Tony Khan attacked on AEW Dynamite left wrestling community talking

The final segment of the April 24 edition of AEW Dynamite featured a surprising turn of events as Tony Khan was attacked by Jack Perry and The Young Bucks, while Kazuchika Okada stood by in support. The reactions were swift, with many laughing hysterically at the entire segment, hoping for more shenanigans to come. Regardless of if that was the goal or not, Khan and crew got the fans talking about a major angle in All Elite Wrestling, which is exactly what the promotion needed.

Whether it was the silly back bump Khan took from a punch to the stomach, Okada doing the Scott Hall pose, or Shad Khan making his AEW debut to see his laid-out son, there’s so much to talk about from this segment. And talk is exactly what’s going on. AEW has long “listened” to aspects of the IWC, with several examples of such seen in the company’s five years of existence. Well, there’s a lot of talk going on about this segment, and outside of a few usual suspects, the response has been widely positive.

Khan said multiple times that he would not be an on-air character. While this may be a step in a different direction, it’s one that has happened several times in wrestling before. Eric Bishoff, Vince McMahon, Dixie Carter, Scott D’Amore – they all found themselves on the wrong end of a beat down by some of the biggest stars in wrestling. Everyone has fantasies about beating up their boss, so it’s understandable why this step usually gets a positive response. It’s one that AEW picked the right time to make.

The Jack Perry situation in AEW forced the company to find some way to build him into a major heel, and perhaps this is the way to do it. He can’t feud with CM Punk, as he’s in the WWE. Attacking Khan puts him at the top of the pecking order when it comes to heels in AEW. And this is at a time when the company needs as many as they can get. When you look at the roster, the biggest stars are beloved by fans because of what they do in the ring. The Blackpool Combat Club are technically heels but try to find a situation where they are booed. Jack Perry and The Young Bucks are perhaps the truest examples of heels for the company.

Now the “what’s next” comes into play. Kenny Omega is going to return to Dynamite next week. While he’s out due to an upcoming surgery, expect some interaction with the new Elite that sees him get beat up and left in a heap. Khan must appear during the NFL Draft with a neck brace and sell the injuries, just for the campiness and to keep people talking.

All Elite Wrestling took a big step in getting folks talking about the action that went down on Dynamite. The promotion needed some momentum and this was a terrific way to get it going. Fans are waiting to see what comes next and the famed phrase “let it play out” fits perfectly.