Published: Aug 11, 2025 by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: Aug 11, 2025 by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
AEW
Tony Khan has named his favorite wrestlers who are not currently under contract with AEW or ROH, with two having appeared in WWE.
The AEW President made the list during a recent appearance on the My Mom’s Basement podcast, listening four stars who currently wrestle for AEW partner promotions.
Drawing names from NJPW, CMLL and Stardom, Tony Khan would list his picks by saying:
“I just said Zack Sabre Jr, that would be very high on the list. That’s a good answer.
“Starlight Kid, very good. AZM, very good. Mistico, by far. Mistico is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers.”
Khan would also state that his love of Mistico goes back to booking the CMLL star when the idea of AEW Dynamite was just an online e-fed.
Mistico may be a star that is familiar to WWE fans, having performed as Sin Cara between 2011 and 2014.
Not only did Zack Sabre Jr make Khan’s list, but the AEW owner would also note that he is one of the best technical wrestlers of all time.
The current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, ZSJ also appeared in WWE, competing in the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic, reaching the semifinals of the tournament.
Zack Sabre Jr is set to compete at AEW Forbidden Door on August 24 against an opponent chosen from the upcoming four-way between Nigel McGuinness, Hechicero, Lee Moriarty or Daniel Garcia.
McGuinness, who last shared a ring with Sabre Jr at AEW All In London back in 2024, has since addressed the “steep training curve” ahead of the qualifier match.
Starlight Kid is a Stardom mainstay and is yet to debut in either AEW or ROH, while AZM last competed on the May 14 episode of AEW Dynamite.
That match was an AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Four-Way with Mina Shirakawa being victorious over AZM, Toni Storm and Skye Blue.
Transcript from F4W Online.
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