Overview

• In new podcast remarks, Hager alleged Tony Khan barged into a wrestlers-only meeting after CM Punk turmoil and yelled at talent.
• FTR publicly rejected that account, saying Khan did not interrupt the meeting and insisting they have never refused to work, with Cash Wheeler posting texts that challenged Hager’s recollection.
• Hager said contract talks signaled he was unwanted, claiming he was offered roughly an 18‑month extension before his 2024 exit; he now says he is retired and running a trucking company.
• He criticized AEW’s creative approach, contending Khan struggles to sustain storylines and resists criticism, which left talent feeling sidelined.
• In a separate interview, Hager said AEW operations slipped after Cody Rhodes left, alleging long delays in responses to Chris Jericho and late production plans, and AEW has not issued a prominent rebuttal in the coverage.