It is WrestleMania week and WWE is ramping up the media machine. Tuesday featured several headlines that caught the attention of wrestling fans and critics. WWE Executive Nick Khan had quite a bit to say about top North American competitor, All Elite Wrestling. This was nothing more than an attempt to generate headlines to get fans talking, clicking, and viewing. Still, his egregious comments can’t be ignored. Especially the thought about WWE not “benching” performers signed to contracts.
“That’s something we won’t do,” Khan said while talking on The Bill Simmons podcast. “WE don’t sign and bench people. We sign people who we want to use. If another entity signs and benches people now, that’s not something we would do.”
Let’s look at three examples where that’s far from the truth.
Omos
Say what you want about Omos and his in-ring abilities, he has a presence which is important in professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Standing 7’3” and weighing in at 400 pounds, Omos should be booked as a force among forces in WWE. He doesn’t need to be a constant title threat, not when there are so many fantastic in-ring performers on board, but to not utilize him in any way is telling.
The last time Omos took part in a WWE match was the 2024 Andre the Giant Battle Royal nearly one year ago. Has he been completely inactive since? No, Omos spent time in NOAH where he was presented as an attraction and found success under that banner. He’s been known to have a wonderful personality backstage that he doesn’t get to show on screen, and even that was shining through in Japan. WWE pulled him from that tour and has continued to keep him parked on the bench since.
Lance Anoa’i and Hikuleo
For those deeply ingrained in The Bloodline angle, these two names will be familiar. Lance Anoa’i and Hikuleo are two members of the family. Hikuleo is the brother of Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, while Lance is the cousin to Roman Reigns, The Usos, Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa. Both of these men have been signed with WWE for months, yet neither have appeared on television. This comes at a time when The Bloodline angle seems to be winding down, without much interest in new members. How these two will fit into the WWE product is anyone’s guess at this moment.
The Women’s Division
Members of the women’s division have complained about how that group is utilized on television for months. A few names get ample time on screen, while a large number are left backstage or tucked into the tag team division to be used infrequently. This remains a glaring hole, even though WWE NXT is a bastion of representation for the women’s division and people of color.
It's one thing for WWE and AEW to take shots at each other in the spirit of competition. Competition makes industries like these better. But to make outright false statements like those Nick Khan made on Tuesday comes right out of the playbook of some of the leaders' close political friends.