Tony Khan Fires Back At Report WWE Underestimated AEW All Out

Tony Khan is not interested in entertaining the idea that anyone should be surprised by AEW’s success, pushing back at a report claiming WWE sources were caught off guard by strong ticket sales for All Out.

Speaking to media in Chicago following the event, Khan addressed a report from Fightful indicating WWE had hoped its competing Worlds Collide event would cut into AEW’s ticket sales, and that WWE sources were surprised it didn’t have a bigger impact.

“I was kind of surprised they would say that because we’ve done very, very well,” Khan said. “AEW’s having an incredible year. We were Sports Illustrated’s pro wrestling promotion of the year. Why would they be surprised we would sell out? We’ve sold this arena out many times and AEW’s having a fantastic year. I think anybody underestimating AEW would be making a mistake, and AEW continues to defy the odds and succeed.”

Khan said he was happy with both the live gate and the pay-per-view’s performance, framing this year’s show as another step forward from 2025. “So I was surprised WWE sources commented they were surprised themselves that AEW All Out performed very well,” he continued. “The pay-per-view did great and the show sold very well. So I don’t know why anybody would underestimate AEW, we’re having a great year in 2026. And we had a great 2025, and I think this year has been even better.” Per the report, WWE had reportedly decided by early August not to air Worlds Collide live, a move said to be aimed at pushing Chicago fans toward attending All Out in person instead.

The timing of the dueling events has been one of the more talked-about wrinkles of the fall wrestling calendar, with both companies operating in the same market on the same weekend. Khan’s response suggests AEW views the outcome as a validation of its drawing power rather than a coincidence to downplay, and it fits a broader pattern this year of Khan touting AEW’s momentum at every turn, including the Sports Illustrated recognition he referenced.

Elsewhere in the scrum, Khan said CT scans on Steven Borden came back clean after an injury sustained during the event, with hope that he’d be able to travel home shortly after. Several other wrestlers were reportedly being evaluated following the show, which limited who was available to speak with media. Khan also touched on a range of other subjects, including his openness to running an AEW World Championship match in Japan given Will Ospreay’s ties there and AEW’s working relationship with NJPW, as well as his interest in eventually running a show in Mexico, name-checking Azteca Stadium after MJF floated it as a possibility. He noted he still owes Yota Tsuji a round of golf stemming from an earlier challenge.

The only other AEW talent to take questions was Ospreay, whose media appearance ended with a confrontation with Kazuchika Okada. The two agreed to meet for the AEW World Championship at Grand Slam France on October 6, giving AEW another marquee angle to build toward as it heads into its next major international showcase.

Whether or not WWE truly misjudged All Out’s drawing power, Khan clearly isn’t shying away from the comparison — and with Grand Slam France on the horizon, AEW’s momentum argument is about to be tested again on a new stage.