D-Von Dudley has no problem with AEW’s wrestlers. His issue is with the people surrounding Tony Khan—and he believes some of them are using the AEW president’s money and passion for their own benefit.
During a live conversation with Maven, D-Von was asked about AEW’s more intense in-ring style and the way the company operates. D-Von immediately made it clear that he likes AEW, has several friends working there and respects what the wrestlers do in the ring. His criticism was aimed directly at the company’s leadership structure and Khan’s willingness to listen to people D-Von does not believe have earned that level of influence.
“I like AEW. I like the wrestlers. I have a lot of friends in AEW. I appreciate their style. I appreciate them as a whole, as a company. What I’m not particularly a big fan of is the way the organization is run.”
D-Von said he finds it troubling when the owner of a wrestling company lacks experience running the business and surrounds himself with people who are more interested in feeding his ego than challenging his decisions.
“When you have somebody who has no knowledge of how a company should be run, and you want people to stroke your ego because you own the company, I find it to be a little disturbing.”
He then compared Khan’s situation to Vince McMahon, arguing that even McMahon had trusted veterans such as Pat Patterson and Kevin Dunn who were willing to tell him when an idea was not going to work.
“Even Vince McMahon had people to tell him no when they thought he was wrong. Pat Patterson was Vince’s right-hand man, and whenever Vince got a little crazy, Pat was really the only one—and Kevin Dunn—to tell Vince, ‘No, I don’t think that’ll work,’ or, ‘It’s not the right move.’”
D-Von stressed that he does not hate anyone working in AEW’s front office. However, he believes Khan has failed to properly use the knowledge of people who have already succeeded in professional wrestling.
“I don’t hate anybody in AEW office-wise. I’m not going to say I don’t respect them, but I do have a problem with you being a big fan of the business, opening up your own company and not listening to people who have done something in this business or made something of themselves in this business, so they can give you advice on how to run your company.”
D-Von also accused Khan of placing too much value on the opinions of wrestling media figures instead of veterans who have drawn money and operated inside the industry.
“You go to dirt sheet writers and all these other BS people, and you listen to them before you listen to the people who have actually made money in this business. To me, that’s someone not fully understanding how this business works.”
“You can’t get ahead if you don’t learn from people who came before you and made something in this business.”
Maven agreed with much of D-Von’s criticism, describing Khan as a wealthy wrestling fan who does not understand the business at the same level as the McMahon family. However, Maven said his opinion changed after spending time around Khan and watching him personally check on wrestlers as they returned backstage from their matches.
“Tony Khan—rich, playing with dad’s money—I wish I had enough money to start a wrestling company and play with. Then I spent a day there, and I saw that I don’t think he knows the wrestling business the way the McMahons do, but I think he’s open to learning, and I think he cares.”
Maven said Khan repeatedly removed his headset, approached wrestlers after their matches and genuinely asked how they were feeling.
“For 30 minutes, I sat and watched him. Every wrestler who came out of the ring, he got up out of his seat, took the headphones off, went over and legitimately asked how they were and what they thought—and he meant it.”
“If you’re just a pocketbook and you don’t give a damn, you’re not doing that. I saw it firsthand, so he gained my respect that night.”
D-Von acknowledged Maven’s point but maintained that AEW could be operated much better if Khan surrounded himself with experienced veterans who cared more about improving the company than protecting their own positions.
“I have no issues with the powers that be in AEW. I just think it could be run a little better.”
“Take the veterans from yesterday who have done things and get them to help you storyline-wise or make the product better. There’s no saying Tony Khan can’t do that, but I feel he puts his trust in the wrong people who are in it for the wrong reasons.”
That is when D-Von took his strongest shot at Khan’s inner circle, claiming people are taking advantage of the AEW president because they know he has access to his father’s fortune.
“Because his daddy has money, gives it to Tony, and Tony’s willing to give it, I feel a lot of these people take advantage of him.”
D-Von claimed his opinion was not based solely on what he has observed from the outside. According to the WWE Hall of Famer, people working inside AEW have personally told him Khan is being used.
“I feel that wholeheartedly because I’ve had people in AEW tell me that people take advantage of Tony.”
“They stroke his ego so he can go, ‘Okay, great. What do you want?’ And he’ll give it to them. That’s the wrong way of doing things, in my opinion.”
D-Von said Khan should not take the comments personally because he was giving an honest assessment based on what he has seen and heard from people throughout the wrestling business.
“If Tony takes offense to what I’m saying, then I don’t know what to tell you. I’m being real with you. You don’t pay me. I don’t work for you. I’m only telling you what I see from the outside looking in.”
“Not only am I saying this, but everybody in the wrestling business who means anything is saying this about Tony.”
D-Von then offered direct advice to Khan, telling him to stop obsessing over competing with WWE and instead build a stronger support system capable of taking AEW to another level.
“I think Tony can get a lot better people surrounding him, working with him and getting that company where it needs to be. Don’t worry about beating WWE. Worry about getting AEW to that top-notch level where it needs to be. That’s all you have to worry about.”
Despite tearing into AEW’s management structure, D-Von once again praised the company’s wrestling and made it clear that his criticism was not directed at the performers.
“The wrestling is phenomenal. I love those guys there. I think they put on a hell of a show when they get in the ring.”
D-Von ended his argument by making his biggest claim of the entire discussion, alleging that an overwhelming majority of AEW’s own wrestlers share the same concerns about the company.
“I have a lot of friends in AEW. I’ve even met people I didn’t know before I saw them in AEW, and we became friends. They say the same thing.”
“When you have 90% of the roster saying that about you and your company, then you need to start listening.”
Maven agreed that Khan is a wrestling fan with money and admitted AEW could be managed more effectively. Both men also stressed that they want the company to succeed because more successful wrestling promotions mean more jobs and opportunities for performers. D-Von did not question AEW’s talent or the quality of its matches. He questioned who Tony Khan trusts, who has his ear and whether those people are helping AEW—or helping themselves.
Do you think D-Von Dudley is right about Tony Khan being surrounded by the wrong people, or is his criticism too harsh? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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