Tony Khan Booed at AEW Grand Slam in Australia

AEW’s debut event in Australia was supposed to be a major milestone, but when Tony Khan appeared the crowd made their feelings loud and clear—they weren’t happy.

Arkady served as the ring announcer for the night, while Tony Schiavone and Nigel McGuinness handled commentary for the Collision broadcast. But the real moment that stole the show before the matches even began was the reaction Khan received when he was introduced.

As soon as his name was announced, the Brisbane Entertainment Centre erupted in boos. The AEW President tried to push through the hostile crowd, calling Grand Slam: Australia a “dream come true” and hyping up the show as “one of the greatest nights in AEW history.”

Khan then made a bold promise, assuring fans that this wouldn’t be AEW’s last time in Australia. That line got some cheers, but the damage had already been done. The boos from the crowd were undeniable, signaling frustration from fans who have already been vocal about issues surrounding the event, including seating controversies and premium ticket holders feeling ripped off.

The controversy started well before the event even began. AEW originally promoted Grand Slam: Australia as a stadium show at Suncorp Stadium, only to quietly move it to the much smaller Brisbane Entertainment Centre due to low ticket sales. The problem? Fans who paid for premium seats under the stadium layout weren’t offered refunds or price adjustments, leaving them feeling ripped off.

AEW might be celebrating the financial success of Grand Slam: Australia, but the fan reaction to Khan tells a different story. Whether it was a response to recent AEW decisions, frustrations over the event itself, or just fans not buying into his usual enthusiasm, the message was clear—Australia wasn’t rolling out the red carpet for him.