MJF has surprisingly come to the defence of AEW CEO Tony Khan over recent comments he made about WWE’s scheduling over Labor Day weekend.
While the attention from the post-All Out media scrum went to CM Punk and his candid comments, AEW President Tony Khan also got some things off his chest regarding WWE.
Labor Day weekend is the usual weekend of AEW All Out, but this year WWE just so happened to have two big shows taking place on that weekend as well. Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales took place on the Saturday with NXT Worlds Collide taking place on the same day as All Out itself.
Khan commented on the situation at the All Out media scrum, not ducking away from WWE’s apparently competitive scheduling:
“There’s a big difference between this year and last year. We were the first professional wrestling show and the only professional wrestling show on Labor Day weekend last year, and we were the third professional wrestling show of the weekend this year. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
“When I talk about things I wasn’t thrilled about, I was a little surprised we were the third professional wrestling show this weekend, and it’s probably a little bit more challenging in the marketplace when it becomes a little more crowded.”
“[…] “When I compared myself to Jim Crockett Promotions this weekend, I think I got a taste of the same medicine Jim Crockett Promotions took, but I have a lot more f*cking money than Jim Crockett did. I’m serious. I’m not gonna sit back and take this f*cking sh*t.”
Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, MJF came to his boss’ defence and says he think Khan came out of the situation as the winner:
“We’re still the underdog. All you have to understand is that he felt personally attacked at that point. You can’t blame him. We’re doing a pay-per-view at this time, all of a sudden magically there’s two pay-per-views. If I was on the other side of the fence, I would be doing five paper views on the same day” – he also felt Khan came up the winner.”
“His back was against the wall and he still hit a freakin’ home run. He felt pressured, and I think that was a result – you’re talking about that pressure now.”