Tony Khan reportedly releases multiple talents in AEW’s first mass cut after evaluating roster  

AEW underwent its first mass talent cuts on Monday.

Tony Khan reportedly releases multiple talents in AEW’s first mass cut after evaluating roster  

Tony Khan (via AEW)

Since its inception in 2019, Tony Khan has been vocally against mass-releasing talent in All Elite Wrestling. However, after five years, the promotion has gone through its first major roster cuts. On April 1, AEW released ten wrestlers from its roster. 

The Boys, Stu Grayson, and Parker Boudreaux are among the names that were let go. According to PWInsider, AEW is currently evaluating the roster and, hence, releasing talent so that both the company and the remaining wrestlers can benefit from it. The sudden cuts came as a shock to almost every wrestling fan.

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Many fans believe this was directly connected to the new COO, Kosha Irby, who had joined the company a week ago. As for the released talent, there is no non-compete clause in their respective contracts. Therefore, this allows them to negotiate with and join any other wrestling promotion immediately. Whether or not more releases are yet to come is currently unknown. 

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It has been a bad start to the week for Tony Khan and his company. On the same day as the roster cuts, former AEW Champion, CM Punk, vented his frustrations over his two-year stay in the promotion. Moreover, The Second City Saint had explicitly called Khan a “f*cking clown” before quitting at All In. Punk continued to criticize AEW, more specifically, bringing up the business model which they run.

What did CM Punk say about the way Tony Khan runs AEW?

During his appearance on the MMA Hour on Monday, CM Punk didn’t hold back from scrutinizing the Jacksonville-based promotion. Aside from the Brawl Out incident, for which he has signed an NDA, he spoke about everything that led to his departure. Interestingly, The Best in the World voiced his displeasure over how Tony Khan doesn’t run his company for profits.

Tony Khan and CM Punk
Tony Khan and CM Punk (via Wrestling Inc.)

According to Punk, wrestlers in the promotion only fight to gain five-star ratings from journalists, taking a subtle shot at Dave Meltzer. Further, he claimed that AEW is not focused on drawing money and selling out arenas. When asked about how he felt about Khan, The Second City Saint made it clear that he was not fit to be a boss.

Three months after leaving the company, Punk shockingly returned to WWE at Survivor Series. However, he was sidelined from this year’s WrestleMania following a triceps injury. As such, The Voice of the Voiceless will be on commentary during the Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre match on Sunday.

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