“That’s so stupid”- Tony Khan buried AEW Day 1 female stars during a recent press meet, says ex-WWE writer

Tony Khan has built an impressive roster in AEW over the past few years, but it all began with the company’s foundational stars who helped establish its legacy. However, former WWE writer Vince Russo recently claimed that Khan publicly buried his day-one female roster during the post-AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Media Scrum.

The AEW women’s division was initially built around stars like Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, and Nyla Rose. Along with several others, they laid the foundation for a locker room that has since grown into one of the most talented in all of professional wrestling. However, during the post-Forbidden Door Media Scrum, Tony Khan claimed that the company's current women's roster is 10 times better than what it was initially.

Speaking on Vince Russo's The Brand, the former WWE writer called Tony Khan's comment disdainful of the women who have been associated with All Elite Wrestling since 2019. Russo believes that it was an unwise choice of words for the AEW President to use at a press conference.

“Oh my God! Is that not a knock on the girls that [SIC] were there at the beginning of the [AEW]? Why would he say that? That’s so stupid!" he said.

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Check out Russo's full comments below:

Vince Russo claims Tony Khan pays promotions to put titles on Mercedes Mone

At the post-AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Media Scrum, Tony Khan highlighted that Mercedes Mone holds nine titles from promotions around the world. However, Vince Russo cast doubt on the accomplishment with a serious claim of his own.

On the same episode of Vince Russo's The Brand, the former WWE writer strongly expressed a belief that Tony Khan pays money to different promotions for allowing Mone to carry their championships. These comments suggested that Russo might not be on board with boasting this as a feat for AEW.

“Oh, yeah, bro. I guarantee you, I’m not bullshi*ing you. I would not be surprised if he was giving a promotion a 100 grand to put their title on her [Mone]. I would not be at all surprised.”

That said, Khan has positioned Mercedes Mone as the center of AEW’s women’s division. Her nine-title collection across promotions elevates her status as one of the greatest of all time, a distinction that significantly benefits All Elite Wrestling.

Please credit Vince Russo's The Brand and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you take quotes from this article.

About the author

Anugrah Tyagi is an AEW writer at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, his academic background is rooted in business. However, his true passion has always been storytelling, especially the kind of tales that unfold in the world of professional wrestling. Writing gave him a way to channel that passion, and soon it turned into his profession. He has been working as a sports journalist for over two years. During this time, he has contributed to multiple prominent sports media outlets.

He first got into pro wrestling in 2014, during the unforgettable Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority storyline in WWE. As a journalist, accuracy and integrity are non-negotiable for Anugrah. He always verifies facts through credible sources before publishing anything. Whether it’s breaking news or analysis, he double-checks details. He has written over 2000 articles so far, with one of his pieces drawing a positive reaction from NXT's Thea Hail.

Anugrah's favorite wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's work ethic, resilience, and unwavering dedication to his craft. If he could travel back to the Attitude Era, he would have loved to manage Chris Jericho. Anugrah feels Y2J was the perfect mix of charisma, rebellion, and in-ring talent in WWE. He would have helped the multi-time world champion scale new heights.

When not watching or writing about pro wrestling, Anugrah likes diving into movies and TV shows, especially ones with strong storytelling. He's also into calisthenics; it's his way of staying grounded and pushing his limits. Anugrah also enjoys reading books and solving puzzles that challenge his thinking ability.

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Edited by Yash Mittal