Tony Khan revealed this week why former AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker has been missing for months. And the reasoning feels a lot like something fans would always complain about when WWE did the same.
Baker has not been seen on AEW television in eight months. If the AEW original was recovering from an injury, her absence would make sense. However, all indications are that she is completely healthy. The decision to sideline the notable star has led to speculation she is being punished by Khan. And that she is looking to get out of her contract.
Related: Tony Khan Reveals If Mercedes Mone Has Creative Control, And His Answer Doesn’t Make Things Better
However, the AEW CEO tried to dispel those rumors during his AEW All In: Texas media call this week. “I’ve never had a conversation about Britt departing AEW. I like Britt a lot,” Khan said [h/t SE Scoops].
So if Baker is not trying to leave the company, and Khan is a big fan, why has she been MIA? Well, according to the AEW boss, it seems like he has had nothing for her creatively in all that time.
“On a baseball team, you use nine players at a time. In the NFL, you can put 11 in at a time. Pro wrestling is unique because you can use a different number of people. But there are still only so many slots to fit into a show,” said Khan. “We haven’t used everybody. And there are some talented people on our bench that we can call in who would be a great part of the show.
“Britt is a great example of somebody who is very talented, and we could utilize in AEW with the right situation. And at the right time. Just like in pro sports, when you have some really talented people that aren’t necessarily starting every game at that point doesn’t mean they won’t be starting in the future,” he added. “It makes sense for me to look at the AEW roster like a sports team and try to manage the minutes and rotation.”
Wrestling fans often heard stories for years, when Vince McMahon was in charge of WWE, of popular wrestlers being sidelined because “creative had nothing for them.” Those sorts of situations helped give rise to AEW. Yet, now the company is using similar practices.
Considering how much Baker is likely making after signing a five-year extension in 2021, it sure seems like a waste of money and name value not to use the former champion for eight months.
Related: NXT Star Je’Von Evans Calls AEW CEO Tony Khan A ‘Crackhead’ In Wild X Spat With Ricochet
