Tony Khan covered topics involving the status of Andrade, Nielsen’s new Big Data + Panel methodology, and several injury updates on Thursday.
Hosting the WrestleDream media call, the AEW president was asked about multiple topics circulating the industry, but was immediately asked about Andrade.
The performer was recently released by WWE and appeared on the October 1 episode of AEW Dynamite, marking his return to the company he left after 2023.
The lack of a follow-up appearance and references to the performer have opened speculation regarding what is going on, considering he shot a significant angle with one of the promotion’s top stars, Kenny Omega.
The Wrestling Observer site was the first to report that the performer may, in fact, have a non-compete clause from WWE and be unable to be used by AEW until it expires.
Khan was asked by reporter Jon Alba and praised Andrade as a great wrestler and someone who left on a “high note” in 2023. While adding that he was excited to see Andrade perform, he would not comment beyond and was “saying as much I can say” when pressed about the existence of a no-compete period prohibiting AEW from using Andrade.
Also covered on the call:
- Khan did not specifically address the lower viewership data that professional wrestling is seeing under the new Big Data + Panel methodology by Nielsen. When asked about the trend by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Khan focused on the overall strength of its viewership over 2025 and left it open that he was “interested” to see what this means with the new method, and there could be a lot of positives, but they need to learn.
- He called the injury to Kota Ibushi “devastating” and was proud to have him working at AEW as a fan of Ibushi’s for the past fifteen years.
- He noted that the Kazuchika Okada vs. Kota Ibushi match drew well on the 300th edition of Dynamite on July 2, specifically among female viewers.
- Khan said Ibushi was definitely going to wrestle at WrestleDream, and it seemed likely to feature a reformation of The Golden Lovers based on the angle last Saturday as Kenny Omega came to his aid.
- Ibushi also recently got a new visa.
- Contrasting with Ibushi, he expects Swerve Strickland to return much sooner as it is only a short-term issue he is dealing with. Strickland had surgery in late August for a torn meniscus.
- Khan told reporter Andrew Baydala, “I have undeniably had to change things” as it pertains to the pay-per-view with various injuries and outside commitments among his major stars. Without being specific, he was “going to change some things and try some things”.
- Jason Powell asked about a second Blood & Guts match besides the women’s match they have started to promote. Tony Khan essentially said there would be more than one with the Blood & Guts show happening on November 12 in Greensboro.
