AEW President Tony Khan addressed the media following Worlds End to tout the company’s “banner” 2025.
Khan spoke to reporters at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, immediately following the pay-per-view broadcast.
The AEW President highlighted recent accolades from Sports Illustrated, the crowd’s positive reception of Continental Classic winner Jon Moxley, and the status of Adam Cole.
‘Promotion of the Year’ and 2025 reflections
Khan opened the press conference by citing Sports Illustrated’s decision to name AEW the Promotion of the Year for 2025. He expressed pride in the company’s performance over the last 12 months, describing it as the “best year” for both television and pay-per-view events in the organization’s history.
Khan listed several other awards the publication bestowed upon the roster, including Female Wrestler of the Year for Mercedes Moné, Male Wrestler of the Year for Hangman Page, and Rivalry of the Year for Page versus Jon Moxley. He also noted that Will Ospreay was voted Best In-Ring Wrestler, pointing out that the company maintained a high standard even while Ospreay was sidelined with an injury during the Continental Classic.
Last year we won some awards. This year we won even more awards…For AEW to continue delivering at this level throughout the year, at a high in-ring level, missing somebody who many of the top journalists consider to be the greatest in-ring wrestler in the world, that’s saying something.
Continental Classic and Jon Moxley’s reception
The AEW President spoke at length about the third annual Continental Classic, claiming the 2025 iteration was “maybe the best one yet” despite the absence of Will Ospreay. He singled out Kyle Fletcher, specifically praising his matches against ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey and Jack Perry.
Khan was asked about the crowd’s positive reaction to tournament winner Jon Moxley, despite the wrestler spending much of the last two years as a villain with the Death Riders faction. Khan stated he was not surprised by the cheers, noting that Moxley has been a popular figure since the company’s inception.
He credited the commentary team, specifically Bryan Danielson, for contextualizing Moxley’s story. Khan felt the tournament format allowed fans to appreciate Moxley’s fighting spirit separate from his character’s previous “dark” actions.
Was I surprised to see a positive reaction? No, because when you eliminate some of the outside interference…I believe that if you put Jon Moxley out there against great wrestlers and eliminate some of the shortcuts that made the Death Riders such unpopular villains…I kind of expected that might be the case because he’s always been a popular star.
Future outlook
When asked about peaking AEW’s popularity in time for media rights renewal talks, Khan noted major events on the 2026 calendar, including Revolution at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and Grand Slam Australia in February. He added that he had plans for years to come.
We’re signed for years to come through 2027 and planning ahead for years to come. So I’m very focused on the years ahead, but I’m also very grateful. It’s been a great year. We’re very proud of our great media partner, Warner Brothers Discovery. We’ve been able to work with them for years, and I’m very proud that we’ve been putting out great shows.
Looking ahead to 2026, Khan highlighted the company’s upcoming return to Wembley Stadium for All In. He linked the event to current viewership trends in the United Kingdom, claiming significant year-over-year growth on ITV4.
We’ve got a great relationship with ITV with Dynamite being up over 50 percent year over year in the ratings on ITV4, now Collision being up over 60 percent in the ratings year over year, and that bodes really well going back to Wembley Stadium for next year.
Roster notes
Khan provided a brief update on Adam Cole, who appeared in a video package during the pre-show hinting at “seeing more” of the fans in 2026. While Khan did not offer a specific medical timeline, he stated that Cole is “doing well” and that there is “no pressure” on him to return.
Additionally, Khan confirmed that Hyan and Maya World have officially signed with the promotion following their recent appearances.
They’ve been doing a fantastic job. Hyan and Maya World came in and have delivered time after time, and put on great matches. Everybody in the locker room really respects them. They bring something great to the roster.
I thought Hyan and Maya World would make a great addition to the roster. Every experience I’ve had with them individually and as a team has been positive.
AEW will conclude its 2025 schedule this Wednesday with the New Year’s Smash edition of Dynamite.
