Will Hobbs thinks Tony Khan’s recent comments may have been taken out of context.
All Elite Wrestling star ‘Powerhouse’ Will Hobbs took to Twitter to release a statement to have his voice heard following AEW President Tony Khan’s controversial comments following the departure of now-former AEW star, Big Swole.
From Hobbs:
“There is so much that goes into AEW that those online don’t see.
It often flies under the radar that Tony and Megha are both people of color, and having them in charge of AEW represents progress for pro wrestling. I see firsthand how hard they’re working to make wrestling more diverse.
I want you to all know that I consider Tony and Megha family and I’m disappointed to see their efforts dismissed. People have no idea the time and effort it takes to put shows on and to make AEW an open environment where people like me are seen and heard.
Tony works hand in hand with people of color on the roster all the time about their story ideas, input, matches, etc. Not every idea will work, but every idea is listened to and valued. My personal voice has been heard and I’ve had input for all of my opportunities. As a black male, I plan on using my voice to do what I can to make sure this company is diverse. I’m also aware that diversity comes in many forms — Women, Black, Latino, East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, LGBTQ+ and more. The more diversity, equity and inclusion we can build in wrestling, the more fans we can engage with, and the more fun we can all have together.
AEW is a young company led by people of color heading in the right direction. I’m proud to be a part of that momentum, and I know my colleagues stand behind me when I say that.”
On December 31, Big Swole released a new episode of her Callin podcast and addressed her AEW departure in detail, explaining why she opted to leave. Swole said she felt like there was a lack of diversity in talent on television, as well as feeling like her peace was disrupted and the company needed more structure internally. Khan responded to Swole’s comments and denied AEW having a diversity problem, and then ripped Swole and said he chose not to renew her contract because of her lack of wrestling talent. Khan’s comments created a huge uproar amongst fans and talent alike, including Hobbs’ initial comments about how he was grateful for how much AEW has been there for him since he joined the company.
Related: Lio Rush Speaks With Tony Khan Following Big Swole Exchange
