Tony Khan, the president of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), recently made statements during the post-AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door Media Scrum that stirred controversy concerning the company’s women’s division. Khan praised the current AEW women’s roster, claiming it is vastly superior to the original group of female wrestlers who helped establish the promotion since its 2019 inception. This sparked criticism from former WWE writer Vince Russo, who accused Khan of dismissing the contributions of AEW’s foundational female stars.
The initial women’s division featured prominent wrestlers such as Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Penelope Ford, and Nyla Rose. These competitors played a key role in shaping AEW’s brand and laying the groundwork for the roster’s ongoing success. Khan’s remarks, however, highlighted that the promotion’s current female talent is “10 times better” than the original lineup, which Russo publicly criticized as disrespectful to those early AEW women.
“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!”
—Vince Russo, Former WWE Writer
Vince Russo Questions Legitimacy of Mercedes Mone’s Championship Titles
At the same media scrum, Khan celebrated Mercedes Mone’s success, noting she holds nine championship titles from various wrestling promotions worldwide. While this achievement underscores Mone’s prominence and the strength of AEW’s women’s division, Vince Russo expressed skepticism. On his show, The Brand, Russo suggested that some of these title reigns might be influenced by financial arrangements rather than pure merit.
Russo claimed he believes Khan financially incentivizes different promotions to recognize Mone as champion, casting doubt on the authenticity of her accolades and suggesting this practice inflates AEW’s prestige through external titles.
“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.”
—Vince Russo, Former WWE Writer
Despite Russo’s allegations, Mercedes Mone remains the focal point of AEW’s women’s division, with her multi-title reign bolstering her reputation as one of the sport’s most decorated female wrestlers. This strategy is intended to enhance AEW’s visibility and status within professional wrestling globally.
Tensions Reflect Broader Challenges Within AEW’s Women’s Division
The remarks by Tony Khan and the ensuing backlash from figures like Vince Russo reflect ongoing tensions regarding how AEW values and promotes its female talent. While Khan aims to highlight the evolution and improvement of the roster, some interpret his comments as undervaluing the foundational wrestlers who brought prominence to the division during AEW’s early days.
Moreover, charges about financial incentives tied to championship titles raise questions about legitimacy and transparency that could affect AEW’s reputation. Moving forward, how Khan and AEW address these concerns may influence fan perception and the women’s division’s future direction in the competitive wrestling landscape.
