Backstage Update on AEW’s Reaction to Paramount Acquiring Warner Bros Discovery & No Exclusivity Deal with TKO Preventing Paramount from Adding AEW

As noted before, Warner Bros Discovery announced this past April that their shareholders had voted in approval of Paramount Skydance’s acquisition deal for the company. WBD is the current media broadcast partner of AEW. Both AEW and WBD denied rumors earlier this month claiming WBD had informed AEW CEO Tony Khan in the summer of 2025 that the plan was for WBD to be sold and others would be making decisions on further AEW programming. WWE is currently under the belief that Paramount will not be keeping AEW and AEW will have difficulties finding a new television deal.

These rumors regarding AEW’s future being uncertain under Paramount revolve around Paramount’s current media rights deal with UFC, which is owned by WWE parent company TKO Group.

Fightful Select reported that their sources within AEW stated that AEW CEO Tony Khan is “excited” about the possibility of continuing the company’s relationship with WBD under Paramount.

In regards to the rumors and chatter around Paramount airing UFC, it was reported that an inside source spoken to stated that there is no exclusivity clause preventing Paramount from bringing AEW on board. Another source spoken to described the situation as being UFC works for Paramount and not the other way around.