Backstage Reactions To AEW's Tony Khan Calling WWE "The Harvey Weinstein Of Wrestling"
AEW and WWE's reported reactions to Tony Khan's NFL Network comments.
AEW founder Tony Khan calling WWE "the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling" has been branded "ridiculous" by people in both companies, says Bryan Alvarez.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Alvarez claimed to have spoken to AEW and WWE personnel regarding the matter. "Obviously the WWE people thought it was ridiculous that he said it," said Alvarez, adding that the sentiment was echoed in AEW.
Alvarez added that a lot of people took exception to the blanket claim that WWE is an "evil" company, including those working for the market leaders - and AEW personnel who have friends who do.
Khan's comments came during an appearance on the NFL Network's NFL Draft coverage on Friday. Wearing a neck brace following The Elite's attack on him during Wednesday's episode of Dynamite, Khan (also the Jacksonville Jaguars' Chief Football Strategy Officer) said:
"AEW, we've been doing this for five years. We are the most successful sports start-up since the AFL (American Football League), pre-merger [with the NFL]. There has not been a challenger brand that has gained as much market share as AEW in many, many, many years. We are like the Pepsi of pro wrestling, and we're up against a really evil juggernaut. WWE is our competitor, that's who we're facing. AEW [is] like the Pepsi of pro wrestling, WWE's like the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling. And I'm really proud of what we do down here."
Weinstein, once a prominent film producer, faced numerous sexual assault allegations before a 2020 conviction on charges of r*pe and sexual assault, for which he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. The New York Court of Appeals overturned this conviction last week, though Weinstein was also sentenced to 16 years on a separate r*pe conviction in 2023.
On 25 January, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against WWE, its former owner Vince McMahon, and former Head of Talent Relations John Laurainaitis, alleging McMahon had sexually assaulted and trafficked her.