Tony Khan needs to be stopped. No, WrestleLamia isn’t talking about the AEW President’s incredible obsession with signing talent (that’s an editorial for another day). In this case, we're referring to Khan’s latest social media meltdown, a situation that has some wrestling fans thinking Khan needs to step away from social media (it also has some fans laughing at how easily AEW’s President seems to fly off the handle).

While critics may be wrong, accusations that Khan is thin-skinned, immature, and/or irritable are hard to dismiss when you read Khan's comments. Add in the fact that he’s the company's public face, and it's a situation full of potential peril.

Tony Khan is obviously proud of his product. While AEW has stumbled over the last year or so, there are still plenty of good things going for the company. However, Khan seems like a helicopter parent who can’t separate himself from his pride and joy, inadvertently embarrassing himself and his product.

Tony’s Tirade

In case you missed it, Tony Khan took offense when fans questioned the decision to book FTW Champion Hook against AEW World Champion Samoa Joe. For some, Hook doesn’t deserve the match—at least compared to bigger names in AEW. However, Khan defended the decision, noting Hook’s AEW record.

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Wrestling Inc.’s Raj Giri noted Seth Rollins and Jinder Mahal's history together. That might have been enough, but Khan seemed to lose it when the USA Network took a jab at Tony’s past practice of pointing out how highly-rated AEW’s matches are rated at Cagematch.net. The USA Network tweeted:

This seemed to set Khan off, and he didn’t hold back, attacking the WWE’s decision to give Jinder Mahal a World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth Rollins.

While there might be some merit to the idea that Jinder doesn’t deserve a title match, Khan’s remarks rubbed many people the wrong way. For some readers, it was a needless attack on wrestler Jinder Mahal. For others, it was incredibly immature. Even if Khan’s initial comment was warranted, his decision to wage an unrelenting campaign against anyone and everyone who disagreed with him seemed unnecessary. Ultimately, it served no purpose other than to give his critics ammunition that he's possibly thin-skinned and/or overstressed running AEW.

One Thing Leads to Another

As often happens with social media comments, Khan’s remarks led to many responses, and before long, it seemed as if everyone was weighing in on Khan’s tweets. Even worse, Khan seemed to respond to everyone, aggravating the situation. Tony’s comments resulted in numerous replies from fans but also comments (and criticisms) from wrestlers and wrestling personalities including Rhea Ripley, Dax Harwood, Bubba Ray Dudley, Eric Bischoff, and The Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer.

While it's natural for people to reply to someone's comments on social media, subsequent replies usually end up adding fuel to the proverbial fire (which is why the term flame war was created to describe threads that went from a simple comment into the digital version of World War Three).

Does Tony Khan Need to Back Off?

Eric Bischoff has suggested that Tony Khan needs to distance himself from AEW in terms of serving as its spokesperson. Based on what we’ve seen of Khan at AEW’s post-show media scrums, it may not be a bad idea. Bischoff’s Strictly Business podcast co-host Jon Alba (who is an Emmy-Award-winning journalist)  recently pointed out how Khan blundered his way through the Worlds End post-show media scrum to address Nick Hausman’s insinuations that Chris Jericho had skeletons in his closet. As far as Alba was concerned, Khan should have addressed the issue at the beginning of the scrum with a statement and moved forward. Instead, Khan repeatedly addressed the issue.

Everyone knows someone who is thin-skinned and easily offended. Sometimes, it makes for some laughs but it also can lead to trouble as the person in question wears out their welcome. However, when a public figure is thin-skinned, the consequences are magnified. Whether it’s a politician, musician, athlete, or business owner, flying off the handle on social media can backfire. While an individual’s supporters might enjoy seeing them insult someone they feel deserves it, it generally makes for bad optics, especially when the individual in question doesn’t stop. Sometimes, an individual’s broadsides can even turn off supporters, turning them into opponents.

Tony Khan should know better. On one hand, he seems to understand the importance of social media. He uses it to update fans on AEW news, including signings, upcoming shows, and the company’s successes. However, it’s problematic when he defends the company on social media.

Why Social Media Isn’t the Right Platform

Khan is AEW President, but social media isn’t the place for him to take a stand. First, there’s only so much that can be said on social media. Second, it’s too easy to get mired in a back-and-forth with people who disagree with you. Third, Tony Khan seems like the kind of person who doesn’t always take time to think over his social media posts

For some individuals, it’s better to address concerns with the media. Sometimes, a statement can be issued to address a concern or make an important announcement. Interviews can also give someone a chance to discuss matters (controversial or not) in a closed environment. Anyone with a modicum of media savviness knows who they can count on for a friendly interview and who might ask hard questions. They will also know how to let an interviewer know what questions are on and off the table.

As mentioned, Tony Khan may not be the right person to address AEW matters, especially controversial ones. For whatever reason, Khan doesn’t seem capable of handling live discussions or social media. He should consider a spokesperson for the company so he can focus on running the business. Khan can continue making announcements on social media, but he shouldn’t be jumping into the proverbial weeds and defending AEW against online criticism.

Do you think Tony Khan has a problem using social media? If so, how should AEW address it?

Photo Credit: AEW