Tony Khan Compares Wardlow’s Trajectory To AEW Legend’s

After defeating 20 plaintiffs on this week's "AEW Dynamite" in a remarkable twenty-on-one handicap match, is there anybody that can halt the spectacular rise of Wardlow?

Following his successful victory over MJF Double or Nothing in May, which saw the 34-year-old break free from his storyline contract with The Salt of the Earth and officially sign with AEW, Wardlow is seemingly on a path straight to the top. AEW Owner & President, Tony Khan, reflected on Wardlow's rise during his appearance on Busted Open Radio on Wednesday, comparing his trajectory to a WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW legend.

"I am a big fan of old wrestling, as are all of you on the phone, and I know some of you have to be fans of the UWF," Khan said. "I've driven up and down the road in the car with Tommy [Dreamer] a bit – we talk about the UWF a lot. And I remember another wrestler who people don't necessarily think of as somebody who started out kind of a heater. Not exactly the bodyguard, but similar where they were helping out another wrestler, working with them, not necessarily focusing on their own career. And it might not be who you think, but 35 years ago, there was a guy breaking in, and his name's Sting.

"Sting and 'Hot Stuff' Eddie Gilbert. It's kind of interesting going back and looking at how Sting's career kind of got started and who he became. But I believe Wardlow could have a great career. And you saw Sting start in a similar position to Wardlow, where he was at first in the background working for another wrestler, and now he's kind of become his own man."

Wardlow began his pro wrestling career in 2014 debuting for American Revolution Wrestling and spent five years on the independent circuit before signing for All Elite Wrestling. The 2022 Face of the Revolution Ladder Match winner made his debut for the promotion on November 13, 2019, attacking Cody and becoming MJF's bodyguard, before eventually becoming a part of "The Pinnacle" stable. The duo's relationship ultimately became fractured in March 2022 at AEW Revolution, when Wardlow turned on MJF by helping CM Punk win a Dog Collar Match, by handing MJF's Dynamite Diamond Ring to Punk to use as a weapon.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio with a h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.