Conrad Thompson, one of the top wrestling podcasters in the U.S., sharply criticized WWE while comparing how the company and AEW treat their audiences.
Speaking on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Thompson said the two promotions have very different priorities. As Thompson sees it, Tony Khan aims to please wrestling fans, while WWE is far more concerned with the interests of its investors.
“AEW is making wrestling for fans and I think WWE is making wrestling for investors.”
The remarks come as WWE has been significantly expanding its business, particularly since September 2023, when it became part of TKO Group Holdings following its merger with UFC.
TKO is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and growing revenue from media rights, sponsorships, and major events is among its top priorities.
One of the biggest moves came in September 2025, when ESPN took over the U.S. rights to WWE’s premium live events. Raw, on the other hand, moved to Netflix earlier that year, in January.
Tony Khan’s AEW has also undergone major business changes. In October 2024, the promotion reached a renewal agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery that kept Dynamite and Collision on the air and included simulcasts of both shows on HBO Max.