Names Revealed Central To 'Contract Tampering' Allegations Tony Khan Made Of WWE

Last week, AEW CEO Tony Khan took to social media and said that "business became personal" with WWE after he was informed that the Stamford, Connecticut-based promotion had allegedly tampered with the contracts of "many AEW talent" while he was by his mother's side in the hospital. Wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp provided a couple of the alleged names involved on Fightful Select's "SRS Backstage Report" show.

"I can tell you the two situations in which Khan took it personally, one of which was Swerve Strickland, who signed a multi-year deal on pay-per-view being contacted for the Hit Row reunion," Sapp said. "He, I believe, referred WWE or their talent relations person to his lawyer.

"And then there was the other instance when Tony Khan's mother was in the hospital. It became abundantly clear that WWE had contract tampered and spoke with William Regal and offered him a new role there, as he already had one prepared. So that's why he took it personally."

Khan took a handful of shots at WWE last week on social media as "AEW Dynamite" went head-to-head with "WWE NXT" for the first time since October 2022. "Dynamite" switched to Tuesday night due to live sports coverage on TBS. Regarding the names involved in the alleged contract tampering, Swerve Strickland is still with AEW, while William Regal returned to WWE as Vice President of Global Talent Development earlier this year.

Tampering is a term the National Football League uses for the forbidden practice of teams contacting their competitors' respective contracted players to interfere with their relationship or otherwise induce them to seek employment with another squad. Absent a central, governing authority in professional wrestling and union for the industry's workers, it's unclear what Khan's insinuating with his use of the phrase "contract tampering" and what, if any, malfeasance is implied.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "SRS Backstage Report" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.