Tony Khan has revealed that his biggest regret in wrestling is not successfully bringing Jay Briscoe to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Despite his persistent efforts, Briscoe never competed on AEW programming before his passing in January 2023, a loss that deeply affected both Khan and the wrestling community.
Khan, known for his passion for AEW and commitment to recruiting top talent, recounted multiple attempts to feature Jay Briscoe on AEW Dynamite. He shared on the My Mom’s Basement podcast that Briscoe attended several events but never wrestled, reflecting on how different management and circumstances at the time hindered their plans.
“I fought really hard to get Jay Briscoe on the show and I fought really hard to have – there were multiple times where Mark and Jay Briscoe came to Dynamite and didn’t do anything. They just came, and I brought them, and I was trying to, I kept pulling moves. It was a different time. It was a different management. It wasn’t Mr. Zaslav. I could have now literally gone to him. I fought really, really hard to get Jay Briscoe on the show, but I really wish I’d been able to have Jay Briscoe on Dynamite just one time. And he came to the show many times. That’s my biggest regret by far.” —Tony Khan, AEW President
Consistency in Khan’s Views on Jay Briscoe Highlights His Lasting Impact
This sentiment is consistent with Khan’s earlier remarks about Jay Briscoe. In a previous interview with ComicBook Nation, Khan emphasized how important Briscoe was to the wrestling world and to AEW, despite never having competed in the promotion.
“Somebody that never got to wrestle in AEW that I also feel very strongly about, who needs to be talked about and honored is Jay Briscoe, who I always wanted to bring into AEW and was my friend and was friends with a lot of people in the locker room and is one of the greatest wrestlers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with and produce and Jay Briscoe is somebody else very important to us even though he never really actually got the chance to wrestle in AEW.” —Tony Khan, AEW President
Khan’s ongoing regret reflects the missed opportunities to showcase Briscoe’s talents on AEW stages, highlighting the bond between Khan and the late wrestler, as well as Briscoe’s respected status among fellow wrestlers and AEW personnel.
The Impact of Missing Jay Briscoe on AEW and Wrestling Fans
The inability to bring Jay Briscoe to AEW is significant, given Briscoe’s reputation as one of wrestling’s most outstanding performers. His death was a profound loss within the wrestling world, and Khan’s regret underscores how much Briscoe’s presence would have meant to the AEW roster and fanbase.
Looking forward, Khan’s reflections may influence how AEW honors Briscoe’s legacy and how the company approaches integrating beloved talents into its programming. This missed chapter in AEW’s history stands as a reminder of the challenges and complexities in talent acquisition, even for passionate executives like Khan.
