WWE Hall of Famer D-Von Dudley has added his voice to the growing debate about the hierarchy of professional wrestling, stating that TNA Wrestling has a legitimate path to reclaiming its position as the world’s number two promotion.
Speaking in a new interview with Pro Wrestling Culture, D-Von was asked directly whether TNA could overtake All Elite Wrestling behind WWE. His answer was unequivocal. “Absolutely, I think they can be number two.”
D-Von was careful to clarify that his comments were not meant as a knock on AEW itself, but rather as a critique of its internal structure—specifically at the executive level. According to D-Von, AEW President Tony Khan lacks a crucial element that successful wrestling organizations require: strong voices willing to challenge leadership. “I’m not knocking AEW,” D-Von explained. “Tony Khan didn’t have somebody in his face telling him yes and no to things that aren’t good and yes to things that are good. He has a lot of yes people in his company that tell him what he wants to hear, and you can’t do that.”
Drawing on his experience in WWE, D-Von compared Khan’s situation to that of Vince McMahon. While McMahon also had plenty of agreeable subordinates, D-Von noted that he surrounded himself with trusted figures who weren’t afraid to push back creatively—most notably Pat Patterson. “Vince McMahon had a lot of yes people, but he had real people in his life to help him—like Pat Patterson. If Pat didn’t like it, he would tell Vince. He had that type of relationship with him.”
D-Von emphasized that the race for the number two spot in wrestling is far from settled. In his view, AEW still has the resources and talent to remain competitive, but meaningful changes would need to be made behind the scenes. “If Tony can get the help that he needs to help run that company, create better stories, or put more emphasis on the storylines, I think it’ll be a hard fight who would be number two—either TNA or AEW.”
With TNA gaining momentum through expanded television exposure and renewed buzz, and AEW facing increasing scrutiny over creative direction, D-Von’s comments reflect a broader industry belief: the battle for wrestling’s silver medal is very much still up for grabs.
