Ric Flair has a pretty massive opinion of Tony Khan, and he’s putting him in some serious company. The WWE Hall of Famer believes the AEW President could go down as the greatest promoter in professional wrestling history. That’s a bold statement considering Vince McMahon’s decades of dominance, but Flair thinks Khan has what it takes.
Speaking during an October 15, 2026 interview on NewsNation’s BIFF, Flair discussed how much backstage politics influence professional wrestling. He explained that creative decisions aren’t always made by one person and suggested both WWE and AEW have groups of people involved in determining what happens on television. That’s when he made a huge prediction about Khan’s place in wrestling history.
“I mean with Tony Khan who runs runs AEW who is really one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known. Uh Tony has a group of people which I’m sure they do at WWE that um he circles up with and Tony Tony does it right there. So Tony Khan may be the greatest promoter of all time.”
Interviewer Biff Poggi immediately asked whether Flair meant the greatest promoter in wrestling or across all forms of entertainment. Flair clarified that he was specifically talking about wrestling, but he wasn’t backing down from his claim. He even brought Vince McMahon into the conversation, admitting that the former WWE boss had advantages Khan hasn’t had time to develop yet.
“I’m not saying you know, I’m saying in wrestling. He may He may not be be as smart as Vincent McMahon, but only through you know, years and years cuz Vince was really smart and very clever. Um but Tony’s a great guy, generous to a generous to a fault.”
Flair went on to praise Khan for handling AEW while also maintaining responsibilities with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He seemed particularly impressed by Khan’s schedule and his ability to keep multiple major operations running at the same time.
This isn’t the first time Flair has suggested Khan could accomplish something huge in professional wrestling. As Ringside News previously covered, Flair claimed in April 2026 that he wouldn’t be surprised if Khan eventually purchased WWE. He pointed to the Khan family’s financial resources as one reason such a deal wouldn’t shock him. Flair also believes AEW deserves more credit when compared to WWE. During the same interview, he argued that the biggest difference between the companies comes down to how long each has been in business. He also insisted that the quality of the wrestlers isn’t what separates the two promotions.
“The The only distance The only thing in between, in my opinion, and WWE and AEW is the length of all the time the business been open.”
“But there’s equal athletic athleticism on both. Um Tony’s a daredevil and he lets the guys go wide open.”
Flair’s praise shouldn’t come as a complete surprise considering his relationship with Khan. The Nature Boy has been connected to AEW since 2023 and reaffirmed his loyalty to the company in September 2026. He’s made it clear that he considers Khan a personal friend and appreciates the freedom he has while working with AEW.
Still, calling Khan a potential greatest-of-all-time promoter is a different level of praise. Vince McMahon spent decades building WWE into a global powerhouse, while Khan launched AEW in 2019 and has spent the years since trying to establish a serious alternative. Flair clearly believes Khan has the ability to take things much further.
Whether Khan ever reaches that level is another story. AEW has accomplished plenty in its relatively short existence, but Flair is already putting its president in a conversation normally reserved for the biggest names in wrestling history. That’s a major endorsement from someone who spent more than five decades working for some of those promoters.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
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