Tony Khan Discusses Absent & Injured AEW Stars

AEW President Tony Khan has many different jobs in and out of wrestling, but one thing he has had to deal with in AEW is the injury bug that has infected some of his biggest stars. The likes of Kenny Omega, MJF, Keith Lee, Bandido, PAC, and Rey Fenix have all spent a significant amount of time on the sidelines in recent months, but that hasn't stopped Khan from being optimistic.

Speaking with "SportsGrid," Khan was able to give some updates on some of his injured stars, starting with Omega, who went down with a severe case of diverticulitis in December 2023. "We were all very worried about him," Khan said. "He is doing better, but he was seriously sick and his life could have been threatened had he not gotten to the doctors when he had. He was really sick, and he's thankfully doing much better. We're all wishing Kenny the best and hoping and looking forward to seeing Kenny Omega back in AEW as soon as he's healthy." 

As for MJF, Khan kept his cards a little closer to his chest. "Well it's something to keep an eye on with MJF," Khan said. "He's a great wrestler for AEW and has been a great world champion. He was very injured and I would love to have MJF back anytime and we'll see what happens here." The former AEW World Champion's contract status has been left unclear, seemingly intentionally, as of late, but with the amount of injuries he sustained in the back end of 2023, an MJF return doesn't seem to be happening in the company's immediate future.

The AEW women's division has also been plagued by injuries over the past year, with Serena Deeb and Thunder Rosa just coming back to action in recent months, and the likes of Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker still waiting for clearance to return. Khan was able to give a brief update on Baker, who hasn't been seen in AEW since September.

"Britt Baker's been out," Khan said. "She was injured and there's a lot of times we have a lot of great wrestlers out injured. So I think this year will be great, not only for the great free agents, but also for some of the stars that have been side-lined coming back." In 2024 alone, AEW fans have seen the in-ring debut of Mariah May after her signing in November 2023, the rise of Queen Aminata on both AEW and ROH television, and the debut of Deonna Purrazzo, who will challenge AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm for her crown at Revolution.

The AEW women's division also looks set to get a major boost in the form of former WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, now known as Mercedes Mone, who has reportedly already signed a contract with AEW and is now waiting to make her grand entrance. That entrance could come at the upcoming Big Business "AEW Dynamite" special the company is hosting at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on March 13 if the number of teases on the event poster are to be believed.

Please credit "SportsGrid" when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.