Tony Khan has seen WWE do it again, and just like last time, he isn’t taking the bait.
After WWE announced that WWE x AAA World Collide will take place on September 26—the exact same day AEW is running All Out in the Chicago area—fans immediately started asking whether WWE was trying to counter-program another major AEW event. When the topic came up during a charity livestream, Khan didn’t sound annoyed. Instead, he smiled and went right back to the comparison he’s now becoming known for.
“Yeah, you know, I see it as a compliment. The Jim Crockett compliment. It’s just the same kind of hospitality that the great Jim Crockett Jr. got, and I take it with great pleasure. I do really appreciate that.”
It wasn’t the first time Khan has reached for the Jim Crockett comparison either. He made the same remark earlier this year after WWE lined up NXT Heatwave and an AAA event against AEW All In. Now that World Collide has landed opposite All Out, Khan made it clear nothing has changed. If WWE keeps putting shows up against AEW’s biggest events, he’s choosing to see it as proof that AEW is worth paying attention to.
Instead of turning the conversation into another WWE versus AEW debate, Khan quickly changed the focus back to his own company. He said the wrestling business is in a great place right now and believes AEW has been responsible for many of the year’s biggest moments.
“There’s a lot of great wrestling going on, and I’m fortunate and proud that AEW is part of the top wrestling in 2026. So many of the best wrestling shows, and in my opinion many of the best shows of 2026, have been AEW shows.”
Whether fans agree with Khan or not, one thing is becoming impossible to ignore. Every time WWE schedules another event opposite one of AEW’s biggest shows, the “Jim Crockett compliment” comes right back—and this time was no different.
What do you think about Tony Khan’s latest comments on WWE scheduling World Collide against AEW All Out? Let us know in the comments below.
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