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Tony Khan, president and CEO of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), finds himself in hot water. Its following a wave of bad press generated by comments made by CM Punk (a wrestler whose high-profile signing with AEW was supposed to be a game-changer).
However, Philip Jack Brooks is no longer with AEW. He was fired by Tony Khan following a backstage altercation with Jack Perry and comments he made during a media scrum.
Now, Khan faces a double-whammy. Roman Reigns, the reigning champion and one of WWE’s top stars, has thrown verbal shots at a former AEW wrestler now with WWE. This further intensifies the rivalry between the two wrestling giants—WWE and AEW.
CM Punk Criticizes AEW CEO Tony Khan’s Leadership
During an interview with Ariel Helwani onThe MMA Hour,CM Punkdidn’t hold back on his feelings regarding his time with AEW and its CEO, Tony Khan. Punk confirmed their last conversation occurred way back at All In, a pre-AEW event.
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When asked about working for Khan, Punk’s response was far from complimentary. His comments about Khan’s leadership style raise concerns about the internal dynamics of AEW.
“I don’t like the drama but the truth is the truth. He’s not a boss, he’s a nice guy. That’s a detriment to the company [AEW] but it’s not my company.”
Now, the CEO is in a tough spot as he’s got to deal with the fallout from Punk’s comments. To make matters worse,Roman Reignshas also targetedCody Rhodes, a wrestler who made a big switch from AEW to WWE.
Tony Khan Faces Dual Crisis as Roman Reigns Targets Cody Rhodes
The verbal battle between WWE and AEW is getting hotter by the day! During yesterday’s WWE Raw (August 13, 2025), Roman Reigns went on a verbal rampage targeting Cody Rhodes.
Reigns took a jab at Rhodes’ stint in AEW, implying it wasn’t as significant as his WWE run. He stated that while“we”(referring to WWE) were reviving professional wrestling in 2020, the 38-year-old was“off somewhere doing a whole lot of nothing.”
This is a clear shot at AEW, downplaying their talent pool and impact on the industry. Rhodes was with AEW from its formation in 2019 to his departure in February 2022.
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The Tribal Chief’s remarks are bound to provoke a response from The American Nightmare and possibly AEW as a whole. How will AEW react to WWE’s attempt to undermine their impact? The wrestling community is on edge, waiting to see how this drama unfolds.
But his comments have added an extra spark of tension to their WrestleMania showdown. It’s no longer just a battle for the title; it’s become a contest for bragging rights and to determine which wrestling brand reigns supreme in the industry.
Shreya Jha
Articles Published :1042
Meet Shreya, FandomWire’s go-to Pop-Culture Writer. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and a pop culture obsession that rivals even the most die-hard ‘Star Wars’ and Marvel fans.Her articles have been published in Animated Times, Creator Mail, and The Luxxe Mag. When Shreya’s not busy dishing out hot takes, she is lost in the world of rom-coms.
