Ric Flair’s Bold Take: Tony Khan Buying WWE ‘Wouldn’t Surprise’ Him

HIGHLIGHTS

• A WWE Hall of Famer just publicly endorsed the head of AEW as a future owner of WWE.
• The AEW boss already made a multi-billion-dollar bid for WWE once before.
• The Khan family’s net worth could fund the deal without breaking a sweat.

Ric Flair was a guest on the Ariel Helwani Show on Wednesday and he had a lot to say. Flair dropped a bold take about the future of WWE and AEW’s head man ultimately purchasing the promotion. According to Flair, “I wouldn’t be surprised, because he has the money to do it, if he doesn’t buy WWE one day.”

What Did Flair Say About Tony Khan?

Flair didn’t just acknowledge Khan’s wealth. He had a lot to say about Khan’s character. Flair doesn’t appear to be thrilled with WWE at the moment and he’ll seemingly take any opportunity to shortchange the world’s No. 1 wrestling promotion.

He called Tony Khan “one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life” and praised the AEW president for paying talent well and giving opportunities to wrestlers WWE wouldn’t sign. Flair also referenced the “$9 billion price on the WWE” as “nothing to Shad Khan,” whose estimated net worth sits around $14.9 billion.

Could Tony Khan Actually Buy WWE?

Perhaps. There’s always estimated worth floating around about celebrities and wealthy people, but that’s not the entire story when it comes to viability for this kind of takeover. WWE is now part of TKO Group Holdings, a publicly traded company, which means any sale would require board approval and shareholder action — not a single conversation between Khan and a willing seller.

Khan did make a real run at WWE in 2023 with a multi-billion-dollar bid before the company landed with Endeavor. He has since said the offer was “reasonable at that price.” If TKO ever decided to spin WWE off again, Khan would almost certainly be in the conversation.

Why Is Flair Praising Khan So Heavily Right Now?

Khan and AEW have treated Flair well, so his praise only makes sense. I’d probably do the same thing if I were in his position. AEW signed Flair in September 2025 and has used him sparingly but respectfully, while Flair’s relationship with WWE has gone in the opposite direction.

Earlier this month, Flair revealed WWE blocked his Roots of Fight apparel deal, which led to an all-caps social media response accusing the company of trying to “destroy” and “kill” his legacy. He also said WWE banned him from WrestleMania 42 after he allegedly threatened to beat up Ludwig Kaiser during Tiffany Stratton’s feud with Charlotte Flair.

What’s Next for Flair, AEW, and WWE?

While many WWE fans likely wish the promotion and Flair could reconcile, it doesn’t appear to be in the works any time soon. That’s a shame as it would be great to see all wrestling promotions give the Nature Boy his due. Flair will continue with AEW, where Khan has built a roster of wrestlers WWE either let go or never signed.

WWE, meanwhile, just wrapped a record-setting WrestleMania 42 weekend featuring Brock Lesnar’s retirement match and Paige’s surprise return. The company has bigger priorities than reconciling with Flair, and Tony Khan buying it remains exactly what Flair called it — speculation, not news.