Tony Khan, President and CEO of AEW, recently explained the reasons behind his decision to revamp the creative approach of the company during an interview with Adrian Hernandez from Unlikely. The move, which took place during a pivotal holiday season, was intended to refocus the direction of AEW and drive continued growth for major wrestling events.
Khan’s Decision to Take Control of AEW’s Creative Planning
When reflecting on AEW’s evolution, Tony Khan discussed how he decided to shift his creative strategy at a significant point in the company’s timeline, notably around the holidays and in conjunction with a five-year milestone. Khan described his resolve to become more hands-on, no longer relying on a team to outline show plans, but instead crafting the weekly direction himself to ensure clarity and momentum.
“Yes. It was around the holidays, and it was the 5-year anniversary of the last time, and it was one of those things where I had told myself at the end of 2019, just a New Year’s resolution. I want to be more focused. I’ve been trying really hard, but I know I can do better. And also, like you said, maybe instead of having tons of different people collaborate to put an outline together, I’m just going to do the outline myself, and I’ll come in with a direction every single week of what I want to do on the show. And I made some real changes at the start of the year. And in January, I thought we made a real turn, and it kept momentum that went throughout the year. In February, we hit a home run with Grand Slam Australia, which was one of the biggest Collision shows, and I think one of the best Collision episodes of all time. Best crowds, too. Yeah. And then, to your point, Adrian, what a fantastic crowd. And then we had the first-ever AEW Revolution in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, another one of my five home cities. And uh, it was just a great, great show and a real honor to be there, and we’ll be going back for Revolution, which again was voted as ESPN’s best wrestling show of the year in 2025, which is a real honor. We rode that momentum throughout the year, had all these great events, Double or Nothing, then, which was voted by Sports Illustrated as the best wrestling show of the year, and rode this momentum then for All in Texas and Forbidden Door, and had all these great events.”
– Tony Khan, President and CEO, AEW
Successes and Milestones Following Creative Changes
After Khan’s decision to take creative ownership, AEW experienced a series of significant milestones and successful events. The promotion enjoyed strong momentum in early 2024, highlighted by standout shows such as Grand Slam in Australia—one of the biggest editions of Collision—and the debut of AEW Revolution at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, which ESPN later recognized as the best wrestling show of the year for 2025. Major events such as Double or Nothing and All in Texas continued this positive trajectory, with recognition from Sports Illustrated further cementing AEW’s achievements.
AEW Worlds End 2025 Sets New Records on HBO Max
Tony Khan also addressed the landmark achievement of AEW Worlds End 2025, which became the company’s highest-selling pay-per-view on HBO Max. The partnership with HBO Max began with All Out, and the year concluded with World’s End, bolstered by memorable high-stakes events and tournaments like the Continental Classic. According to feedback from HBO, this pay-per-view secured the greatest number of buys to date for the organization on the streaming platform, underscoring its rising popularity among wrestling fans.
“We started doing pay-per-views on HBO Max, starting with All Out, and we just ended the year on such a — … And so this all led us to World’s End. And we ended the year with a fantastic event. Like you mentioned, the Continental Classic, which I love, but I would be remiss if I didn’t bring this up. Also, that AEW World’s End, we’ve been told by HBO, is the most buys yet for any AEW pay-per-view on HBO Max. So, we’re continuing to grow. This is probably going to end up being one of the biggest World’s End events ever. And so far, it’s our biggest pay-per-view yet on HBO Max. So, that’s even more momentum.”
– Tony Khan, President and CEO, AEW
The Impact of Creative Leadership and What Lies Ahead
Khan’s emphasis on personally guiding AEW’s creative strategies has evidently fueled both event success and recognition from industry leaders like ESPN and Sports Illustrated. Cities such as Los Angeles and Texas have served as important backdrops for these achievements, with arenas like the Crypto.com Arena playing host to landmark broadcasts. As AEW continues to grow its footprint with innovative programming and robust streaming partnerships, the company is poised to sustain and build upon this wave of momentum in the coming years, reinforcing AEW’s prominence on the professional wrestling stage.
