Jake Roberts has offered a pointed assessment of Tony Khan’s management of All Elite Wrestling, suggesting the company’s president and founder “needs to loosen up the reins a little bit and take some advice” when it comes to deploying his roster’s talent.
The WWE Hall of Famer made the comments during an appearance on the Nick Club Wrestling Happy Hour with host Nick Teodoro, where he was asked to compare his experiences across the wrestling industry. Roberts confirmed that his own run with AEW came to an end in July 2026.
Roberts first joined All Elite Wrestling in an official capacity in 2020, arriving as part of the build toward Lance Archer’s debut with the promotion. Archer went on to become one of the signature acts associated with Roberts’ mentorship angle in AEW, with the pairing forming a notable chapter of the company’s early years.
In his remarks to Teodoro, Roberts did not frame his critique as personal animosity toward Khan, but rather as a belief that AEW’s talent could be better utilized if Khan were more open to outside input. The exact nature of what advice Roberts believes Khan should heed, or from whom, was not detailed in the portions of the interview made available.
Roberts’ comments arrive several months removed from his departure from the company, giving his perspective the distance of someone no longer directly involved in AEW’s internal operations. His history with the promotion, dating back to the Archer pairing in 2020, positions him as a figure who worked closely with Khan’s creative process for an extended stretch before exiting this year.
Neither Tony Khan nor All Elite Wrestling has publicly responded to Roberts’ comments at this time. Roberts’ remarks were first reported by Fightful and NoDQ following the release of his interview on the Nick Club Wrestling Happy Hour podcast.
