Tony Khan says Andrade and another outgoing AEW star will be welcomed back: "The door would always be open"

All Elite Wrestling has seen its fair share of talent come and go since its inception in 2019. As 2023 draws to a close, AEW is faced with yet another departure, that of long-time roster member QT Marshall. Marshall has been with AEW since the early days, having competed in the inaugural Double or Nothing event and later transitioning into a coaching role.

AEW President Tony Khan addressed Marshall's imminent exit during the post-Worlds End media scrum. He placed emphasis on Marshall's importance to the company, describing him as "fundamental" to the promotion's success. Khan made it clear that the door would always be open for Marshall to return down the line.

"QT Marshall, his contract’s up. The door would always be open for QT to come back in any capacity, wrestling, coaching," Khan stated. "I know he wants to go out and apply his trade. I know he wants to go out and focus on his wrestling career, but he’s also been a huge part of AEW in addition to wrestling, he’s been a great coach."(H/T: AEW conference)

Khan also addressed Andrade El Idolo, who lost his marquee matchup against Miro at Worlds End. Khan stated that El Idolo's contract is about to expire, and he does not foresee getting him to sign an extension at this time. However, Khan stated that he has immense respect for Andrade and said that if they were able to reach a new agreement, he would have been slotted into a prominent position within All Elite Wrestling.

Tony Khan reckons AEW's style is "punk rock"

Tony Khan digressed to describe the company's distinctive "punk rock" ethos. He stated that they have always characterized the Elite Wrestling style backstage as "punk rock." In Khan's view, if the company loses its raw, unconventional edge, it risks changing the core of what makes the promotion unique.

He admitted that there were times recently when AEW started to stray from that punk rock spirit, and he had to self-correct. "No no no, it is punk rock, and I stay with it," he quipped. So, while the company continues evolving, Khan remains committed to preserving an attitude that bucks trends and retains an outsider mentality true to All Elite Wrestling's identity.