"I'm on Tony's side" - Jim Cornette defends AEW and Tony Khan in rare gesture

In an unusual turn of events, wrestling personality Jim Cornette has come to the defense of AEW head honcho Tony Khan in light of some negative remarks recently made by a former employee of the promotion. The latter, Jake Hager, has supposedly retired from the squared circle.

The former Jack Swagger made his All Elite Wrestling debut on the first episode of Dynamite back in 2019. The star spent most of his AEW run associated with Chris Jericho, initially as part of The Inner Circle, and later as a member of the Jericho Appreciation Society. He was last seen in action in the promotion on a February 2024 episode of Rampage, where he was defeated by Roderick Strong.

Hager's contract with All Elite Wrestling expired around May last year, and it was reported that the star decided not to re-sign. During a recent interview, the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion lashed out at Tony Khan, especially over being offered an 18-month contract during their negotiations. Jim Cornette addressed the topic on the latest edition of his Drive Thru podcast, claiming that Hager's work in AEW did not justify a more lucrative deal, and he sided with TK regarding his dealings with the wrestler.

"With Jake Hager? Here's the thing, what did he ever do? What did he ever contribute? What great Jake Hager promo was there ever given that people talk about? What great match did he have? What memorable angle was he in? He was a friend of somebody [Chris Jericho].. He got Tony Khan to sign him from the start, and he'd been there at that point for a couple of years and had done little of anything."

WWE has given up on Paul Heyman? Here's the story!

Cornette continued:

"And if, with the product that I was seeing on-screen, Jake Hager should have been happy that a billionaire wanted to offer him a contract for 18 months, because I would have said, 'Okay, we'll see you later, 'cause I'm wasting money. There's nothing here.' So, if Tony offered him anything, I'm on Tony's side on that, because my response would have been, "Why the f*** are you on this roster?" but that's just me."

AEW's Jake Hager talked about his retirement

During his recent interview on UnSKripted, former AEW star Jake Hager was asked about his retirement and whether he has any plans of returning to the squared circle in the future.

He responded by revealing that he has been noticing physiological changes that have seemingly convinced him to hang up his boots. He also ruled out a potential WWE return at next year's Royal Rumble.

"You know I am 43 right now. I feel like I am noticing changes in my body. I think it's telling me it's time to grow a moustache like Dutch and let a very beautiful woman ride it.... [On a Royal Rumble comeback] I sincerely doubt it. I don't think they like me very much... [on being asked if he meant Triple H] whoever books the Royal Rumble."

Hager's mentor, Chris Jericho, on the other hand, currently finds himself at the center of rumors of a potential jump from AEW to WWE.

If you use quotes from this article, please credit Drive Thru podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

About the author

Anurag is an AEW writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He holds a BA and MA degree in English along with a TEFL certification to teach English. Before Sportskeeda, he worked as a Content and Correspondence writer at Nayabad Titas, a theater group. He has also worked as a English language tutor.

To ensure complete accuracy, he uses internet resources, social media platforms, and especially pieces composed by his peers to find solid, verified information that he presents as objectively as possible. Thanks to his academic background, he can research different subjects thoroughly.

Anurag's interest in wrestling began as a child. He watched RAW and Smackdown frequently from age 10 or 11 and was officially hooked by the YES Movement story in WWE heading into WrestleMania 30.

As a lifelong wrestling fan and lover of stories, Anurag would read news, articles, and other content about the talent and events he enjoyed watching. His understanding of the business continued to grow with time, and his interest in the art and sport of wrestling led him to pursue a career as a writer.

Apart from writing, he loves to read books, watch movies and television programs, play and listen to music, and write poetry and fiction.

Know More

Why Brock Lesnar is in deep trouble - Check Here!

Edited by Anurag Mukherjee