As the owner ofAll Elite Wrestling,Tony Khanis a polarizing figure who nonethelesshas transformedsports entertainment. Creating a popular alternative for fans of the business, AEW’s rise over the last five years has gone from Pay-Per-View events to weekly television shows to, beginning this earlier year, a streaming simulcast on Max. The growing prominence of AEW accompaniesa rising tide of wrestling’s popularity, and the company is kicking off 2025 with their first PPV event this weekend withAEW Revolutiontaking place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles (where the Lakers play, not the Clippers).Revolutionis one of AEW’s four core major events and has consistently delivered big moments in the company’s history. The latest card featuresa long-awaited grudge match for the AEW World Championship, with titleholderJon Moxleytaking on the Rated R SuperstarAdam Copeland.
Ahead ofRevolution, Collider sat down with Khan to speak about everything from the missingDarby Allinand his quest to climb Mount Everest, the controversialDeath Ridersstoryline, and even a potential crossover withTim RobinsonofI Think You Should Leave.
The Rise (and Fall?) of the Death Riders
COLLIDER: The big thing right now isRevolution, which is one of your flagship Pay-Per-View. It’s the sixth one that you’ve had, which is crazy to say. And you’re headlining with a pretty big match with Jon Moxley and Cope. I wanted to ask you how this match sets the stage for what you guys are doing for the year, because this is your first big PPV of 2025.
TONY KHAN: Absolutely. It’s been a great 2025 so far. We started the year with something so new and so important with the first ever wrestling simulcast to have all the AEW shows streaming (on Max) and this year has been fantastic. I think the shows have been excellent. Dynamite every week and Collision every week, we’ve really delivered. And I think we’ve started 2025 in a very strong way.One of the biggest TV events in AEW’s history was Grand Slam Australia in Brisbane, and we saw the fans in Australia were so excited to have Adam Copeland, the Rated R Superstar, return to their country. That was a major event for us and Adam Copeland has been such a great star and a leader for AEW since he arrived here.
Jon Moxley’s one of the most important wrestlers ever in AEW. He’s been a part of the company since our very first show, and he is one of the most decorated champions in the history of professional wrestling, and he is the AEW champion. I think that Mox versus Cope is a huge match for Revolution. AndI believe that this rivalry has gotten so intense, this is just going to be a fantastic fight.
2025 is such an important year for AEW. We started doing something new and essential to our business with the launch of AEW on Max, streaming every week. We’ve been doing great shows, and we’re continuing to do great shows every week on TBS on Wednesdays and TNT on Saturdays. But I think it’s really important for the future of AEW and in the changing sports media landscape that we have such a strong presence now every week on Max. And it’s been a great start to 2025, and I think that Mox versus Cope is a massive world championship match for AEW Revolution. Either man and both men represent great champions, and either one would be a great face for AEW. They’re both two of the greatest stars in pro wrestling.
COLLIDER: That kind of brings me to my next question, because the Internet has — I mean,the Internet, you know, it’s whatever — they have criticisms of the Death Riders storyline and Moxley. I’ve been in the arena, and I’ve feltthe heatthat the Death Riders draw. So I just wonder how that affects you because, knowing the crowd reaction and then hearing the chatter online, does any of that affect how you navigate the storyline that you are really dedicated to telling, that began with, basically, the onscreen death of Bryan Danielson?
KHAN: Well, absolutely, the Death Riders are very formidable villains in AEW and what’s been notable is that they have teamed up to take out so many top stars along the way, including first and foremost, the former AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson. Amidst all the destruction caused by the Death Riders, we’ve seen them function so well as a unit, and it wasn’t until Adam Copeland, the Rated R Superstar, returned to AEW and set his sights on stopping the Death Riders that the AEW fan favorites have turned the tide against the Death Riders and, working together, they’ve been able to take out the people who’ve helped protect Jon Moxley.
One by one, we sawPACandClaudio CastignoliandMarina Shafirall taken down by a combination of the AEW wrestlers working together, and a smart tactician in Adam Copeland taking advantage of the opportunities when they presented themselves to eliminate the Death Riders and give himself the best chance now that anybody has had to beat Jon Moxley because he has the potential to make this a real one-on-one wrestling match. Moxley versus Copeland. It remains to be seen what’s going to happen this Sunday at Revolution, but the stage is set for a huge World Championship match and a very exciting event.
AEW’s Rise in 2025
COLLIDER: Mariah [May] came in with a lot of pomp and circumstance and immediately was thrown into a great program with Toni Storm in a very clear trajectory to the top where she just took the ball and ran with it and is still running with it. We’ve also seen Ricochet come in and very quickly turn the audience’s expectations on its heels and doing some of the craziest work that we’ve come to expect from a character like his. Is there someone on your roster that you’re able to point out that we should be keeping our eye on in 2025?
KHAN: That’s a great question. We’ve had stars arrive in AEW and make a lot of noise. We’ve had great free agents. We’ve had stars that have been a part of our roster for years that have risen to prominence. I think in 2025 we’ll continue to be active, signing top stars from around the world and bringing exciting, new wrestlers into AEW. It’s a great time for the company and our fans. And absolutely, we’re always looking to bring in the best talent, whether it’s stars from here in America, or international stars, and bring them here to AEW, because AEW is where the best wrestle. And I think the quality of this roster and so many great wrestlers, top to bottom, in AEW right now and represented this Sunday at AEW Revolution, it really shows the strength of the company.
COLLIDER: Is there anyone on the roster, though, like right now, that you can say, “Watch out for that person?” Anyone?
KHAN: Ah, it’s a tough question.
COLLIDER: I ask the tough questions here, man.
You really do, it’s good stuff, man. I’m glad you didn’t get this in on the media call, you would have stumped me yesterday. Well, without giving too much away, I think, what you just said; Ricochet has arrived in AEW, and what he’s been able to do is incredible. I think Ricochet has impressed fans all over the world. People knew Ricochet was one of the best athletes in wrestling.Practically, nobody would try to dispute what a wrestling talent Ricochet is.Let me rephrase that: nobody would try to dispute that Ricochet is a great wrestling talent. I think his skills in the ring are impeccable, and he’s been recognized in wrestling for being an incredible physical talent.
He also has an amazing mind for wrestling, which has helped him put great matches together over the years. But now we’ve seen a different side of Ricochet. Nobody expected — no, let me go back, I won’t say “Nobody expected this.” It was unexpected to a lot of fans who had seen Ricochet as a fan favorite. People didn’t realize he had such a dark side that he’s been able to embrace, and I think Ricochet has become one of the most engaging, fascinating characters on AEW television. Yeah. So I definitely think Ricochet in 2025 and beyond is one of the top wrestlers to watch out for. [Both] in AEW and in all of professional wrestling.
Where Are the Young Bucks, Darby Allin, and Bryan Danielson?
I got to ask though you know, you’re doing a show in Crypto.com Arena, the home of the [Los Angeles] Clippers. How can you book a show like that without the Young Bucks?
That’s not the home of the Clippers, my friend. Crypto is the Lakers.
[Editors Note: The LA Clippers moved playing from Crypto.com to the newly opened Intuit Dome before the ‘24-’25 NBA season.]
I’m bad. I was gonna ask you how you can book a show in the home of the Clippers without the Bucks being there, but now I know exactly why because that’s the Lakers’ home. Sorry, that’s on me for being a shitty journalist. I apologize.
Not at all, not at all. But that was what was going on there. It’s the big Lakers home.
Yeah, but I mean still doing a show in LA without the Bucks, where are they at, man?
The [Young] Bucks have been competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling and have had a lot of success. They’ve made headlines capturing the IWGP World Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, and we’ve seen the Young Bucks dominate tag team competition in Japan, and they’re one of the best tag teams in the world, and they are AEW originals. I think, certainly, their accolades this year in Japan are no surprise;the Young Bucks are one of the greatest tag teams of all time, so to see them capturing gold in Japan was not unexpected. They’ve captured tag team championships all over the world, and they’re one of the greatest teams in wrestling and one of the greatest teams ever in AEW and would be in the conversation with some of the greatest tag teams of all time in my opinion.
So along that line I got to ask, because one of the greatest champions that you’ve had in AEW is obviously Bryan Danielson, who famously got murdered on live PPV by the Death Riders. Since he’s been out of the spotlight and there’s a lot of talk about him not being under contract, I got to ask if he has still had any involvement with you behind the scenes and helping keep the gears in motion going for AEW over the past few months since he’s been off-screen?
Bryan has been home with his family. I still stay in touch with him and talk to him about AEW on a regular basis. He’s still involved in the front office of the company, and he was taken out by his former friends, the Death Riders. He was injured badly. And he’s been home with his family, and we all know how much Bryan loves his family, and he has such a wonderful family, so it’s been a silver lining in this whole thing that he’s been able to stay in touch with AEW and be a part of the office, working from home for the most part, and getting to spend a lot of time with his wonderful family. And as much as I miss Bryan, and I believe all the wrestling fans miss Bryan from AEW every week, it does make me smile, and it makes me very happy that he’s able to spend this time with his family, which means so much to him, and Bryan’s family loves him very much too.
Has Darby [Allin] climbed Mount Everest yet?
Darby has not climbed.Well, Darby’s not climbed Mount Everest yet. In fact, he has not been seen at all since he got thrown down the stairs in New York by the Death Riders right before AEW Worlds End. That was the last time we’ve seen Darby in AEW and his whereabouts have been unknown and his status unknown since the Death Riders took him out, tossed him down the steps, and went on this destructive rampage that has encompassed AEW ever since. The Death Riders betrayed Bryan Danielson and have injured so many people along the way, including Darby Allen. So his status is unknown, but I don’t believe Darby has climbed Mount Everest yet, and I do look forward to his return to AEW, and also I hope that he’s successful in this mission that I know means so much to him, to be the first pro wrestler ever to climb Mount Everest, one of the very few people who’s ever done it. It’s a major accomplishment and I think Darby can do it, but I hope he’s okay. We haven’t seen him since he was attacked.
The Ultimate Crossover With ‘I Think You Should Leave’
One of the things I love about Darby and really, honestly, about a few AEW talents is, I’m a bigI Think You Should Leavefan. And we’ve seen Brody King on an episode ofI Think You Should Leave, and then Tim Robinson also had a hilarious skateboarding video with Darby Allin. You’ve had Paul Walter Hauser on there and many other stars on there, you have the Costco Guys on there with Big Boom AJ, and then you have Rick Ross showing up, Westside Gunn. You have all these people, have you thought about a collaboration with the ridiculous Tim Robinson andI Think You Should Leave?
Yes,I have asked Tim Robinson about coming in at some point. I think he’s a great talent. I know he’s a wrestling fan … What’s the name of “The Worst Wrestler in the World?”
It was from [Tim Robinson’s]The Charactersthing… He shits his pants all the time.
Fighting Jake Fletcher! That’s what I was looking for. I would love to get the Tampa — AEW works with a lot of regional wrestling promotions all over the world. And I live in Florida and I love independent pro wrestling around Florida, and a hotbed for pro wrestling has been the Tampa Bay Wrestling Association. And their star, Fighting Jack Fletcher, would be tremendous to bring in some time. I think Tim Robinson has played fighting Jack Fletcher. We’d love to have him, their commentator, Rusty Vickers. We could take some of the wrestlers from the Tampa Bay Wrestling Association thatTim Robinson has conceived. Like Dump Truck Wallace, the Russian Cosskie, Sheikhzilla and all these guys and get them into AEW, especially Fighting Jack Fletcher, Tim Robinson, that’d be great.
Where is Dalton Castle? I know he got hurt, but I need to see him on Ring of Honor.
He’s been out injured, and I think we’re getting closer and closer to a Dalton Castle return. He had a bad injury that kept him out of action for a long time. I’m a big Dalton Castle fan and I expect him back in pro wrestling, hopefully very soon.
AEW Revolution Zero Hourstreams on YouTube at 4pm PT on Sunday, March 9th.The full PPV begins at 5pm PTfollowing the conclusion ofZero Hour.
