Tony Khan has led AEW with notable success in 2025, building a strong wrestling promotion in Jacksonville by signing top talent and standing firm against competition from WWE. However, despite these achievements, several decisions under his leadership have raised concerns, particularly regarding talent utilization and storyline development within AEW.
Underutilization of Darby Allin’s High-Risk Style
Darby Allin has become one of AEW’s most promising wrestlers due to his daring in-ring style and willingness to perform extreme, high-risk maneuvers. His performances have drawn significant attention, marking him as a potential main-event contender. Yet, despite his rising profile, Allin has not secured a prominent role in top-tier AEW storylines or meaningful World Championship programs, leaving him largely confined to mid-card status. This mismatch between his risk-taking ability and current positioning suggests a missed opportunity to elevate a unique talent.
Missed Chance to Elevate Konosuke Takeshita as a Solo Star
Konosuke Takeshita, known for his hard-hitting style, gained recognition as part of The Don Callis Family and reached a career milestone by winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at NJPW’s King of Pro-Wrestling event. Despite this accomplishment signaling his potential as a major singles attraction, AEW has yet to capitalize on Takeshita’s momentum. Instead of pushing him as a top singles wrestler, he remains tied to his faction role, limiting his independent advancement within AEW’s ranks.
Failure to Retain Powerhouse Hobbs and Maximize His Potential
Powerhouse Hobbs showed significant promise with his imposing size and strength, comparable to talents like WWE’s NXT star Oba Femi. Unfortunately, rather than positioning Hobbs as a prominent competitor, AEW relegated him to a supporting role alongside Samoa Joe in The Opps stable. This underutilization reportedly contributed to Hobbs’ departure from AEW after contract talks fell through. Industry reports suggest Hobbs is poised to join WWE, where he is expected to receive a stronger push than he did under Khan’s management.
Delaying the Transition Away from Kenny Omega as AEW’s Top Star
Kenny Omega, once the centerpiece of AEW as ‘The Belt Collector’ and a dominant force within The Elite, has not regained his former dominance since returning from a health setback involving Diverticulitis. Despite his diminished presence, Tony Khan has maintained push efforts behind Omega instead of promoting new wrestlers to fill that leading role. While figures such as Jon Moxley have the potential to step into Omega’s shoes, AEW has yet to fully commit to redefining its primary star, slowing the company’s natural evolution.
Stagnation Among AEW’s Leading Figures
In recent years, AEW has elevated talent like Swerve Strickland and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page to main event status. Yet, lately both have seemed sidelined creatively. Page, following the loss of the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe, has been pushed down to mid-card storylines, and Strickland has remained absent from significant angles since returning from injury. This creative lull risks stalling the momentum of top stars and suggests a shortfall in delivering engaging narratives at AEW’s highest levels.
These five areas highlight critical challenges Tony Khan faces in maximizing AEW’s roster and maintaining its competitive edge in the wrestling industry. How Khan addresses these issues could determine the promotion’s future trajectory, influencing talent retention, fan engagement, and AEW’s standing against WWE and other competitors. Observers and fans will be closely watching upcoming AEW programming to see if the leadership can reverse these setbacks and strengthen its top-tier offerings.
"WWE had expected they had Hobbs for quite a while. I could see why he would make the move. WWE is better when it comes to big muscular guys. Tony liked him. Tony didn't take him off TV so that tells me that he didn't know he was going."
– Dave Meltzerhttps://t.co/cj6Aq4k3Gr pic.twitter.com/habeDuvRhv
— Wrestling Observer (@WONF4W) January 15, 2026
