Tony Khan was visibly ''shaken up" just before AEW All In 2025, says expert

A wrestling expert recently commented on an incident that occurred ahead of AEW All In 2025, a situation that, in his words, visibly rattled Tony Khan.

At the AEW All In Texas Zero Hour, fans were informed that Adam Cole would not be able to compete at the PPV due to an undisclosed health reason. The Panama City Playboy had to vacate the AEW TNT Championship that he was scheduled to defend at the event against Kyle Fletcher.

Recently, on Wrestling Observer Radio, veteran journalist Dave Meltzer weighed in on Cole's last-minute exclusion from the show, stating that the former WWE Superstar's health concern was unexpected to the point that there were no indications up until Friday night, the night before All In Texas. He also mentioned that the development shook up both the wrestler and Tony Khan.

“Tony’s reaction, as best I could tell, was—he was really shaken up. And Adam was shaken up. You could tell from the interview. I think what he said was that he doesn’t want to make a rash decision or anything, but it was a scary situation,” he said. [H/T: Ringside News]

Check out Adam Cole's heartfelt message to fans at All In Texas below:

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Adam Cole sent a heartfelt message after AEW All In 2025

Ever since the news around Adam Cole's exclusion from All In due to health concerns broke out, rumors around him retiring from in-ring competition have been circulating online. Amid these rumors, The Panama City Playboy took to Instagram to share an emotional message with his supporters.

"Thank you all so much. Your support in not only the good times but [also] the bad times means more than I could ever explain. I love you all. Always," he wrote.

Check out his Instagram post below:

It is worth noting that Cole had himself fueled retirement speculations when he came out to the ring at All In to address the crowd ahead of the replacement four-way match for the vacated TNT Title. The 36-year-old said that this could be the last time he's addressing fans as a professional wrestler.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Yash Mittal