"Tony Khan isn't afraid to disrupt"- 41-year-old star opens about the differences between WWE and AEW

A top star just highlighted the big differences between WWE and AEW. She also commented about Tony Khan.

Taya Valkyrie has been part of the AEW roster since 2023. For the past two years, she has been a regular feature on AEW Collision and ROH TV. Before arriving in the Jacksonville-based promotion, she wrestled for WWE in 2021. Given that she has been part of both companies' locker rooms, she is best equipped to compare both promotions.

Speaking on Women's Wrestling Talk, Taya Valkyrie said that AEW is a disruptor that "shook the cage" a little bit and made people view professional wrestling from a different perspective.

“Here’s the thing: AEW to me is the disruptor. They came in and shook the cage a little bit, making people see pro wrestling from a different perspective. They brought in talent who were thriving internationally, in the Indies, and from around the world. We’re grittier, we’re not afraid to take risks, and Tony (Khan) isn’t afraid to disrupt. That makes wrestling fun and keeps it interesting,” she said. [H/T Fightful]

Tony Khan commented on Beth Copeland's AEW debut

At AEW All Out 2025, Adam Copeland teamed with Christian Cage to face FTR. Both teams put on a stellar contest. Fans were in for a pleasant surprise when Beth Copeland showed up to help her husband's team during the match.

Speaking to the Sportster, Tony Khan said that he was excited to have The Glamazon at All Out 2025.

“She was fantastic … I was excited to have her be a part of this event. I was excited to have her celebrate such a great night for her family. What should have been a great moment for Adam Copeland to celebrate with his wife and for the Copeland family, I was so happy to have Beth Copeland there. I was really glad she participated in AEW All Out,” said Tony Khan [H/T Ringside]

It will be interesting to see if Beth Copeland will continue to make more appearances in AEW.

About the author

Sunil is a pro wrestling journalist, covering AEW and WWE news stories at Sportskeeda. He holds an MBA degree in Marketing, and has nearly 7 years of experience. A wrestling aficionado since childhood, Sunil used to imitate his favorite wrestlers as a young kid, and started writing professionally about the sport via Sportskeeda’s revenue-sharing opportunity.

Sunil admires former world champions AJ Styles, Will Ospreay, and Kenny Omega for their ability to consistently deliver great matches as well as entertain crowds with their mic skills.

If ever given a chance to change a storyline, Sunil would have booked Roman Reigns to end The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak instead of Brock Lesnar. According to him, The Tribal Chief needed the victory more than Brock Lesnar, as the latter was already an established performer when he defeated ‘Taker. He would’ve also made that as Taker’s final match.

Always focused on making his work accurate and reliable, Sunil thoroughly checks his facts before writing his articles. When not writing for pro wrestling, he spends his time watching cricket.

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Edited by Sunil Joseph