Spedball Mike Bailey has discussed Tony Khan’s booking style and what wrestlers need to do to thrive in AEW.
Since AEW was founded in 2019, Tony Khan has often come under fire from fans and critics for his booking style and how he utilises wrestlers on the company’s roster.
Speedball Mike Bailey joined the promotion in February 2025, and in the time since then, has come to believe that critics have a misunderstanding about what Khan is trying to accomplish.
During a recent appearance on the MMMShow, Bailey explained that people want AEW to be the same as other wrestling shows they are used to, but he thinks that is “wrong.”
“I think that Tony Khan is an incredibly smart person. He knows what he’s doing. I’ve talked to him. I’ve listened to him in interviews, and AEW is a challenger brand. I think a lot of the criticisms that people have for AEW is that, ‘Oh, they’re doing things differently than what I’m used to seeing on TV.’ It boils down to that.
“A lot of it is just, ‘I think the other guys would have done this, so AEW should do this,’ which is wrong. They have to be different. It’s still a pro wrestling show, but they have to find a different segment of the audience. All Elite Wrestling is where the best wrestle. It’s not sports entertainment. It’s about pro wrestling, because pro wrestling is great. The reason the company came to be is because there was a hole in the market.”
“AEW Is Founded On Great Pro Wrestling” – Speedball Mike Bailey
With the foundational ethos of AEW in mind, Mike Bailey believes that to thrive in the promotion, wrestlers need to concentrate on “the skill of professional wrestling.” Bailey admits that sounds “simplistic,” but says it’s actually a complicated prospect.
“There were a lot, at the time that AEW was founded, of unsigned, independent, world-traveled professional wrestlers that had the ability to put on a fantastic show, no matter the context, no matter the place, no matter the audience. They always sent the audience home happy with exactly what they wanted. That’s what AEW is founded on. It’s founded on great pro wrestling and that’s what they’re offering.
“I know that art is subjective, right? People will like or dislike whoever they want, but pro wrestling is a skill. You can be objectively good or bad at a skill. What you need in order to thrive in AEW is to be the best at the skill of professional wrestling, which sounds incredibly simplistic, but it’s a lot more complicated when you go deeper.”
Mike Bailey last competed in AEW at Dynasty 2026, where he was unsuccessful in the TNT Championship Casino Gauntlet Match, which was won by his partner in JetSpeed, Kevin Knight.
H/T to Fightful for the above transcription.
