Tony Khan Claims Dirtsheets Help Wrestling More Than They Hurt It

Tony Khan believes dirt sheets do more good than harm in wrestling, and he made that clear while addressing the topic directly.

While speaking on the Marking Out podcast with MVP, Khan addressed the impact of dirtsheets and wrestling media, pushing back on the idea that they damage the business. Instead, he argued they’ve played a major role in helping fans discover talent and stay engaged with the industry. As he broke down his perspective, Khan acknowledged that misinformation does exist, but made it very clear that the overall effect has been positive.

“Overall, there is more help than hurt. There can be, at times, misinformation or even disinformation, where people put incorrect things out into the world in wrestling for their own benefit. But sometimes there’s a lot of truth. Whether there is a net benefit—there are a lot of good things. There’s so much wrestling in the world, and for me, this is where I learned a lot about international wrestling. I learned a lot about that from wrestling newsletters.”

Khan then explained how coverage from newsletters and media helped shape his own understanding of the industry, especially when it comes to discovering talent from different parts of the world.

“I absolutely think there are benefits—you can read about wrestlers, you go out and you want to watch them, and they can be very influential on you. There are definitely positives and negatives, but I definitely feel the positives far outweigh the negatives when it comes to wrestling newsletters and wrestling media.”

The AEW President also addressed criticism around journalistic standards in wrestling, admitting they are not always on par with other sports, but still arguing that the coverage has value.

“You’ve got to look at the flip side of it—I take a positive view on that. There are different ethics in journalism. The sourcing and verifying of rumors—there’s a much higher standard for reporting in football than in wrestling. The kind of sourcing you need to report locker room rumors—you don’t see it in football. In wrestling, the journalistic standards are much lower, but there are benefits from the coverage you get, just like with any other sport, where you want to have top writers talking about what they see and their opinions.”

Khan made it clear that even when he doesn’t agree with certain writers, he still respects those who consistently cover the industry and contribute to the conversation.

“I don’t always agree with wrestling writers, but I respect people who follow it year-round. If you follow the sport, just like in football, in wrestling there are some writers that set a higher standard with their writing and ethics.”

So, Khan isn’t dodging the downsides, but he’s clearly siding with wrestling media at a time when criticism of dirtsheets keeps growing, and his stance shows he sees them as part of what keeps the industry moving rather than something holding it back.

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