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Former WWE Superstar Mercedes Martinez recently voiced her opinion on the major differences between Tony Khan's AEW and WWE.
After a short NXT stint in 2017, Mercedes debuted in AEW as the joker in Casino Battle Royale at All Out 2019. Later that year, she wrestled on Dark before returning to WWE. She was again released in August 2021, following which she wrestled for IMPACT Wrestling and eventually returned to All Elite Wrestling in December.
Speaking on The Complex Unsanctioned podcast, Martinez opened up about the accessibility of Tony Khan that marks a major difference between WWE and the Jacksonville-based promotion:
"I can text him(Tony), I can message him whenever I want. If I have ideas or anything, he’s as accessible as he can be. That’s a big difference going from WWE to here."
The 22-year veteran further praised the AEW Boss for allowing creative freedom to her in the promotion.
"He’s the boss, he’s the man, he’s the one that makes the decisions, and the fact that he listens to you and your concerns and whatever you have for creative, [it’s great]. I love that creative freedom you have to tell your story where you see fit." (H/T: Wrestling Inc)
Many veterans have praised Tony Khan for treating the wrestlers well
AEW President Tony Khan has earned the respect of several industry veterans. Wrestlers often praise him for being respectful and supportive of their respective concerns. As the co-owner of Fulham Football Club, Tony's vast experience managing athletes has also helped him supervise the AEW roster well.
AEW star Frankie Kazarian is one of several veterans to laud Tony's role in the company. Speaking on GAW TV, he praised the AEW President for taking care of the roster:
"We are treated very much like athletes. We are not just cogs on the wheel. They realize that the athletes are the lifeblood so the way they take care of us medically, the way they take care of us in terms of travel, the way they take care of us in terms of checking in on our mental health." (Read more here)
Tony Khan has successfully led AEW to achieve greater heights since its advent in 2019. With the acquisition of Ring of Honor, the 39-year-old has been handling two wrestling promotions brimming with top-notch talent. It will be interesting to see how he elevates the two companies further in the future.
