AEW President and CEO Tony Khan spoke with Who’s The Champ about several topics, including his experience bringing back “The Icon” Sting and his contributions to the company.
Khan said, “Oh, it was an amazing, amazing thing. It was at Winter is Coming in 2020. That Sting returned to AEW and Sting had a phenomenal run. His first match back in many years was at Revolution 2021, teaming up with Darby Allin. And then Sting and Darby teamed up for three years from Revolution ’21 to Revolution 2024. And Sting had a three-year run, undefeated the entire time he wrestled in AEW. He won every match teaming up with Darby. They were an incredible team. They were the great World Tag Team Champions. And Sting was such a positive influence. He was great to everybody in the backstage. He was really a great mentor to the wrestlers. He’s such a great leader in the locker room. And the fans love Sting all over the world. So, we had people coming into AEW and watching AEW all over the world to see the legendary Sting. And we made so many new fans thanks to him. And with Darby Allin, now he is the world champion. So Sting’s mentorship and leadership certainly helped Darby as well. Darby was already a top star. He was the TNT champion, and then he really leveled up to become the top star in the world. First world tag team champions was staying, now the world champion. Darby worked so hard. We’re all so proud of him. And I think the person proudest of Darby is Sting.”
On the importance of Chris Jericho to him:
“Well, Chris Jericho is one of the most important people ever in AEW. I think it was so important to creating AEW to have Chris Jericho in All Elite Wrestling. He was the first-ever AEW World Champion and a dominant force from the beginning of AEW. And Chris’s star power, his huge name, his leadership. Chris really helped us launch AEW from the very beginning, and he’s still competing at a high level. We’ve seen Chris come back, and he is wrestling at a top level. He looks phenomenal. He’s such a great star. So, to have Chris Jericho in AEW has been very important to us from the very beginning and to this day. Chris Jericho will be there tonight, and I’m really excited to have Chris Jericho back in AEW. He’s a great wrestler, and he’s very important to the history of All Elite wrestling.”
On how The Elite were instrumental in AEW’s creation:
“Oh, absolutely. The Elite are instrumental in the launch of AEW from the very beginning. And to have these great stars competing in AW to this day uh and making huge huge impact and also being uh legends in this promotion now with multiple championship wins and some of the greatest memories in AW involve the elite and to have the Young Bucks hangman Adam Paige and Kenny Omega that have been a huge part of AW for many many years uh and continue to be very involved and instrumental in this company. We’re very fortunate that they were available and I’m so glad that the box hangman, Adam Paige, Kenny Omega shave been a big part of AEW for many years.”
You can check out the complete podcast in the video below.
(H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes)
