Tony Khan has addressed the fallout from the August 2022 CM Punk press conference, describing it as a defining and unexpected moment. He has since used the experience as an education rather than a source of ongoing bitterness.
Khan addressed the topic during an interview on The Coach and Bro Show with Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo.
"I came out of that wanting AEW to succeed and for AEW to continue more than anything," Khan said. "In a perfect world, I wanted everybody to be able to get together and work together. I don't think that was possible. But I think we've been able in the past few years to really keep AEW strong. To me, that was the most important thing."
Khan acknowledged that he was not prepared for what unfolded and framed the experience as a crash course in the realities of the wrestling business.
"I probably would do things differently, say things differently, but it wasn't something I was expecting," he said. "That was very much a 'welcome to wrestling' moment in some aspects, because that was — for me, I'd been in wrestling for almost four years at that point, but that was certainly a first for me, and as with all firsts, you're going to learn from them, and hope not to ever have a repeat."
Vince Russo, who watched the infamous post-All Out press conference unfold in real time, told Khan he felt bad for him in the moment. He described him as someone who clearly did not see the situation coming. Khan did not push back on that characterization.
