Tony Khan Telling Them to Work Their Contracts
If you are like me you have been wondering where are the Lucha Brothers (Penta and Rey Fenix) in AEW? I knew that Rey Fenix was injured and was off for that once again. Then it seemed like all of a sudden the wrestling websites and personalities were saying that the Lucha Brothers were headed to WWE. In my mind, I was thinking…wait a minute, there’s no way their contracts are up, especially with all the injuries.
AEW vs Lucha Brothers = WWE?
While reading through the different websites, I was quickly led to the main point between AEW and the Lucha Brothers. The Lucha Brothers would be coming to the end of their contracts soon. Penta has less than a month and it was thought that Rey Fenix only had about 6 months left. AEW owner and president Tony Khan has been known to allow talents out of their contracts early such as William Regal and Jade Cargill. I’m sure that Rey Fenix thought Khan would allow him out of his contract to join his brother, Penta. However, to me, it sounds like Tony Khan has told them no. Just like according to the rumor mill says that Khan has told Miro, Wardlow, and Ricky Starks.
Instead it looks like Penta’s contract may be up October 31st, but Rey Fenix’s contract may not be up until July 2025 or longer depending on injury time added. It seems like many in the internet wrestling community believe that WWE has already made Penta an offer and has had merchandise made for them. It’s unknown whether or not that’s true. It was also rumored that they were headed to WWE Smackdown and were to debut before the end of the year. Now according to WrestlePurists:
“Tony {Khan} likes Rey Fenix. He’s always liked and respected Rey Fenix. He just felt that if he let this things slide that other people were going to start taking advantage of him and it was going to lead to a dam breaking. So they’re fucked and Penta has another month I believe and Fenix has 9-10 {more months}. Tony found out what the plan was for them on Smackdown by the way and that also informed this.”
Boss or Crybaby?
It’s so weird to read fans’ comments about how it is great that Tony Khan is finally stepping up to act like a boss. A boss who many fans believe is making wrestlers uphold the contracts that they have signed. Yes, Tony Khan paid them while they were injured, but now they need to work the time owed to him. As the quote above says, Khan is worried that a damn is going to break with more wrestlers wanting out of their current contracts. Many fans assume that wrestlers want to leave to go to the WWE, but as Khan knows from his NFL dealings, a lot of wrestlers are going to just want a raise off that current contract. How many holdouts do you have in the NFL that want more money? I don’t want that in wrestling.
Many fans are also saying that Tony Khan is a petty crybaby. Khan has always said he doesn’t want to be the kind of owner who would hold wrestlers to AEW as hostages. Khan has talked about how he doesn’t want wrestlers in AEW that don’t want to be there. I can’t help but wonder what else is going on here.
AAA vs CMLL?
Again, we could be walking into weird territory. Could it be that the Mexican wrestling promotions have brought their rivalry to the United States? When AEW was first started, Konnan’s AAA promotion allowed many of their wrestlers to perform on AEW TV. Penta and Rey Fenix were two of Konnan’s close friends who were some of the original AEW wrestlers. It seemed as Penta and Fenix were often injured the use of AAA wrestlers slowed down. However, if you listen to the rumors then it was when Konnan accepted the offer to induct Rey Mysterio in the WWE Hall of Fame that changed everything. Konnan pulled back from AEW and Tony Khan. Rumors state he was trying to get back into the WWE’s good graces and get a possible job offer from them.
Right after Konnan starts pulling away, the rumors start up that Tony Khan is talking to AAA’s rival in Mexico, CMLL. Khan is soon gushing about CMLL’s Kommander’s prowess walking the ring ropes. AEW has been overrun with many of CMLL’s top stars from Mistico to Beast Mortis. Could this be why Rey Fenix and Penta want to leave? Maybe they don’t see a position for them with AEW because they have been turning to CMLL wrestlers. Or could it be that Konnan wants them out of AEW and in WWE to raise his profile there?
Thoughts on Lucha Brothers
My thoughts on all this is that I want them on my television. If Penta is healthy, then Tony Khan put him on my TV. Penta, if you are healthy and you have a contract…get on my TV. I’m tired of wrestlers sitting at home for whatever reason. If you are hurt or think you are hurt then I totally understand. But YOU need to understand all that time is being put in your contract time. If you sign a contract, you don’t get to decide after the fact when the contract is over. I don’t. When I personally sign a contract then I have to uphold it. So you should too. Rey Fenix, if your contract has nine months left plus they could add more time…you should not even be thinking about WWE. If you are healthy, get on my TV.
If I’m going to gripe about NFL wide receivers sitting out preseason or even some of the first couple of games to get more money, then I’m going to gripe about pro wrestlers doing the same. Uphold your contract. If you think the market is going to change in five years…I have a novel idea. DO NOT sign a five-year contract. Sign a three-year one. (You hear me, Rhea Ripley?) Pull a Dolph Zigglar and sign a one-year contract every year. Not good enough to do what you want. Then you need to get better or go somewhere else. But you can only know and do it when you are out of your current contract. Just my thoughts.
