Alleged WWE-AEW Contract Tampering Names Revealed
Tony Khan has alleged that contract tampering took place from WWE towards AEW talent. But who?
The names alluded to by Tony Khan relating to alleged contract tampering between AEW and WWE wrestlers have been revealed.
The two performers WWE allegedly contacted that Khan "took personally" were Swerve Strickland and William Regal, according to the ever reliable Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. Speaking on the Fightful Select podcast (h/t Reddit user BananaSoprano), Sapp said;
"I can tell you the two situations that Khan took it personally. One of which as Swerve Strickland, who signed a multi-year deal on pay-per-view for a Hit Row reunion. He, I believe, referred WWE or WWE's talent relations person to his lawyer. Then there was the other instance, when Tony Khan's mother was in the hospital, and while his mother was in the hospital it became abundantly clear that WWE had tampered with and spoken to William Regal. They offered him a new role that they already had prepared, so that's why he took it personal for those."
Strickland debuted for AEW at Revolution 2022, having been released by WWE the prior November where he'd been part of the also-cut (and eventually rehired) Hit Row group. He's remained with the company ever since. Regal signed for and left All Elite Wrestling in 2022, having also debuted at the Revolution pay-per-view on March 6th before making his final appearance via pre-tape on the December 7th edition of the show. He'd been released from WWE the prior January, ending a 22-year unbroken stint with the company before his official return at the start of 2023.