Former AEW Star Has Spoken With Tony Khan A Few Times Since Departure

AEW

Lio Rush has opened up about his relationship with AEW President Tony Khan following his previous departure from the company.

Ahead of Rush finishing up with the company, he notably called Khan out on Twitter for a controversial tweet Khan made about the AEW departure of Big Swole on New Year’s Eve 2021.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Rush emphasised that he really likes Khan, but admitted that there might still be a little animosity between them:

“Um, probably a little bit (of animosity between myself & Tony Khan). I mean, how can there not be? But I think Tony, I like Tony a lot. I really, I really, really like Tony.

“I think that’s the first time I’m saying that out loud. Yeah, I can’t take it back now. But I do like Tony… One thing that made me so willing to give AEW a chance — because I feel like I was scarred from my WWE run.

“I feel like I was, you know, traumatized a little bit. Tony liked me a lot. I feel like we connected pretty quickly. And I feel like that’s why things probably, there was a lot of emotion involved with (it).

“And I probably shouldn’t have brought it, brought the emotion out, but I’m glad, again, I’m glad. I’m glad that I did. I’m glad that I show people that I stand for something.

“I’m glad that I show people that I care about myself, I care about others. It’s not always about a paycheck to me. Yeah, I am, I’m sorry, I’m kind of, I mean, this is huge.

“For me, like really, because this is the first time that I’m really, really speaking on it. I’ve talked about it, but I haven’t really, really talked about it in that sense, like with my actual like relationship with Tony and stuff like that.

Rush left AEW after his contract expired in February 2022.

When asked if he’s spoken to Tony Khan since leaving AEW, Rush said:

“Yeah. I’ve talked to him a few times. Yeah. We’ve talked a number of times. And it’s always great. It’s always, you know, ‘How you been? Good to hear from you.’

“You know, if the show was on the air, yeah, I try to pop out and see and stuff like that. So the love is still there. The support is still there. I think there’s just other factors into me actually being there.

“I mean, I’m doing so much right now. I’m happy with what I’m doing. It’s not really like I’m trying to force something to happen. If it happens, it happens.

“But I love the direction that I’m going in right now. I love what I’m doing, I’m glad that I feel like I don’t really have any true bad blood within wrestling.

“I feel like with me being so active right now, and being in front of people, it’s a lot different when you’re in front of somebody. You can see them, you can kind of feel their energy, you can see why they’re doing what they’re doing and stuff like that.

“So I think a lot of people with me popping back up like this so consistently and so kind of making a pretty big splash with, you know, any show that I do, I feel like people are starting to see me and see my characteristics more and you know, who I am as a person, as a performer.

“Maybe respected my work a little bit more realizing that I’m 28, but I’ve been doing this for almost a decade now.

“I think people are just kind of coming to terms and just really starting to see me. Yeah, it’s a nice feeling.

Rush is currently competing on the independent scene, as well as in NJPW, where he is set to challenge for the IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship at the March 21 New Japan Cup 2023 finals event.

Transcription via POST Wrestling.

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• Lio Rush
• NJPW
• tony khan
• AEW

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