Swerve Strickland recently spoke highly of Tony Khan and the structure of All Elite Wrestling during an appearance on Baller Talk.
Strickland described Khan as a “player’s booker” who manages the AEW roster in a way similar to a professional sports team.
The AEW star also weighed in on the long-standing discussion about pay differences between AEW and WWE. According to Strickland, AEW’s financial structure is currently more favorable for many performers. “AEW by far,” Strickland said when asked which company pays better. “Cause it’s guaranteed, and they got their select few up top that like top, top, top.”
Strickland noted that WWE historically had a pyramid-style pay structure with a few top earners, but he believes that hierarchy has been changing as several long-time headliners step away from full-time competition. He specifically mentioned stars such as John Cena and AJ Styles when discussing those shifts.
He went on to compare AEW’s backstage environment to a professional sports franchise, something he attributes to Khan’s experience outside wrestling.
In addition to leading AEW, Khan is involved with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C.. Strickland said that influence is reflected in how the promotion organizes its talent. “He treats the roster like athletes,” Strickland explained. “There’s player coaches, there’s organization, there’s system coaches. It’s like a scheme on a football team.”
Strickland added that he and Khan work well together because Khan understands how to position him effectively within the company. “He knows my strengths. He knows where I belong. He knows how to utilize all his players in the right way.”
Strickland also pointed to AEW’s rapid growth since its launch in 2019, highlighting major milestones such as the company drawing more than 80,000 fans for its stadium event at Wembley Stadium as proof that the promotion’s system is working. “We’re only in year seven of the company,” Strickland said. “We did 80,000 seats in Wembley Stadium and we filled it.”
