Tony Khan Reveals Why He Shifted His Stance on AEW Release Requests

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As a dedicated AEW fan, I can’t help but share some insights about Tony Khan‘s recent revelations regarding talent releases in our beloved organization. In essence, he’s opened up about the factors influencing these decisions, with several performers leaving AEW over the past few months after prolonged absences from television.

As a devoted fan, it’s hard to ignore the recent changes in AEW’s roster. Personally speaking, I find it noteworthy that Malakai Black, Miro, Ricky Starks, and Rey Fenix have all parted ways with AEW. Among them, Fenix is the latest to announce his departure. Interestingly, each of these wrestlers had been absent from AEW’s programming for several months before their departures.

In December 2023, Miro fought at the World’s End tournament, emerging victorious against Andrade. Similarly, Ricky Starks hasn’t been seen on AEW television since a match in March 2024 on an episode of AEW Collision.

Malakai Black’s exit from House of Black seems to signal his departure from the promotion, while Rey Fenix has been absent for several months and last appeared on AEW TV in July 2024. With these two stars off the airwaves, there have been many rumors about their releases from the company.

At first, AEW declined to grant releases, but it was verified in February that the organization had terminated contracts for Black, Miro, and Starks. Just recently, it was announced that Rey Fenix was also released this week, despite earlier reports of an extended contract for him due to injury.

Instead of letting contracts expire as some fans anticipated, AEW opted for several talent releases instead. Tony Khan, the mastermind behind the promotion, has shed light on the reasons behind this unexpected choice.

AEW president Tony Khan explains his new approach to releases

At the AEW Revolution 2025 press conference, Tony Khan discussed his strategy for approving talent releases. He admitted to a change in perspective, indicating that he assesses each case on an individual basis.

He expressed his view as follows: Each situation needs to be handled individually, as life often does. From a philosophical perspective, there has been a shift in my actions. This change seemed appropriate for the company and all those involved at this moment. The reasoning behind this is that each case presents unique circumstances, although they may share similar outcomes. It’s reasonable to question why this decision was made now and why it wasn’t taken earlier. I simply believed that was the correct course of action at this stage in time.

It’s predicted that the four stars recently released by AEW will make their way to WWE. Ricky Starks, who was previously known as Ricky Saints, has already made his debut just a day after being let go. Meanwhile, fans eagerly await the arrivals of Malakai Black, Miro, and Rey Fenix in the WWE in the near future.

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2025-03-07 12:59