12 Things You Didn't Know Tony Khan BANNED In AEW

3. False Advertising

Vince McMahon Jacked
WWE.com

You might not like AEW.

It's actually rather impossible to hate it, or at least all of it, because it is conceived with the intention of catching every last wrestling fan, no matter their inclination. 

If you're into high-flying wrestling, you've fallen into a barrel of thumbs and come out sucking some t*ts - but AEW, less so in 2026 than in previous years admittedly, offers an actual range. Brawling; big man wrestling; Mexican llave; pure technical bliss: provided you don't think women should be treated more seriously than a token obligation, AEW has something for everyone. 

Cody Rhodes used to call it a "buffet". It seemed like a good idea at the time, offering a product that everybody could enjoy, but nobody was to know how much that truly wouldn't matter. AEW can put whatever it wants on the TV show, but because the initials 'A', 'E', and 'W' are in it, it is automatically bad. 

You can't get through to some people and their freshly-scented, washed brains, but surely even the most ardent of WWE fans - those that think Austin Theory is a future Superstar - can agree that it's quite neat that AEW refuses to false advertise. This practise is a longstanding self-imposed ban to which Tony Khan adheres strictly. 

Khan might subvert expectations once in a while, as all bookers should - CM Punk Vs. Jon Moxley's TV squash being a great example - but he wants to be the honest matchmaker in a carny's world, and seven years in, he's done it.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!