Tony Khan Admits AEW All Out 2022 Incident Changed How He Runs the Company

Tony Khan is finally opening up about one of the most chaotic moments in All Elite Wrestling history—and how it changed the way he runs the company.

The infamous AEW All Out 2022 media scrum saw CM Punk go off-script just moments after winning the AEW World Championship, publicly calling out names like Colt Cabana, Adam Page, and members of The Elite. That situation quickly escalated into a backstage fight involving Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks, along with Ace Steel, leading to suspensions, stripped titles, and long-term fallout that ultimately ended with Punk’s departure from AEW in 2023.

Now, speaking on The Coach and Bro Show, Khan has addressed the situation directly—and made it clear that the experience reshaped his approach moving forward. Khan first reflected on the immediate aftermath of the incident, explaining how his focus shifted entirely toward stabilizing AEW after the chaos.

“I came out of that wanting for AEW to succeed and for AEW to continue, more than anything, and what we were able to do to rebound from that. Obviously, I wanted, in a perfect world, everybody to be able to get together and work together. I don’t think that was possible. But I also think that we’ve been able, in the past few years, to really keep AEW strong. To me, that was the most important thing.”

He then admitted that the situation caught him off guard in real time, something that impacted how it was handled in the moment. Khan also acknowledged that despite already being in the wrestling business for several years at that point, the incident served as a turning point in his understanding of how unpredictable things can get.

“I learned a number of things. I probably would do things differently, say things differently, but like you said, it wasn’t something I was expecting. You’re very experienced in wrestling, and you know that was a very much a welcome to wrestling in some aspects of it, because that was for me. I’d been in wrestling for almost four years at that point, but that was certainly a first for me, and as with all firsts, you’re gonna learn from them and hope not to ever have a repeat.”

This isn’t just Khan revisiting the media scrum—it’s him admitting that the situation forced him to grow as a leader, especially when it comes to handling conflict, communication, and locker room management. Even with everything that happened—from stripped championships to suspensions and eventual exits—Khan is framing that period as a turning point that pushed AEW to stay afloat and rebuild.

Bottom line: the most chaotic night in AEW history didn’t just change the locker room—it changed how Tony Khan runs the company. And now that he’s admitted he’d handle things differently, it raises a bigger question about how much that moment still shapes AEW behind the scenes today.

Looking back now, do you think Tony Khan handled the CM Punk media scrum situation the right way at the time, or should things have played out differently from the start? Drop your thoughts below and let us know.

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