During a recent media call promoting the upcoming AEW All In: Texas pay-per-view, AEW President Tony Khan addressed swirling rumors about Mercedes Moné’s backstage influence — specifically, speculation that the TBS Champion holds creative control over her booking in the company.
Khan firmly denied those claims, making it clear that he remains the sole authority behind AEW’s creative direction.
“That’s definitely not true at all,” Khan stated. “Mercedes Moné is an incredible talent. I’ve wanted her in AEW for a long time, and she’s been a major star since arriving. She’s done great work for the company both on-screen and in the media. But the idea that she’s dictating creative decisions is completely false. That’s the opposite of how things operate here.”
Khan went on to emphasize that he has had final say over AEW creative since the company’s inception in 2019 — and especially highlighted the consistency and strength of the promotion’s current programming.
“I’m the only person with creative control over the show,” Khan continued. “I’ve had the final say since day one of AEW. We’ve been on our best run of television ever in the last six months of 2025. It’s been a great year for the company, and I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”
Khan also took time to praise both Mercedes Moné and her upcoming opponent Toni Storm, calling them “two of the best wrestlers on the planet” and confirming he works closely with both on their creative direction.
“I meet with Mercedes and Toni every single week — often multiple times — to exchange ideas,” Khan said. “They hear me out, I hear them out. For Mercedes, she works closely with Jen Pepperman, someone she has a long-standing relationship with. And I collaborate with both of them. For Toni, I brought in RJ City to help shape things. But when it comes to final decisions on character direction, promos, storylines — I’m very hands-on, and I have the final say.”
As All In: Texas approaches, Mercedes Moné vs. Toni Storm is shaping up to be one of the event’s marquee matchups — and Khan made it clear that while talent collaboration is welcome, the creative vision of AEW remains firmly under his leadership.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for continued coverage of AEW All In: Texas, exclusive backstage updates, and all things AEW.
