Jake Hager has once again discussed his experiences of working with Tony Khan.
After requesting his release from WWE in 2017, the former Jack Swagger competed on the independents and for Lucha Underground before signing with AEW in 2019. Announced as part of the initial round of signings at the start of that year, Hager was one of the first wrestlers to join the company. However, were it not for a close friend and top star, Hager may not have become All Elite at all.
Speaking with the Going Ringside podcast, Hager recalled joining All Elite Wrestling back in 2019 and how Khan allegedly did not want him to join the promotion but Chris Jericho did:
“It was awesome. Chris Jericho is the greatest of all time, one of my favorites. For him to bring me in and say I’m his guy, what a compliment. Tony [Khan] didn’t want me there, but Chris did, he wanted me there, and it was awesome. Working with the Inner Circle was one of my favorite things. Working with the Jericho Appreciation Society, one of my favorite things. One of my favorite moments of my career was the Stadium Stampedes that we did. Just good times.”
In a recent interview, Hager confirmed that his contract expired in June. Additionally, the former AEW star previously spoke out online that they were “silenced” by Tony Khan while with the company.
Tony Khan Shares Excitement For Next Year
Although the promotion has seen a decline in popularity in 2024 with ratings and attendance down compared to the previous year, there has been good news with the media rights being renewed and multiple international shows being announced for the next year. In a recent interview, Tony Khan once again remained optimistic by outlining what he expects from AEW in 2025.
H/t to WrestleZone.