Some Wrestlers Reportedly Upset About Tony Khan's AEW Deal With CMLL
Last fall, AEW formed a working relationship with Mexican promotion CMLL. However, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, various wrestlers are not pleased with the agreement that is currently in place between the two companies. It's said that no other Mexican wrestlers can appear on AEW programming featuring CMLL talent. That rule has reportedly upset several performers from Mexico, and they are particularly mad at AEW boss Tony Khan for agreeing to those terms, pointing out that Mexican promotion AAA — who also has a working relationship with AEW — never made a similar demand.
The newsletter mentioned that Khan's vision when he formed AEW was to work with every promotion, but when AEW began operations in 2019, CMLL talent was not allowed to work with AEW because they were partnering with AAA, while NJPW, who has a working arrangement with CMLL, didn't have a relationship with them under the regime of Harold Meij. AEW formed a business relationship with NJPW in 2021, which has since led to both promotions coming together every year for the Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
Meanwhile, former AAA talent and current AEW stars Rey Fénix and Penta El Zero Miedo reportedly feel disrespected by the CMLL working relationship because "there would be shows including perhaps multiple PPVs this year, including any PPV anyone from CMLL is booked on, that they couldn't even be allowed on the show." The report went on to say that following the recent Jericho Cruise, Penta headed to "AEW Dynamite" believing he was booked on the show. However, it turned out that he couldn't appear on "Dynamite" or film a match for "AEW Rampage" because CMLL talent was booked on both shows.
Update: Fightful Select is reporting, however, that the Wrestling Observer report is not true, citing AEW sources that point out that Komander appeared on the January 31 episode of "Dynamite" and that Penta El Zero Miedo was scheduled for AEW television this week but did not appear owing to travel issues.
Wrestling Inc. has reached out to AEW to clarify these conflicting reports