Tony Khan has responded to comments by Triple H, refusing to let his promotion play second fiddle to the WWE.
The AEW President has run the company since AEW was founded in 2019, turning it into one of the most popular wrestling promotions in the world.
Tony Khan mentioned how AEW “Won’t Be The Secondary Promotion At All In”, in response to Triple H calling AEW a “secondary promotion”.
The Game was quoted in the documentary American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes “didn’t grow up dreaming of being the champion of a secondary promotion”.
This was in reference to Cody Rhodes leaving AEW in 2022, going back to the WWE and re-debut at WrestleMania 38 against Seth Rollins.
Tony Khan fired back at the comments, as well as getting in a promotion for “All In”, AEW’s debut in the UK later this month.
The AEW President shot back at Triple H, claiming AEW “Won’t Be The Secondary Promotion At All In”, iterating that his company are “not secondary in a lot of markets” – mainly the United Kingdom.
Speaking to The Orlando Sentinel, Tony Khan said:
“We certainly won’t be the secondary promotion at All In,” he said. “We’re No. 1 in the UK, on TV and with a record gate. I have a lot of respect for Cody. I know these weren’t his words, to be fair, but we’re not secondary in a lot of markets — for the first time in a long time, WWE has been secondary in a lot of markets. … I’m proud of where we’re at and we’re not taking a back seat to anybody.”
AEW are set to have their first ever UK show on August 27th, 2023. They will host AEW All In at Wembley Stadium, the first wrestling show to take place there since Summerslam 1992.
The event has already sold 70,000 tickets, with more expected once matches are announced for the event.
That certainly doesn’t sound “secondary” to me.