AEW’s like the Pepsi of pro wrestling, WWE’s like the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling.” pic.twitter.com/Sxx1MRIV9b
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 26, 2024
Well then.
While the disgraced Hollywood executive has certainly become synonymous with evil, that likely isn’t the only reason that Khan chose to invoke his name in order to take a shot at WWE. In January, WWE founder and chairman Vince McMahon resigned from his role with parent company TKO Group Holdings following a lawsuit accusing him of sexual misconduct, including abuse and trafficking (a federal investigation is also reportedly underway).
Since starting AEW five years ago, Khan has never been shy to take shots at WWE. And the past few weeks have been especially contentious between the rival promotions. Ahead of WWE’s annual WrestleMania event, WWE superstar CM Punk took shots at Khan regarding his time in AEW during an appearance on The MMA Hour, with Khan responding by airing the backstage footage of the real-life altercation between Punk and wrestler Jack Perry, which resulted in Punk being fired for cause.
In the world of pro wrestling, it can often be difficult to tell the difference between reality and fiction — look no further than Khan’s neck brace. But when it comes to how Khan truly feels about WWE, there’s no need to debate whether it’s a work or a shoot.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.