3 stars Tony Khan has overpushed in AEW

AEW has a stacked roster. The Jacksonville-based promotion is home to many celebrated pro wrestling legends as well as several exciting future superstars.

Tony Khan's consistent booking is a major reason why stars like Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, and Toni Storm were able to reach new heights in their careers. Meanwhile, veterans like Sting and Bryan Danielson were fortunate enough to have a memorable final run as full-time wrestlers, thanks to the backing of the AEW President.

Managing a roster full of world-class superstars has been a headache for TK. While certain wrestlers continue to struggle for the spotlight, some others have received opportunities they did not need as much. Tony Khan's over-reliance on certain talents has certainly affected the quality of the company's product to some extent.

In this article, let's look at three superstars who have been overpushed by Tony Khan.

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#3. Mercedes Mone has been protected significantly since her AEW debut

Mercedes Mone made her AEW debut in March 2024. It did not take long for The CEO to get her first championship in the promotion, as she dethroned Willow Nightingale at Double or Nothing 2024 to become the TBS Champion.

The erstwhile Sasha Banks has been the champion for more than 370 days, having lost no singles matches during this time. Mercedes Mone has been at her dominant best throughout this reign, having defeated stars like Kris Statlander, Jamie Hayter, Harley Cameron, Athena, and many more.

Tony Khan's approach towards booking The Boss has been quite one-dimensional. The CEO has been booked as an invincible entity in the Jacksonville-based promotion, who has not appeared vulnerable in any circumstances.

Fans would have been able to relate more to Mone's character if she had dealt with a few shortcomings during her journey to the top. The former WWE star is set to challenge Toni Storm for the AEW Women's World Championship at All In: Texas, and it would not be surprising if she wins this encounter as well.

While she deserves to be featured in the main event picture, TK could have tried a lot more things with Mone's character in AEW. A few losses here and there would not have affected her momentum.

Instead, it would have given an edge to her heel persona, establishing her as an individual who keeps coming back for more gold even after her defeats. Mone's journey to the AEW Women's World Title would have been a lot more intriguing had she lost her TBS Title against Kris Statlander at Worlds End 2024.

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#2. Chris Jericho has been in the spotlight throughout his AEW career

Chris Jericho will forever be remembered for his contributions to AEW. The signing of The Le Champion helped bring legitimacy to AEW during the promotion's initial years.

Tony Khan crowned The Learning Tree as the first-ever AEW World Champion at Double or Nothing 2019. While the decision was welcomed by the All Elite Wrestling fanbase, the audience has not been too thrilled about Jericho's subsequent title reigns in the company.

In the past three years, Chris Jericho seems to have lost his mojo in the ring. The former Undisputed WWE Champion is in the twilight stage of his career, and the quality of his in-ring performances has dwindled significantly.

The Learning Tree was once known for its ability to reinvent itself by adopting new and exciting gimmicks. However, Jericho's recent character changes have failed to impress the audience.

Despite being past his prime, Chris Jericho has continued to be pushed heavily by All Elite Wrestling. In the past few years, Jericho has won numerous major titles, including the FTW Championship and the ROH World Championship.

The Lionheart has scored victories over Hook, Mark Briscoe, Bandido, and many other stars who could have benefited from a win over Jericho. While the veteran did lose to these stars later, the 50-50 booking did not do any favors to either side.

Fans have expressed their frustrations about Jericho receiving excessive television time on a weekly basis on several occasions. The AEW audience would hope to see a change in Jericho's booking once The Learning Tree returns from his current hiatus.

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#1. Cope has been pushed heavily in AEW

Cope arrived in AEW at WrestleDream 2023. The Rated-R Superstar immediately inserted himself into a feud with Christian Cage, which led him to win the TNT Championship twice.

The Patriarch was at the peak of his popularity during this period. Losing to his longtime best friend did affect his credibility to a certain extent.

After winning the TNT Title, The Ultimate Opportunist introduced the "Cope Open," which saw him score victories over stars like Kyle O'Reilly, Penta El Zero Miedo, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews. Following his wins over so many young talents, Cope could have concluded his title reign in a satisfying way by losing to Malakai Black at Double or Nothing 2024.

However, Cope came out on top in this bout as well, doing irreparable damage to Black's legitimacy. Following his return from injury, The Rated-R Superstar was immediately inserted into a feud with Jon Moxley.

The Ultimate Opportunist's feud with The One True King exposed his limitations in the ring. Cope's feud with Jon Moxley was underwhelming, making the fans question why Tony Khan rewarded him with so many title opportunities.

At the age of 51, The Master Manipulator does not need any championships to stay relevant. Instead, Tony Khan should look to pit the veteran against younger stars and allow him to pass the torch to the next generation.

The Ultimate Opportunist has already spent a considerable amount of time in his career in the main event scene. It is high time that Cope took a backseat and allowed the future assets of All Elite Wrestling to seize their opportunities.