Jon Moxley’s Worlds End reaction drew the attention of AEW President Tony Khan, who addressed fans’ enthusiastic cheers for Moxley at the Worlds End event in the post-show media session. Taking questions from the press, Khan explained why the overwhelming positive response for the new AEW Continental Champion did not take him by surprise.
Tony Khan’s View on Jon Moxley’s Popularity
As the media scrum began, Tony Khan highlighted Moxley’s enduring appeal among AEW fans, referencing his significant role in major moments from the company’s inception. Khan expressed that Moxley’s actions have sometimes invited controversy, particularly involving the Death Riders and incidents such as his betrayal of Brian Danielson. However, he emphasized that these instances did not diminish Moxley’s connection with the audience.
“Can I be honest with you? I’m not surprised at all, because I think that Jon Moxley is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. And I think that the fans have always loved Jon Moxley. If you look at some of the great moments in AEW history, he’s been involved from the very first show. He was always a very popular star. And there were elements of the Death Riders to me, and I believed this, that certainly fans didn’t like. And people all have always liked Jon Moxley even though he did things, [such as] the betrayal of Brian Danielson.”
– Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
Addressing the Reaction at Worlds End
Khan elaborated on the context that may have led to the crowd’s vocal support for Moxley at Worlds End. He indicated that the removal of some negative elements associated with the Death Riders—such as outside interference and aggressive tactics—played a key role. By matching Moxley against world-class opponents in the tournament and focusing on fair competition, Khan felt this allowed fans to embrace Moxley’s competitive spirit and wrestling ability even more.
“Was I surprised to see a positive reaction? No. Because when you eliminate some of the outside interference. When you eliminate some of the elements that really drove fans [against] the Death Riders, whether it was that attack on Brian Danielson and some of the ganging up on people, and taking advantage of situations and the shortcuts of the Death Riders… You know, if you’re a wrestling fan, I think it — I’m a wrestling fan, I love pro wrestling. So to your point, since I love wrestling I was expecting that. Because I believe that if you put Jon Moxley out there against great wrestlers and eliminate some of the shortcuts that made the Death Riders such unpopular villains, but also huge antagonists and great stars throughout what has been such a important year in AEW… I also believe that as a wrestling fan seeing this tournament, if you look at it, knowing Jon Moxley, especially having seen throughout the tournament that Jon Moxley really was getting positive reactions going into tonight, no I wasn’t surprised by that.”
– Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
Reflecting on Moxley’s Post-Match Message and the Tournament
Khan also commented on Jon Moxley’s remarks following his championship win, noting the gravity and significance of the words shared by the champion. He drew parallels between Moxley’s challenge and Okada’s previous tournament run, focusing on the importance of defending the championship against top contenders. The reaction from the Worlds End crowd, according to Khan, was the natural outcome of Moxley’s efforts and the nature of the competition.
“I thought that what Jon Moxley said was so powerful. Because he’s right that the championship represents the 12 people in the tournament. And now he can fight to try to keep it, and go wire-to-wire. We saw Okada hold the championship, defend it many times as they said. And he won the tournament last year. He tried to go wire-to-wire and came so close. And I thought for a great tournament uh to see that response? No, I was not surprised.”
– Tony Khan, AEW President and CEO
The Lasting Impact of Moxley’s Triumph
Jon Moxley’s journey through the Worlds End tournament and the reaction he drew at the event speak to his complex legacy in AEW. Having overcome criticism tied to his work with the Death Riders and intense rivalry with Brian Danielson, Moxley emerged as a champion widely embraced by fans. With such strong support, both Tony Khan and the AEW audience will be anticipating how Moxley’s title reign develops, as he prepares to face new challengers in the aftermath of an intense and hard-fought competition.
